April 2008 Council Meeting
List of Decisions
as of April 16, 2008; 3:23:31 PM
A basic summary of decisions from the April 8-14, 2008 Council meeting in Sacramento, California is posted below.
Salmon Management
2008 Salmon Management Measures
The Council adopted a complete closure of commercial and recreational fisheries off California, a 9,000 marked-only coho quota recreational fishery off Oregon south of Cape Falcon, and below average commercial, sport, and tribal fisheries north of Cape Falcon to the Canadian border, for submission to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for approval by May 1, 2008. The detailed management measures can be viewed on the Council website www.pcouncil.org.
Methodology Review Process and Preliminary Topic Selection for 2008
The Council adopted the following priority candidate items that the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) may consider for the 2008 Salmon Methodology Review. Source entities to deliver detailed reports for SSC review are included with each candidate item.
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Sensitivity analyses of the Chinook and Coho Fishery Regulation Assessment Models to major assumptions, including sensitivity to parameters related to mark-selective fisheries. Model Evaluation Workgroup (MEW)
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A new stock abundance forecast model for Sacramento River fall Chinook. Salmon Technical Team (STT)
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The harvest forecast model for Sacramento River fall Chinook. STT
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September 1 maturity boundary ("birth date") for Klamath River fall Chinook. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and STT
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Lower Columbia River natural coho ESA consultation standard. NMFS NWR
The final list of items will be determined at the September Council meeting, and the Review will occur prior to the November Council meeting.
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Pacific Halibut Management
Incidental Catch Regulations for the Salmon Troll and Fixed Gear Sablefish Fisheries
Salmon Troll
The Council adopted the following landing restrictions for Pacific halibut caught incidentally in the 2008 salmon troll fishery:
Beginning May 1, license holders may land no more than one halibut per each two Chinook, except one halibut may be landed without meeting the ratio requirement and no more than 35 halibut may be landed per open period. Halibut retained must be no less than 32 inches in total length (with head on).
A “C-shaped” yelloweye rockfish conservation area (YRCA) is an area to be avoided for salmon troll fishing. NMFS and the Council request that salmon trollers voluntarily avoid this area in order to protect yelloweye rockfish. The area is defined in the Pacific Council Halibut Catch Sharing Plan in the North Coast subarea (Washington Marine Area 3), with the following coordinates in the order listed:
48°18' N latitude; 125°18' W longitude;
48°18' N latitude; 124°59' W longitude;
48°11' N latitude; 124°59' W longitude;
48°11' N latitude; 125°11' W longitude;
48°04' N latitude; 125°11' W longitude;
48°04' N latitude; 124°59' W longitude;
48°00' N latitude; 124°59' W longitude;
48°00' N latitude; 125°18' W longitude;
And connecting back to 48°18' N latitude; 125°18' W longitude.
The Council also noted permanent salmon regulations include a mandatory YRCA in the North Coast subarea (Washington Marine Area 3) as closed to commercial salmon fishing. The coordinates of the mandatory YRCA are:
From 48°00.00' N latitude; 125°14.00' W longitude to 48°02.00' N latitude; 125°14.00' W longitude to 48°02.00' N latitude; 125°16.50' W longitude to 48°00.00' N latitude; 125°16.50' W longitude and connecting back to 48°00.00' N latitude; 125°14.00' W longitude.
Fixed Gear Sablefish Fishery
The Council adopted the same landing limits on incidental halibut harvest in the 2008 fixed gear primary sablefish fishery north of Point Chehalis as were in place for 2007:
Beginning May 1, restrict incidental halibut landings to 100 pounds (dressed weight) of halibut for every 1,000 pounds (dressed weight) of sablefish landed and up to two additional halibut in excess of the 100 pounds per 1,000 pound ratio per landing. Retention of halibut allowed beginning May 1.
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Groundfish Management
Harvest Specifications and Management Measures for 2009-2010 Fisheries
The Council adopted the SSC-recommended groundfish acceptable biological catches (ABCs) for groundfish stocks and stock complexes for 2009-2010 fisheries as shown in April Briefing Book document Agenda Item H.1.c, Supplemental GMT Report. The Council also adopted preliminary preferred optimum yields (OYs) for groundfish species and complexes and a range of management measures for 2009-2010 fisheries. A new yelloweye rockfish alternative, which contemplates a 17 mt OY in 2009 and in 2010, while maintaining the target rebuilding year of 2082, was adopted for analysis. The range of 2009-2010 groundfish OYs, including preferred OYs, and the range of management measures for analysis will be available soon in the Council's spring newsletter. All harvest specification and management measure alternatives will be analyzed in a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that will be provided for the June Council meeting, when the Council is scheduled to take final action.
Fishery Management Plan Amendment 21: Intersector Allocation
The Council decided the intersector allocation alternatives would be developed as an EIS. They charged the Groundfish Allocation Committee (GAC) with refining the alternatives and analyses and to consider developing a new alternative that provides an allocation to those committed to switching fishing gear from trawl to fixed gear. The GAC meeting is to be scheduled in January 2009. NMFS staff will provide an issue paper to aid the GAC in developing the new intersector allocation alternative. The Council scheduled a final preferred intersector allocation alternative decision for the April 2009 Council meeting.
Inseason Adjustments to 2008 Fisheries
The Council elected not to take any inseason actions to ongoing groundfish fisheries.
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Marine Protected Areas
Marine Protected Area “Need Criteria” for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS)
The Council tasked the Executive Director to send a letter to the MBNMS requesting they consider an SSC review in June of the additional rationale and scientific basis for marine protected area (MPA) consideration yet to be prepared by the MBNMS. Additionally, the Council recommends the SSC be included in the development of review evaluation criteria for potential MPA locations to be considered at some point in the future. The Council also advises that any detailed evaluation of MPA alternatives includes a thorough characterization of existing protective measures as the status quo alternative and include the Davidson Seamount as part of the Sanctuary.
Finally, the Council tasked the Executive Director send a letter to NOAA Administrator Vice Admiral Lautenbacher, requesting support and funding of the Council's initiative to implement an Ecosystem Fishery Management Plan which could help meet Council and Sanctuary objectives.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) “Condition Report”
The Council provided comments on the draft Condition Report and the report's future review process to Superintendent Carol Bernthal and Dr. Steve Gittings of the National Marine Sanctuary Program, to be formally communicated via letter. The Council appreciates the Sanctuary's efforts to bring the Council into the early review stages of the OCNMS “Condition Report” and looks forward to working with the OCNMS as it begins its Management Plan review process in the fall.
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Highly Migratory Species Management
Recommendations to the U.S. Section of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
The Council recommended that the U.S. delegation to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) should continue to negotiate vigorously for new conservation and management measures for bigeye and yellowfin tuna. In relation to such measures they should explore the feasibility on an exemption for small purse seine fleets such as the one on the U.S. West Coast. In addition, they should recommend the IATTC complete an updated stock assessment for striped marlin and communicate concern about the current status of the stock. For North Pacific albacore, the delegation should call for all members to fully comply with the relevant conservation and management measures and encourage communication on nation's compliance.
Exempted Fishing Permit for Longline Fishing in the West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone
The Council recommended NMFS issue the exempted fish permit in the form as adopted for public review at the March 2008 meeting.
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Administrative Matters
Legislative Matters
The Council directed the Executive Director to send letters to congressional entities that have requested Council input (summarized in parentheses) on H.R. 5425, Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2008 (support), H.R. 1187, and S. 2654 Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act (new language needed) and H.R. 5594, Vessel Discharge Permitting (support for large vessels).
The Council also directed Council staff to develop a position statement on the Reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuary Act, for the Council delegation to the May Council Coordinating Committee meeting.
Lastly, Council tasked the Executive Director to send a letter to NMFS and the U.S. Department of State conveying Council and Highly Migratory Species Advisory Body comments on U.S. representation to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, for consideration in the Administration draft of The Antigua Convention Implementing Act of 2005.
Membership Appointments and Council Operating Procedures
The Council took the following actions:
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Voted to solicit for candidates for the initial positions on the Essential Fish Habitat Review Committee (EFHRC) and provided direction for initiating the EFH review process as follows:
| Scientists |
Industry Representatives |
| Two from NMFS Science Centers |
One Bottom Trawl |
| Two from Conservation Entities |
One Bottom Contact Gear |
| Two At-large (with marine habitat and mapping expertise |
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| Others |
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| One Enforcement Consultant |
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| One NMFS NWR Representative |
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| One NMS Representative |
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The Council will appoint initial committee members at its June meeting, after which the new EFHRC will meet to develop formal recommendations for process revisions to Council Operating Procedure 22, for Council approval at its September 2008 meeting.
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Voted to terminate eight ad hoc committees (identified in the April Briefing Book Agenda Item C.4, Situation Summary) that have completed the work for which they were created.
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Noted the upcoming vacancy in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team and ODFW intent to name a replacement for Mr. Brett Wiedoff in the near future.
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Confirmed the appointment of Dr. Lisa Wooninck to the National Marine Sanctuary position on the Habitat Committee, replacing Mr. Huff McGonigal.
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Identified Mr. Phil Anderson, Mr. Don Bodenmiller, Mr. Steve Joner, Mr. Mark Cedergreen, an Oregon fishery representative to be named later and a NMFS individual to be named later as members of the informal Pacific Halibut Workgroup, expected to meet in late June. The Council will not pay travel for members, but will help organize and facilitate the committee and arrange for meeting space.
Future Council Meeting Agenda and Workload Planning
The proposed draft agenda for the June 6-13, 2008 Council meeting in Foster City, California will be posted on the Council website www.pcouncil.org in May 2008.
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PFMC
04/16/08
3:23:31 PM
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