Ecosystem-Based Management: Current Review Materials
Council Guidance and Review Materials for the June 2011 Council Meeting in Spokane Washington
In March 2011, the Council scheduled action for its June 2011 meeting to:
- Provide guidance on whether the Ecosystem Plan should have regulatory authority and management unit species or not
- Adopt the purpose and need of the Plan
The Council tasked its advisory bodies with the review of the September 2010 and March 2011 Ecosystem Plan Development Team reports, public comments received under Agenda Item J.1 in March of 2011, and other pertinent materials prior to preparing statements for the June Briefing Book (deadline in May 19, 2011).
The three documents the Council specifically requested its Advisory Body review and comment on are:
- EPDT’s September 2010 Report
- EPDT’s March 2011 Report
- Oceana’s March 2011 Supplemental Public Comment
The reports of the Scientific and Statistical Committee, Habitat Committee, and Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel from September 2010 and March 2011 Council meetings also provide valuable information and additional reference in a relatively distilled manner. These reports and all of the reference materials from these Council sessions are archived on the Council web page.
The EPDT is also interested in feedback on their reports from Advisory Bodies regarding: 1) whether the EPDT’s discussions of current ecosystem-based management measures within FMPs are complete and, if not, detail missing measures or concepts; 2) whether the EPDT’s proposed schedule (Table 4.1 in Discussion Document) for incorporating ecosystem considerations into stock assessments for selected species is feasible and, if not, suggest alternative schedules; 3) whether the EPDT’s recommendations for research and information needed to bring additional ecosystem considerations into the Council process (Section 4.2 of Discussion Document) are comprehensive and, if not, provide additional suggestions.
Many of the Council Advisory Bodies will be discussing this matter at the April 2011 meeting in San Mateo, California. Additionally, the Ecosystem-Based Management Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee and the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel will meet separately and in joint session between April 19th and the 21st at the Council office in Portland.
