Ecosystem-based management blog

Request for Nominations: At-Large Position on the Scientific and Statistical Committee

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Request for Nominations for an At-Large Position on the Scientific and Statistical Committee

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to consider for an at-large position on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of the 2010-2012 Council advisory body term. Please see the Council’s Advisory Body Vacancies webpage for all the specifics. The deadline to submit nominations is February 8, 2012.

Ecosystem Plan Development Team to Hold a Work Session via Conference Call

Monday, December 19th, 2011

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a meeting via conference call of the Ecosystem Plan Development Team (EPDT) that is open to the public. Please note, this is not a public hearing; it is a work session for the primary purpose of drafting a report and recommendations to the Council on the Development of a Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP).

The EPDT will meet on Thursday, January 19, 2012 from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., or when business for the day is completed. A listening station will be made available to the public, at the Council office:

Pacific Fishery Management Council
7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101
Portland, Oregon 97220-1384
503-820-2280
Driving Directions

The EPDT will primarily address Council requests from the November 2011 Council meeting. The primary purpose of the meeting is to revise and expand sections of the Council’s developing Fishery Ecosystem Plan, discuss the content and format of an annual ecosystem report, explore mechanisms for incorporating ecosystem science into stock assessments, and revisit the need and mechanisms for expanding protective measures for unexploited forage species. The EPDT may also develop recommendations for the March 2012 Council meeting.

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at 503-820-2280 at least five days prior to the meeting date.

For further information about the EPDT work session, please contact Mr. Mike Burner at 503-820-2280, ext. 414; toll free 1-866-806-7204.

Winter Newsletter Now Available

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

The Winter issue of the Pacific Council News is now available. Please visit the Council’s Newsletters webpage for details.

Northwest and Southwest Stakeholder Conference Call on NOAA’s Draft Enforcement Priorities

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Special Agents in Charge Vicki Nomura and Don Masters of NOAA Office of Law Enforcement’s Northwest and Southwest Divisions, respectively, would like to invite you to participate in a conference call on Monday, December 12, 2011 to outline NOAA’s Draft Enforcement Priorities, which are open for public comment through January 9, 2012. The draft priorities document identifies the national priorities for Fiscal Year 2012 and gives examples of regional priorities that support those national priorities.

Conference Call Date and Time:

Monday, December 12, 2011
11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
Dial-in: 888-469-2087
Verbal passcode: ENFORCEMENT WEST COAST

The document — as well as guidelines for commenting by the deadline via email, fax and mail — can be found on the NOAA OLE Enforcement Priorities website.

NOAA’s Draft Enforcement Priorities reflect extensive input and guidance from those of you who submitted comments last year as we began the process of identifying our national priorities. Regional priorities vary with the specific resources, activities, and threats across the country. What may be a high priority in one region may not be a priority in another. Equally, fish stocks, fishing gear, and management programs are not identical across the country. Thus, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement must tailor our priorities appropriately.

NOAA OLE looks forward to your participation in this conference call specifically for the Northwest and Southwest Divisions.

For further information, please contact:

Lesli Bales-Sherrod, Communications specialist
Lesli.Bales-Sherrod@noaa.gov
NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
8484 Georgia Ave., Suite 415
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 301-427-2300 ext. 103

**This information has been posted as a courtesy to the Pacific Fishery Management Council family and constituents.**

Fall Newsletter Now Available

Monday, October 24th, 2011

The Fall issue of the Pacific Council News is now available here. This issue covers new stock assessments, changes to the halibut catch sharing plan, dam removal, Columbia and Sacramento salmon updates, and more.

November 2011 Briefing Book Available on Website

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

The Briefing Book for the November 2011 Council meeting has been posted to the Council’s website on the “Current Briefing Book” webpage. The Briefing Book contains “situation summaries” (brief summaries that provide background for each agenda item), reports and materials for each agenda item, and written public comment.

November 1-7, 2011 Council Meeting Notice and Agenda Available

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet November 1-7, 2011 in Costa Mesa, California to address issues related to salmon, Pacific halibut, groundfish, coastal pelagic species, highly migratory species, habitat matters, and ecosystem based management. Please visit the “Current Council Meeting” webpage for the meeting notice and agenda details.

Request for Nominations: Two Washington At-Large Positions on the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is reopening a request for nominations to its Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel (EAS). The reopening is due to a limited response to the previous request issued in June and considered at the September Council meeting, and to an additional recent vacancy. Visit the Council’s Advisory Body Vacancies webpage for further information. The deadline to submit nominations is October 12, 2011.

Elwha Dam removal begins on Saturday

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

The process of removing Washington’s Elwha and Glines Canyon dams begins this Saturday in Olympic National Park. George Pess of the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center gave a presentation to the Council’s Habitat Committee yesterday, including a nifty animation showing how the Elwha and Glines dams will be removed.

For more information, see the following links:



Ecosystem Plan Development Team to Hold a Work Session via Conference Call on the Schedule and Plans for Developing a Fishery Ecosystem Plan

Monday, August 29th, 2011

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a meeting via conference call of the Ecosystem Plan Development Team (EPDT) that is open to the public. Please note, this is not a public hearing; it is a work session for the primary purpose of drafting a report and recommendations to the Council on the Schedule and Plans for Developing a Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP).

The EPDT will meet on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 and Thursday, September 22, 2011 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, or when business for each day is completed.

Public listening stations will be available at the following locations:

Pacific Fishery Management Council
Small Conference Room
7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101
Portland, Oregon  97220
503-820-2280
OR toll free at 866-806-7204
Driving Directions

National Marine Fisheries Service
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Conference Room
110 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, CA  95060
831-420-3900

Driving Directions

The EPDT will primarily address Council requests from the June 2011 Council meeting where the Council approved a draft purpose and need statement and moved to develop an ecosystem plan that is primarily advisory in nature with the potential for expanding the plan to include regulatory authority in the future.  The Council recommended continued management of fisheries through existing fishery management plans (FMPs), including potential future management measures for forage fish species.  The Council also tasked the EPDT with developing a list of West Coast species that are not currently included in any FMP, that are not under State management, are not listed under the Endangered Species Act, or are species that could be the target of future fishery exploitation.

The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.  Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt at 503-820-2280, at least five days prior to the meeting date.

For further information, please contact Mr. Mike Burner at (503) 820-2280 ext. 414.