Salmon blog

NOAA Requests Comments on List of Gear by Fisheries and Fishery Management Council

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

NOAA is requesting comments on list of gear by fisheries and fishery management council. This is an extension of the currently approved information collection. The deadline for written comments is on or before April 9, 2012.

View the February 9, 2012 Federal Register notice announcing the extension.

The list has been published and appears in 50 CFR 600.725(v).

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Paula Evans, NMFS Office of Sustainable Fisheries at (301) 427-8557 or Paula.Evans@noaa.gov.

Review of 2011 Ocean Salmon Fisheries Available

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

The Council’s annual review of ocean salmon fisheries is available online. The review document provides a summary of important biological and socioeconomic data from which to assess the impacts of past management actions, determine how well management objectives are being met, and improve regulations for the future. The Council will formally review this report at its March meeting prior to the development of management options for the approaching fishing season.

March 2012 Council Meeting Notice and Agenda

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory bodies will meet February 29-March 7, 2012 in Sacramento, California to address issues related to salmon, Pacific halibut, groundfish, coastal pelagic species, highly migratory species, and habitat matters.

Please visit the “Current Council Meeting” webpage for the meeting notice and agenda details.

Public review draft of the Southern Oregon/Northern California coast coho salmon recovery plan available

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability for public review the Draft Recovery Plan (Draft Plan) for the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) evolutionarily significant unit. NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the Draft Plan, and will consider all substantive comments received during the review period before submitting the Draft Plan for final approval. Comments are due no later than March 5, 2012.

Electronic copies of the DRAFT Plan, as well as the public hearing flyers, are available on the following NMFS website:
http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery/

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Julie Weeder, NMFS, at 707-825-5168 or Julie.Weeder@noaa.gov.

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.

Public Salmon Hearings to be Held

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Public hearings will be held to receive comments on the proposed ocean salmon fishery management options adopted by the Council March 26-27, 2012. All public hearings begin at 7 p.m. on the dates and at the locations specified below:

Monday, March 26, 2012
Chateau Westport
Beach Room
710 W Hancock
Westport, WA 98595
360-268-9101
Driving Directions

Monday, March 26, 2012
Red Lion Hotel
Umpqua Room
1313 N Bayshore Drive
Coos Bay, OR 97420
541-267-4141
Driving Directions

Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Red Lion Eureka
Evergreen Room
1929 Fourth Street
Eureka, CA 95501
707-445-0844
Driving Directions

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 public hearings, please contact Mr. Chuck Tracy at 503-820-2280, ext. 415; toll free 1-866-806-7204.

Salmon Technical Team to Hold Work Sessions

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT) will hold two work sessions.

January 17-20, 2012: The STT will meet at the Council office in a public work session to draft “Review of 2011 Ocean Salmon Fisheries” and to consider any other estimation or methodology issues pertinent to the 2012 ocean salmon fisheries.

February 21-24, 2012: The STT will meet at the Council office in a public work session to draft “Preseason Report I-Stock Abundance Analysis and Environmental Assessment Part 1 for 2012 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations” and to consider any other estimation or methodology issues pertinent to the 2012 ocean salmon fisheries.

The two work sessions will be held at the following location:

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

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 work sessions, please contact Mr. Chuck Tracy at 503-820-2280, ext. 415; 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.**

NOAA Seeks Input on Enforcement Priorities

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

On November 8, 2011, NOAA released a draft of its enforcement priorities and invited the public to submit comments through January 9, 2012 (midnight, Eastern Standard Time). To view the priorities, and how to comment, please see the following NOAA Office of Law Enforcement webpage.