Highly migratory species
“Highly migratory species” include tuna, some shark species, and billfish—species that range widely through the ocean, often crossing international borders. These pelagic species live in the water of the open ocean, although they may spend part of their life cycle in nearshore waters.
Highly migratory species are harvested by U.S. commercial and recreational fishers and by foreign fishing fleets. Only a small fraction of the total harvest is taken within U.S. waters.
Key Documents
- Fishery Management Plan for West Coast Fisheries For Highly Migratory Species Amended through Amendment 7
- Pacific Fishery Management Council Pacific Coast Swordfish Fishery Management and Monitoring Plan
- Description of control dates in groundfish and other Council managed fisheries
- Biological Opinion on the continued management of the drift gillnet fishery under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species
- HMS FMP Appendix F: U.S. West Coast Highly Migratory Species Life History Accounts and Essential Fish Habitat (FEIS Appendix A)
- HMS FMP Appendix C: Bycatch in HMS Fisheries (FEIS Chapter 5)
News & events
- Preliminary DRAFT March 2024 Motions in Writing
- Now Accepting Applications for a Staff Officer position at the Pacific Fishery Management Council
- Now Accepting Applications for a Fisheries Economist position at the Pacific Fishery Management Council
- Sacramento River Fall Chinook Workgroup to meet May 1-2, 2024
- March 2024 Decision Summary Document
- Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting April 17, 2024
- News Release: Pacific Fishery Management Council Releases Alternatives for 2024 West Coast Salmon Fisheries (March 11, 2024)
- Habitat Committee to hold online meeting March 26, 2024
Actions in Progress
- Amendment 32: Non-trawl area management measures
- Groundfish FMP Amendment 31
- Groundfish FMP Amendment 30 and the 2022-23 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures
- Groundfish FMP Amendment 29 and the 2021-22 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures
- Pacific Whiting Utilization in the At-Sea Sectors
- “Housekeeping” FMP Amendment
Upcoming Council Meeting
April Council meeting
Seattle, WA
The Westin Seattle 1900 5th Avenue - Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 206-728-2259