Coastal Pelagic Species Science and Management Priorities

The goal of this process is to identify key science and management topics in the CPS fishery, generating a list that the Council can continuously reference to establish workload priorities. Over time, the Council may continue to weigh in on CPS science and management topics, making modifications to the list as current workload priorities are completed or as new priorities and topics arise. Constituents, members of the CPS advisory bodies, and other stakeholders may also propose new topics and potential priorities as a part of this process. They may also recommend which items from the existing list should be prioritized.

It is important to note that if any topics are prioritized for action development, it is possible they may not be scheduled immediately. Work is scheduled after an assessment of Council and National Marine Fisheries Service staff capacity.

In April 2025, the Council adopted the list below of coastal pelagic species (CPS) science and management priorities. This list came together from the topics proposed by Council staff in Agenda Item G.5 Attachment 1 and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) in Agenda Item G.5.a Supplemental Report 1, both available in the April 2025 briefing book.

The Science and Management Priorities adopted by the Council include:

  1. Pacific sardine stock structure
  2. Use of EMSY in Pacific sardine harvest control rules
  3. Distribution term in CPS harvest control rules (HCRs)
    1. Pacific Sardine HCRs
    2. Northern Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy HCRs
  4. Stock Assessment Frequency
    1. Pacific Mackerel assessment
    2. Northern Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy assessment
  5. Managing Annual Opportunity
    1. Central Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy Annual Catch Limit
    2. Incidental landing limits of CPS
    3. More responsive harvest control rules
    4. Review of overfishing limits for other CPS

From this list the following items and their subtopics were prioritized by the Council:

  1. Pacific Sardine Stock Structure
  2. Stock Assessment Frequency
  3. Managing Annual Opportunity

The first topic scheduled for development from this list will be ‘Pacific Sardine Stock Definitions’ in November 2025.

The Council will continue to make recommendations to schedule future workload based on the topics list and prioritization of topics defined above. This topics list may be revised or re-prioritized by the Council in the future, as they deem necessary.

For more information, please contact Katrina Bernaus, CPS Staff Officer at katrina.bernaus@pcouncil.org or (503)-820-2420