Action Grouping: Implemented

  • Set-asides for the at-sea whiting co-ops

    In September 2016, the Council took action to change management of the at-sea whiting sector allocations of darkblotched rockfish and Pacific ocean perch to set-asides, while maintaining the allocation formulas in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for these two stocks to determine the set-aside amounts. This change required an Amendment to the…

  • Initiative 2: Coordinated Ecosystem Indicator Review

    Te Council embarked on this initiative to help it develop recommendations to refine and improve the ecosystem indicators presented the Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report. Throughout 2015 and 2016 the Council’s Ecosystem Working Group, the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team, and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Ecosystem Subcommittee assessed the overall performance…

  • Initiative 1: Protecting Unfished and Unmanaged Forage Fish Species

    This initiative, which the Council completed in 2015, focuses on preventing new commercial fishing of forage fish that are currently unmanaged and unfished until the Council can assess the scientific information relating to any proposed fishery and consider impacts to existing fisheries, communities, and the marine ecosystem. This action recognizes the importance of these forage…

  • Vessel movement monitoring

    In April 2016, the Council took final action on a package of recommendations related to the monitoring of vessel movements. The package includes: providing fishermen a choice between increasing their vessel’s satellite vessel monitoring system (VMS) ping rate, using electronic discard monitoring in conjunction with their VMS unit; allowing vessels declared into the whiting mothership fishery…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 25: Unfished and unmanaged forage fish protections

    In September 2015, the Council approved new protections for forage fish species that are currently unfished and unmanaged. The purpose of the action is to prohibit new directed commercial fishing in Federal waters on unmanaged, unfished forage fish species until the Council has had an adequate opportunity to both assess the scientific information relating to…

  • Amendment 19: Unfished and unmanaged forage fish protections

    In September 2015, the Council approved new protections for forage fish species that are currently unfished and unmanaged. The purpose of the action is to prohibit new directed commercial fishing in Federal waters on unmanaged, unfished forage fish species until the Council has had an adequate opportunity to both assess the scientific information relating to…

  • CPS FMP Amendment 15: Unfished and unmanaged forage fish protections

    Amendment 15 was approved in 2015 and added a suite of lower trophic level species to the FMP’s list of ecosystem component (EC) species. Consistent with the objectives of the Council’s FMPs and its Fishery Ecosystem Plan.  Amendment 15 prohibits future development of commercial fisheries for the suite of EC species shared between all four…

  • HMS FMP Amendment 3: Unfished and unmanaged forage fish protections

    HMS FMP Amendment 3 resulted from the Council’s ecosystem initiative protecting unfished and unmanaged forage fish species. Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1 (CEBA 1) amends the Council’s four FMP amendments (Amendment 15 to the Coastal Pelagic Species FMP, Amendment 25 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP, Amendment 3 to the Highly Migratory Species FMP, and Amendment 19…

  • Groundfish biennial and annual harvest specifications, 2003-2016

    2015-2016 biennium Final Environmental Impact Statement for 2015-2016 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures including Amendment 24 (January 2015) Final rule (80 FR 12567, February 10, 2015) 2013-2014 biennium Final Environmental Impact Statement for 2013-2014 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures and Amendment 21-2 including appendices (September 2012) Final rule (78 FR 579 January 3,…

  • Whiting and midwater trawl cleanup rule

    Elements for a whiting and midwater trawl cleanup rule were reviewed by the Council in March and November, 2014. The proposed rule included the following with respect to vessels on Pacific whiting individual fish quota (IFQ) trips: An allowance for prohibited and protected species to be retained until landing on “maximized retention” trips. Disposition procedures for…

  • Observer/catch monitoring rule

    In April 2012, the following NMFS-proposed trailing actions were approved for implementation: Implementation of certification and decertification requirements for observer providers, Numerous revisions to details of the observer program provisions, and Revision to briefing periods in catch monitor certification requirements. The proposed rule was published on February 19, 2014 and the public comment deadline was March 21, 2014.…

  • Change the shorebased whiting season opening date

    In November 2012, the Council recommended moving the shorebased sector primary whiting season opening date to May 15 for the area north of 40o 30’ N. latitude. The proposed rule was published on February 17, 2015 and the public comment deadline was March 19, 2015. NMFS published a final environmental assessment for this action in March 2015, and a final rule on…

  • CPS FMP Amendment 14: MSY for the northern subpopulation of northern anchovy

    Amendment 14 was developed in order to establish a MSY for the northern subpopulation of northern anchovy. Although two options were considered during the amendment process, neither was subsequently adopted by the Council. The Council took action in November 2014, approving the MSY, and the Amendment was approved by NMFS on March 23, 2015. The…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 24: Default harvest control rules

    Amendment 24 established default harvest control rules that, unless modified by the Council, are used to establish biennial harvest specifications for stocks and stock complexes. Amendment 24 also added new stocks to the fishery management plan (FMP) and designed some FMP species as ecosystem component species. Amendment 24 also implements minor changes to the FMP.…

  • Continue adaptive management program pass-through

    The current pass-through of the quota pounds allocated for the quota share set-aside for the adaptive management program (10% of the non-whiting quota shares) was set to expire at the end of 2014 (for further description of the Adaptive Management Program, see “Develop Criteria for Distributing Adaptive Management Program Quota Pounds”). The Council recommended a…

  • Cost recovery

    In September 2011, the Council adopted a cost recovery program structure. Download the complete description of the Council’s recommendations on Cost Recovery. National Marine Fisheries Service published a proposed rule on February 1, 2013 and the public comment deadline was March 18, 2013. The National Environmental Policy Act analysis for cost recovery was covered by the Amendment 20 EIS. The final…

  • Chafing gear

    In April 2012, the Council recommended an alternative that would address industry concerns about the restrictiveness of the chafing gear regulations for the midwater trawl fishery. The Council reconsidered and reaffirmed its decision in November 2012. The proposed rule was published on March 19, 2014 and the public comment deadline was April 18, 2014.  On April 4,…

  • Amendment 18: Revise the description and identification of essential fish habitat, designate habitat areas of particular concern

    Amendment 18 revises the description and identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) for Pacific salmon, designates habitat areas of particular concern, modifies information on fishing activities and measures to minimize their effects on EFH, and updates the list of fishing and non-fishing related activities that may adversely affect EFH and potential conservation and enhancement measures…

  • Control date: Large-mesh drift gillnet limited entry program

    Date: June 23, 2014 Federal Register summary: “This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) announces a control date of June 23, 2014, that may be used as a reference for allocation decisions when considering potential future management actions to limit the number of participants in the large-mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery that targets swordfish and…

  • Program Improvements and Enhancement Rule 2

    The Program Improvements and Enhancement Rule 2 (PIE 2) included a number of regulatory changes recommended by the Council. In April 2012, the Council recommended to NMFS the preliminary preferred alternatives for all of the items on the Council’s list, except for the Pacific whiting season dates (on which no action was taken). Additionally, the…

  • Whiting catch share reallocation

    In March 2012, the Council considered matters associated with the 2011 District Court Judge Thelton E. Henderson decision in the case C10-4829-TEH: Pacific Dawn, LLC, et al. v. John Bryson, et al., including the February 21, 2012 Court Order on Remedy. This order remanded “for further consideration” the regulations addressing the initial allocation of whiting…

  • Amendment 17: Status determination criteria and minor updates

    Amendment 17 specifies the maximum fishing mortality threshold for Quillayute fall coho and updates a number of items to meet current practices, technology, regulatory protocol, or to correct inconsistencies between Council final action under Amendment 16 and the final published fishery management plan. Final rule (effective March 18, 2013) Download Amendment 17: Status Determination Criteria and Minor…

  • Change of renewal dates from September 1 to September 15

    This rule corrects an error in the regulations to make them consistent with the groundfish fishery management plan. The date by which National Marine Fisheries Service will mail notices for quot share permit and account renewal will be September 15 (consistent with the September 15, 2015 date for renewing groundfish limited entry permits).  The final rule correcting…

  • Amendment 16: Stock classification, status determination criteria, annual catch limits and accountability measures, and de minimis fishing provisions

    Amendment 16 provides a framework for specifying biological and management reference points and accountability measures that will meet the requirements of the revised Magnuson-Stevens Act and National Standard 1 Guidelines to account for uncertainty in the fishery management process, reduce the probability of overfishing, and include clear and objective status determination criteria while integrating with…