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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]