In November 2019, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) directed the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) to develop the scope of action and draft a purpose and need statement for non-trawl area management during the GAP’s March and April 2020 meetings. The GAP then submitted Informational Report 4 in June 2020 for Council consideration and scheduling […]
Amendment 31 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was completed in June 2023. Under Amendment 31, 20 stocks for 14 managed groundfish species were adopted. Amendment 31 defines stock units, including geographic delineations within the jurisdiction of the FMP, for black rockfish, canary rockfish, copper rockfish, Dover sole, lingcod, Pacific spiny dogfish, […]
Amendment 30 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was completed as part of the 2023-24 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures. Under Amendment 30, a 2,000 mt threshold for shortbelly rockfish bycatch that would trigger Council review of the fishery was adopted. The Council also adopted changes to the use of block […]
Amendment 29 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was completed as part of the 2021-22 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures. Under Amendment 29, changes to the allocations of widow rockfish, petrale sole, lingcod south of 40°10 N. lat, and the Slope Rockfish complex, including blackgill rockfish, south of 40°10′ N. lat. […]
In April 2022, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) initiated a Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) recommended administrative or “housekeeping” amendment of the CPS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This idea had initially been proposed in June 2019 by the CPSMT when the Council was developing the management categories action (Amendment 20: Agenda Item F.4.a, Supplemental […]
Beginning in November 2018, the Council embarked on a process to consider removing the concept of categorizing CPS management unit species, specifically the nomenclature of “Active” and “Monitored” (Agenda Item E.5.a, CPSMT Report 1, November 2018). This action was prompted by a perceived lack of clarity regarding the meaning and use of the “Active” and […]
Federal regulations (50 CFR 600 Subpart R) require all FMPs establish a standardized reporting methodology to assess the amount and type of bycatch occurring in a fishery. The regulations implement Section 303(a)(11) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. FMPs must be consistent with the regulations by February 21, 2022. At the November 2020, June 2021, and September […]
In response to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) re-initiating Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation on the effect of Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)-area ocean salmon fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW), the Council formed the Ad Hoc SRKW Workgroup (Workgroup) in April 2019. The Workgroup was tasked with reassessing the effects of Council-area […]
Amendment 18 was developed at the same time as Amendment 19. Amendment 18: Requires the use of current bycatch minimization measures. Fully describes the current standardized bycatch reporting methodology. Incorporates the Groundfish Strategic Plan goal of reducing overcapacity in all commercial fisheries. Implements a sector-specific bycatch accounting methodology. Supports the future use of individual fishing quota […]
On July 9, 2019, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) notified the Council that the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine is overfished. The Council is obligated to develop a rebuilding plan, which must be implemented within two years of the notification (i.e., July 9, 2021). NMFS determined that the stock was overfished based on a 2019 […]