Limited Entry Fixed Gear Follow On Actions

The Council began its second review of the Limited Entry Fixed Gear (LEFG) permit stacking program (i.e., primary tier fishery) in September 2020. In June 2022, the Council completed its review with adoption of the final report, including research and data needs and recommendation for program changes.  In March 2023, under Workload and New Management Measure […]

FMP Amendment 23: Revised Pacific Sardine Rebuilding Plan

On July 9, 2019, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) notified the Council that the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine is overfished as the estimated stock size fell below the minimum stock size threshold of 50,000 metric tons. The Council is obligated to develop a rebuilding plan, which must be implemented within two years of the […]

HMS FMP Amendment 8: Incorporating Essential Fish Habitat Modifications

The Council initiated a review of HMS essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions in 2020 and took final action approving Amendment 8, which incorporates new and newly available information on EFH into the FMP, at its November 2023 meeting. Periodic EFH reviews are required by the EFH regulations at 50 CFR 600 Subpart J, and this […]

CPS FMP Amendment 22:

At its June 2023 meeting, the Council took final action on essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions for CPS stocks. The Council adopted a new CPS FMP Appendix, which includes updated EFH identification and descriptions, life history summaries, fishing and non-fishing impacts, research and information needs, and new maps. The Council highlighted the need for additional […]

Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures for 2025-26 (including Amendment 33):

The Council adopted its final preferred alternatives (FPA) for the 2025-26 harvest specifications and management measure process at their June 2024 meeting. This action also included adoption of a rebuilding plan for California quillback rockfish. The following summarizes the FPA.   1.1 Harvest Specifications The Council adopted default harvest control rules (HCRs) to calculate harvest specifications […]

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) Coral Research and Restoration

A Draft Restoration Plan and NEPA Evaluation for the YFD-70 Dry Dock (“Draft Restoration Plan”) was released by NOAA for public comment in December 2022 and the public comment period closed March 15, 2023. The Draft Restoration Plan is the result of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process that began after the dry dock […]

Salmon FMP Amendment 24:

The intent of Amendment 24 is to clarify the technical process for reviewing updates to the models used to determine the Chinook salmon abundance threshold that may trigger additional management measures to limit the impact of ocean salmon fisheries on Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). The whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) […]

Salmon FMP Amendment 23: SONCC coho conservation objective updated

Salmon FMP Amendment 23 updated the description of the conservation objective (revised Harvest Control Rule) for Council-managed salmon fisheries on Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) natural coho.  Amendment 23 replaced the current HCR with two new HCRs.  The first limits total fishery exploitation rates (ERs) on each of five individual representative population units within the […]

Amendment 32: Non-trawl area management measures

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 […]

Groundfish FMP Amendment 31: Phase 1 Stock Defintions

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, […]