Action Type: FMP Amendment

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 18: Bycatch Mitigation Program

    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…

  • HMS FMP Amendment 4: Housekeeping changes and stock status determination criteria

    In March 2017, the Council was presented with proposed changes to the HMS FMP as Amendment 4.  These proposed changes originated from a 2016 recommendation from the HMS Management Team (HMSMT) for housekeeping changes that would revise dated and inaccurate text.  At its June 2017 meeting the Council adopted for public review proposed these changes to…

  • Gear switching and trawl allocation attainment

    Based on issues identified in its first review of the trawl catch share program (review of Amendment 20 to the FMP), the Council undertook a number of follow-on actions (see Section 5.0 of the review document, completed in November 2017).  One of these issues was related to gear switching in the shoreside individual fishing quoa…

  • CPS FMP Amendment 16: Describe minor directed fisheries

    CPS Amendment 16 adds a description to the CPS FMP of a very small sector of the CPS fishery that is not part of the primary commercial directed fishery and harvests minor amounts of CPS finfish.  The intent of Amendment 16 is to allow this sector to continue targeting CPS finfish after a directed fishery…

  • At-sea set-asides of darkblotched rockfish and Pacific ocean perch

    In September 2016, the Council changed 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 for these two stocks to determine the set-aside amounts. Amendment 21-3 was included as part of this action. The final rule was published…

  • HMS FMP Amendment 5: Create a Federal limited entry permit for the California large mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery

    In March 2017 the Council took final action to adopt Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for West U.S. Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP).  This amendment would create a Federal limited entry permit for the California large mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery. Upon publication of NMFS’s final rule to establish the…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 27: Changes related to the 2017-2018 biennial management process

    FMP changes related to the biennial management process Amendment 27 to the Groundfish FMP was developed as part of the 2017-2018 harvest specifications and management measures process. It reclassified big skate from an ecosystem component species to “in the fishery,” listed deacon rockfish as a management unit species, and added a description of a new…

  • 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…

  • 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.…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • CPS FMP Amendment 13: National Standard 1 guidelines

    The intent of Amendment 13 is to ensure the FMP is consistent with NMFS advisory guidelines. The guidelines describe fishery management approaches to meet the objectives of National Standard 1 (NS1) of section 301 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). National Standard 1 states “Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while…

  • HMS FMP Amendment 2: Consistency with advisory guidelines for National Standard 1

    In June 2010 the Council took final action to adopt Amendment 2. Amendment 2 makes the HMS FMP consistent with advisory guidelines for National Standard 1 in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), as amended (50 CFR 600.310). National Standard 1 (NS1) mandates that “Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while achieving,…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 23: New harvest specifications framework

    Amendment 23 amends the harvest specifications framework in the groundfish fishery management plan to meet new requirements in the Magnuson-Stevens Act regarding annual catch limits and accountability measures, and to be consistent with the revised National Standard 1 guidelines. These revised guidelines introduced or defined new fishery management concepts including overfishing limits, an acceptable biological…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 21 and related amendments (Amendment 21-1 through Amendment 21-4): Allocation of harvest opportunity for trawl and other sectors of the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery

    Amendment 21 established intersector allocations needed to support the trawl catch share program (Amendment 20). It has been modified by a number of sub-amendments, starting with Amendment 21-1. These amendments and work on other changes to Amendment 21 are tracked on the Amendment 20 page in the section on “Catch share program modifications.” Amendment 21-4…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 20: Trawl rationalization (IFQs and co-ops)

    Trawl rationalization The Council initiated development of an IFQ program for groundfish trawl fisheries at its September 2003 meeting. IFQs were initially considered as an alternative under the 1991 Amendment 6 groundfish license limitation program. In late 2003, once the Council had committed to program development, and through 2004, various committees began initial work on…

  • CPS FMP Amendment 12: Ban on commercial fishing for all species of krill in West Coast federal waters

    At its March 2006 meeting, the Council adopted a complete ban on commercial fishing for all species of krill in West Coast federal waters. They also specified essential fish habitat for krill, an action that makes it easier to work with other federal agencies to protect krill. Final rule CPS FMP Amendment 12 environmental assessment,…

  • Groundfish FMP Amendment 15: Measures to Limit Participation in the Pacific Whiting Fishery

    Amendment 15 was an interim measure. The adopted provisions ended when the trawl rationalization program was implemented under Amendment 20. Amendment 15 prohibited sector-specific participation in the shoreside, catcher/processor, and mothership sectors of the Pacific whiting fishery in each sector for which a vessel did not have a historic participation record during the qualifying period. It…

  • Amendment 15: An initiative to provide de minimis ocean fishing opportunity for Klamath River Fall Chinook

    Amendment 15 allows minimal, or de minimis fisheries in years when the Klamath River Fall Chinook conservation objective is projected not to be met. Alternatives are presented for determining a maximum harvest rate for Klamath fall Chinook that would be allowed under de minimis fisheries. Final rule (effective March 26, 2008) Salmon FMP Amendment 15 final environmental…