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 […]

Widow rockfish quota share reallocation and divestiture deadlines

Under Amendment 20, overfished species such as widow rockfish were allocated to permit holders based on the quota share allocation of the target species with which the overfished species are incidentally caught. Amendment 20 states that for overfished species, the quota share allocations may be reconsidered when the species is rebuilt. Widow rockfish is now […]

Control date: Shorebased trawl catch share program gear switching

Date: September 15, 2017 Federal Register summary: “This advance notice provides information on a request by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to establish a control date of September 15, 2017, for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. The Council may use the control date to limit the extent, location, or ability to use non-trawl gear […]

Control date: Catcher-processor accumulation limits

Date: June 13, 2017 Federal Register summary: “This advance notice of proposed rulemaking provides information on a request by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to announce deliberations of potential accumulation limits for Catcher Processor Permit use or ownership in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. The Council may not count any acquisition and usage of […]

Update eTicket for web-based submissions, revise the own/hold control limit, and allow for joint fixed gear/trawl permit registration

Regulations were updated to reflect the new process for submitting eTickets through internet‑based platforms. The proposed rule for these issues was published on June 1, 2016 and the public comment deadline was July 1, 2016.  A final environmental assessment was published on November 23, 2016.  The final rule was published November 23, 2016 with an effective date of December 23, 2016, […]

Quota share divestiture rule

By November 30, 2015, anyone who controls trawl quota shares was required to be within the quota share control limits (including the aggregate non-whiting quota share control limit) with respect to all of their holdings—except for widow rockfish quota shares, which continues to be under a transfer moratorium. In April 2015, the Council recommended that […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]