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 to the Pacific Coast Salmon FMP) to provide adequate protection for forage fish. CEBA 1 prohibits the development of new directed fisheries on forage species that are not currently managed by the Council, or the States, until the Council has had an adequate opportunity to assess the science relating to any proposed fishery and any potential impacts to our existing fisheries and communities. This is not a permanent moratorium on fishing for forage fish. Instead, the Council adopted COP 24, which outlines a review process for any proposed fishery.

Final rule (Effective May 4, 2016)

Secretarial Approval Letter for Amendment 3 (March 10, 2016)

HMS Amendment 3 FMP language (December 2015)

HMS Amendment 3 FMP transmittal letter