In June 2005, the Council adopted a long-term allocation framework to apportion the annual Pacific sardine harvest guideline among the various non-tribal sectors of the sardine fishery. The resulting Amendment 11 to the CPS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is intended to achieve optimal utilization of the resource and equitable allocation of harvest opportunity.
The National Marine Fisheries Service approved Amendment 11 and published final regulations on June 26, 2006 (71 FR 36999) making 2006 the first year that the allocation formula was applied to the Pacific sardine fishery.