Groundfish FMP Amendment 35: Stock Definitions for Blackspotted, Chilipepper, Redbanded, Rougheye, Widow, Yelloweye, and Yellowtail Rockfishes, and English Sole

Amendment 35 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was completed in November 2024. Under Amendment 35, 7 stocks for 8 managed groundfish species were adopted.

Amendment 35 defines stock units, including geographic delineations within the jurisdiction of the FMP, for blackspotted, chilipepper, redbanded, rougheye, widow, yelloweye, and yellowtail rockfishes, and English sole. This analysis focuses on population structure of these priority species. Population structure is a foundation to understand if a stock of a species is a single population, with a single areal delineation or if the species comprises multiple populations along its Pacific Coast range and should therefore be considered as multiple stocks in multiple, distinctly delineated, areas.

The Council considered a total of six action alternatives under this action: Alternative 1 would define each priority species as a single stock, coastwide. Alternative 2 would define species as stocks at as state specific (i.e., a California, an Oregon, and a Washington stock). Alternative 3 would define the species as two stocks, delineating them north and south of 40°10′ N. lat.

The Council adopted Alternative 1 for blackspotted, chilipepper, redbanded, rougheye, widow, yelloweye rockfishes, and English sole; delineating them as coastwide stocks, The Council adopted Alternative 3 for yellowtail rockfish, delineating this stock as a stock north and a stock south of 40°10′ N. lat.

Analysis for Proposed Amendment 35 to the Pacific Groundfish Management Plan in Support of the Final Preferred Alternative