Action status
- Implemented
- Undergoing NMFS Review
- Approved by Council
- Under development by the Council
Under Amendment 37, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Pacific Coast to identified and defined stocks in need of conservation and management Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (EEZ). The Council considered three action alternatives for all species in the FMP (2025 version). Alternative 1 would identify species as in need of conservation and management in the EEZ. Alternative 2 would identify species as not in need of conservation and management in the EEZ and remove the species from the FMP. Alternative 3 would identify species as not in need of conservation and management in the EEZ and classify the species as an ecosystem component species in the FMP. This decision is specific to the species adopted under Alternative 1.
The Council initiated evaluation regarding the need for conservation and management in the EEZ for 86 managed groundfish species in March of 2025. Their preliminary preferred alternative (PPA) was Alternative 1 for 47 species. The Council defined stock units for these species, i.e., geographic delineations, within the jurisdiction of the FMP.
For the remaining 42 species, the Council directed staff to analyze those species under the 10 Factor analysis as found at §600.305(c). That analysis can be found in the June and September 2025 briefing books.
This Action identified 49 stocks for 45 groundfish species as in need of conservation and management in the EEZ. Only lingcod and yellowtail rockfish are defined as having two stocks each, all other species are single stock units. The Table below reports the species and their stock units in need of conservation and management.
Stocks managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
| Stock | Stock Delineation(s) | Stock | Stock Delineation(s) |
| Arrowtooth flounder | Coastwide | Pacific spiny dogfish | Coastwide |
| Aurora rockfish | Coastwide | Petrale sole | Coastwide |
| Bank rockfish | Coastwide | Quillback rockfish | Washington-only |
| Big skate | Coastwide | Redbanded rockfish | Coastwide |
| Black rockfish | Washington-only | Redstripe rockfish | Coastwide |
| Blackgill rockfish | Coastwide | Rex sole | Coastwide |
| Bocaccio rockfish | Coastwide | Rosethorn rockfish | Coastwide |
| California scorpionfish | California-only | Rougheye/Blackspotted rockfish | Coastwide |
| Canary rockfish | Coastwide | Sablefish | Coastwide |
| Chilipepper rockfish | Coastwide | Sharpchin rockfish | Coastwide |
| Cowcod | California-only | Shortraker rockfish | Coastwide |
| Darkblotched rockfish | Coastwide | Shortspine thornyhead | Coastwide |
| Dover sole | Coastwide | Silvergray rockfish | Coastwide |
| English sole | Coastwide | Splitnose rockfish | Coastwide |
| Flathead sole | Coastwide | Squarespot rockfish | Coastwide |
| Greenspotted rockfish | Coastwide | Starry rockfish | California-only |
| Greenstriped rockfish | Coastwide | Stripetail rockfish | Coastwide |
| Lingcod | N of 40°10 N. lat. | Vermilion/sunset rockfish | North of 42°N. lat. |
| Lingcod | S of 40°10 N. lat. | Sunset rockfish | South of 42°N. lat. |
| Longnose skate | Coastwide | Widow rockfish | Coastwide |
| Longspine thornyhead | Coastwide | Yelloweye rockfish | Coastwide |
| Pacific cod | Coastwide | Yellowmouth rockfish | Coastwide |
| Pacific hake | Coastwide | Yellowtail rockfish | N a of 40°10 N. lat. |
| Pacific ocean perch | Coastwide | Yellowtail rockfish | S of 40°10 N. lat. |
| Pacific sanddab | Coastwide |