Salmon FMP Amendment 20: Annual management schedule

Action status

  • Implemented
  • Undergoing NMFS Review
  • Approved by Council
  • Under development by the Council

At its April 2019 meeting, the Council received a report from NMFS highlighting the challenge in completing the regulatory work needed to implement annual regulations for the ocean salmon fishery, based on the measures developed by the Council each year at its March and April meetings. NMFS encouraged the Council to adopt a long-term solution to these re-occurring timing issues.  Since the Pacific Salmon Fishery Management Plan includes a preseason schedule for setting the annual season, any changes to the FMP schedule would require a plan amendment. 

At its September 2019 meeting, the Council tasked Council and NMFS staffs to develop a work plan and timeline for a potential amendment to the FMP to modify the annual salmon management cycle. It considered the work plan at its November 2019 meeting and initiated an FMP amendment process, which will also address changing the salmon management boundary line at Horse Mountain from 40° 05’ N. lat. to 40° 10’ N lat., and other minor, housekeeping changes described in the work plan. These additional elements will be considered further as long as that doesn’t hold up implementing the annual management cycle changes in time for the 2021 ocean salmon season. 

At its June 2020 meeting the Council adopted for public review a range of alternatives for both the annual management schedule and the southern Klamath Management Zone boundary change being considered under Amendment 20.  The alternatives are consistent with those described in the Project Team report, with the addition of a third boundary change alternative, which would designate the proposed 5 nm area as a conservation zone available for use during years of low Klamath River fall Chinook abundance forecasts.