Salmon FMP Amendment 23: SONCC coho conservation objective updated

Salmon FMP Amendment 23 updated the description of the conservation objective (revised Harvest Control Rule) for Council-managed salmon fisheries on Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) natural coho.  Amendment 23 replaced the current HCR with two new HCRs.  The first limits total fishery exploitation rates (ERs) on each of five individual representative population units within the SONCC coho salmon ESU to 15 percent annually, except for the Trinity River population (represented by the Upper Trinity River, Lower Trinity River, and South Fork Trinity River populations).  The second HCR will limit the total ER on the Trinity River population unit to 16 percent.  Both HCRs account for all ocean and inland sources of fishery mortality annually and include landed and non-landed mortality of age-3 adult SONCC coho salmon. 

In April 2020, the Council, in collaboration with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), established an ad-hoc technical Workgroup to develop recommendations to inform the Council’s selection of a new harvest control rule (HCR) for the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho. 

In November 2020, the Workgroup provided the first draft of a Risk Assessment which evaluated the risk of extinction and included a preliminary set of HCR alternatives.  In April 2021, the Workgroup provided a progress report and potential HCRs being developed. 

In June 2021, the Workgroup provided an updated Risk Assessment with several potential harvest control rules for Council consideration.  The Scientific and Statistical Committee reviewed the technical aspects of the Risk Assessment and provide comments in their report.  The Council provided guidance to the Workgroup to focus, in part, on harvest control rules that include constant (fixed rate) total (ocean and freshwater) exploitation rates that include 0 percent and a range between 7 and 20 percent, with incremental increases on the higher end of the range (13-20 percent).

In September 2021, the Workgroup submitted a final draft Risk Assessment which included a refined range of alternatives.  The Council provided additional guidance on information to be included in the next version of the Risk Assessment. 

In November 2021, the Council adopted for recommendation to NMFS a new HCR with implementation criteria.  Concerns were raised at the time that the proposed action had not been analyzed, was outside the range of alternatives adopted for public review and would likely be difficult to implement.  In December 2021, NMFS formally requested an emergency Council meeting to further discuss the matter.

In January 2022 the Council rescinded the November motion and took action that replaced the current HCR with two HCRs.  The first HCR limits total fishery exploitation rate on each of five individual representative population units within the SONCC coho stock to no more than 15 percent annually, except for the Trinity River population unit (represented by the Upper Trinity River, Lower Trinity River, and South Fork Trinity River populations).  The second HCR limits the total exploitation rate on Trinity River population unit to 16 percent.  Both HCRs account for all ocean and inland sources of fishery mortality annually and include landed and non-landed mortality of age-3 adult SONCC coho salmon.  The new HCRs were adopted for amendment to the Salmon FMP.

In November 2022, the Council received from NMFS a letter announcing the approval of Amendment 23 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan.  The NMFS Notice of Decision (86 FR 22622) includes links to supporting material and other information this topic.