Highly migratory species advisory bodies to review options on deep-set buoy gear limited entry program NMFS briefed the Council on elements of its final preferred alternative for the deep-set buoy gear limited entry program that require clarification, including the qualification criteria for a limited entry permit. The highly migratory species advisory bodies will review options […]
Council directs analysis to focus on gear switching impacts The Council wants to better understand the impacts of limiting gear switching (the use of fixed gear in the trawl individual fishing quota fishery) in order to help identify the maximum level of gear switching that should be allowed. In November, the Council directed analysts to […]
2021 preseason salmon management schedule set The Council approved the 2021 salmon management schedule in November. All meetings and hearings are expected to be conducted online. A summary of the schedule is provided below. Jan. 19-22, 2021: The Salmon Technical Team (STT) meets to draft Review of 2020 Ocean Salmon Fisheries. (Available mid-February) Feb. 16-19: […]
An Interview with Don Hansen: The whale watching business This is the third and last part of our interview with Don Hansen, who has been involved in the Council process since it started in 1976. I started whale watching on the West Coast. Phil Grignon down at San Clemente high school here, had his biology […]
Washington State announced on December 8 that it has submitted a draft plan for how to distribute $50 million in Federal relief funding to members of Washington’s commercial seafood, shellfish and charter industries to NOAA Fisheries for review and approval. Under Section 12005 of the CARES Act, Congress provided $300 million to states to distribute […]
Pacific sardine rebuilding plan approved In September the Council approved a rebuilding plan for Pacific sardine, which was declared overfished in June 2019. The Council selected the status quo (Alternative 1) as the preferred management alternative to achieve stock rebuilding, which takes into account the needs of the fishery, the biology of the stock, and […]
Council adopts 2021 Catch Sharing Plan changes, annual regulations In September the Council adopted proposed changes to the 2020 Area 2A Pacific halibut Catch Sharing Plan and annual fishing regulations for West Coast recreational fisheries for public review. In addition to status quo, the options include: In the Columbia River subarea, allowing the retention of […]
Upper Columbia United Tribes begin reintroducing salmon above Chief Joseph, Grand Coulee The Upper Columbia United Tribes have begun a process to reintroduce anadromous fish above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. The tribes have been working with state and Federal agencies on the project. In a report to the Council in September, Rodney Cawston, […]
Nineteen exempted fishing permits for deep-set buoy gear forwarded At its September meeting the Council reviewed 20 exempted fishing permit (EFP) applications to use standard and linked deep-set buoy gear, and recommended that National Marine Fisheries Service issue all but one. Four of the applications proposed using deep-set buoy gear at night, but the Council […]
Primary fixed-gear sablefish fishery extended under emergency rule Under an emergency action, NMFS is extending the primary (tier) limited entry fixed-gear sablefish fishery from October 31 to December 31, 2020 in response to requests from the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel, fishing industry, and members of the public. A portion of this sablefish sector also participates in […]