Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Salmon and halibut

2020 Salmon seasons set In April the Council adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the Pacific coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. Due to the COVID-19 social distancing requirements, all meetings associated with the decision were held via […]

Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Habitat, ecosystem, and related stories

NMFS presents California Current Ecosystem and Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Report The NOAA Fisheries Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) Team presented the annual California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment report to the Council in March. Highlights of 2019 ecosystem conditions include: The system experienced weak to neutral El Niño conditions, average to slightly positive Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and […]

Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Groundfish

Council tackles large list of inseason adjustments, including shorebased carryover  In April, the Council heard from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and members of the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel on the unfolding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on fishing communities. A report from the Groundfish Management Team […]

Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Other news

Nominations open for advisory body vacancies The Council is accepting nominations for a Washington position on the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel and the Northern Charter Boat Operator position on the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel. Nominations for both are due Monday, May 18. Advisory body appointments made in March In March the Council appointed Andrew Babich […]

Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Coastal pelagic species

Pacific sardine assessment, harvest specifications, and management measures set In April the Council adopted the 2020 Pacific sardine assessment with the following harvest specifications and management measures: Biomass: 28,276 metric tons (mt) Overfishing limit: 5,525 mt P* (uncertainty) buffer: 0.40 Acceptable biological catch: (Tier 2): 4,288 mt Annual catch limit: 4,288 mt Annual catch target: […]

Pacific Council News Spring 2020: Highly migratory species

NMFS publishes final rule on drift gillnet hard caps The National Marine Fisheries Service published a final rule on “hard caps” for certain protected species taken in the California/Oregon thresher shark/swordfish large mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery on February 7, 2020, which implemented a 2015 Council recommendation.   Under the regulations, the DGN fishery would immediately close […]

Council sends letter on Columbia River Draft Environmental Impact Statement

On April 13 the Pacific Fishery Management Council sent a letter with comments on the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The letter was addressed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration, and Bureau of Reclamation. The purpose of the DEIS is to update the management of the Columbia […]

2020 salmon season tables

The 2020 salmon season tables are available here: TABLE 1. 2020 Commercial troll management measures for non-Indian ocean salmon fisheries – Council adopted. Friday, April 10, 2020, 3:37 PM TABLE 2. 2020 Recreational management measures for non-Indian ocean salmon fisheries – Council adopted. Friday, April 10, 2020, 3:39 PM TABLE 3. 2020 Treaty Indian troll […]

Press release: West Coast salmon season dates set for 2020

Portland, Or. – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the Pacific coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. Due to the COVID-19 social distancing requirements, all meetings associated with the decision were held […]

Pacific Council releases alternatives for 2020 West Coast ocean salmon fishery

Rohnert Park, California – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted three alternatives for 2020 ocean salmon fisheries off of Washington, Oregon and California for public review. The Council will make a final decision on salmon seasons at its meeting in Vancouver, Washington, on April 5-10. Detailed information about season starting dates, areas open, and […]