The Council’s Habitat Committee provides advice to the Council on a wide variety of habitat-related issues. The committee works with other advisory bodies on habitat issues, helps develop ways to resolve habitat problems and avoid future habitat conflicts, and makes recommendations for actions that will help achieve the Council’s habitat objectives. Meetings are open to the […]
New Council newsletter format debuts The Council is updating the format of its newsletter to make it more flexible and user-friendly. The web-based format uses a “post” style for articles on similar topics, which makes it easier to share articles across platforms and allows third-party news outlets to link to Council articles. In addition, the […]
In April 2019 the Council scheduled electronic monitoring (EM) items for the June, September, and November 2019 Council meetings and recommended the Groundfish Electronic Monitoring Policy Advisory Committee (GEMPAC) meet as necessary to review National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) procedural directives and program guidance documents. In September the Council recommended that NMFS consider changes to […]
New Council newsletter format debuts The Council is updating the format of its newsletter to make it more flexible and user-friendly. The web-based format uses a “post” style for articles on similar topics, which makes it easier to share articles across platforms and allows third-party news outlets to link to Council articles. In addition, the […]
Council explores ways to measure bycatch, interactions in drift gillnet fishery In March, the Highly Migratory Species Management Team reported on the development of new methods to report bycatch rates in the large-mesh drift gillnet fishery relative to performance metrics. Performance metrics provide a way for the Council to monitor the drift gillnet fishery’s bycatch […]
Changes to halibut management may be on the horizon The non-Indian commercial directed halibut fishery may be managed by the Council in the future, in response to International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) recommendations to change the structure of the fishery, citing safety concerns. The Council asked representatives from NMFS, the states, and Council staff to meet […]
Pacific sardine assessment shows stock below overfished threshold The Pacific sardine stock assessment approved in April estimated a biomass of 27,547 metric tons, which is below the minimum stock size threshold of 50,000 mt, which corresponds with the overfished threshold. As a result, NMFS is expected to declare the stock overfished in the near future. […]
Changes to groundfish essential fish habitat, Rockfish Conservation Areas approved In March the Council approved sending groundfish fishery management plan Amendment 28 for Secretarial review. Amendment 28 incorporates changes to groundfish essential fish habitat, trawl rockfish conservation areas, deepwater bottom contact gear closures, and other groundfish fishery and habitat protections. The Council also amended a […]
Salmon seasons set for 2019 In April the Council adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the west coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. A large increase in hatchery coho over last year will provide a welcome increase in […]
State of the California Current Report notes ecosystem improvements and challenges In March the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers reported on the 2019 Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report. Several ecological indicators in 2018 reflect average or improving conditions. For example, the copepod community off Newport was predominately […]