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 […]
As part of its Climate and Communities Initiative (CCI) the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is sponsoring a series of webinars with its advisory bodies, which are open to the public. The webinars will be held on the following dates and times: Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Wednesday, May 20, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Scientific […]
The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Groundfish Electronic Monitoring Policy Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee (Committees) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. The meeting will be held Tuesday, May 26, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day is completed.
The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee and invited scientific experts will hold a meeting to review proposed length-based assessment methods followed by a workshop to explore data-limited assessment methods.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is requesting comments on the proposed rule for 2020 harvest specifications and management measures for Pacific whiting, cowcod, and shortbelly rockfish. This rule proposes 2020 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting, including the coastwide and U.S. Total Allowable Catch (TAC), the 2020 tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, allocations for […]
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published its final List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2020, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The final LOF for 2020 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. This final rule is effective May 18, 2020. Information regarding the LOF may be obtained from […]
The Pacific Fishery Management Council will convene an online work session of its Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) to review the draft Range of Alternatives (ROA) relative to the Pacific sardine rebuilding plan.
On April 14, 2020 the Council sent a letter to NMFS requesting a temporary suspension of federally authorized at-sea observer coverage in all West Coast fisheries (including at-sea sectors) and trawl catch share program shoreside catch monitors. The letter came in response to comments from the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel, individual fishermen, and industry representatives who expressed strong concerns […]
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 […]