The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a meeting to review key management provisions for Pacific sardine in the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (CPS FMP), including reference points and control rules. The joint meeting will be comprised of the Pacific Council’s CPS Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (CPSSC of the SSC), the Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) and representatives from the Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS) to make recommendations on management provisions for Pacific sardine. Staff from the Council, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the NMFS West Coast Regional Office will be available as technical advisors.
The meeting will be hosted at the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Pacific Room, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037. The in-person meeting will be held from Wednesday, July 22, 2026, through Friday, July 24, 2026. The meeting will run daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time or until business for the day has been completed. The meeting is open to the public and being conducted in person with the opportunity for public comment.
Purpose of the meeting
In April 2026, initiated an action to revise the Pacific sardine stock definition in the CPS FMP based on new information on the Pacific sardine population in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This revised stock must meet the requirements, guidance and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), National Standards (NS), and CPS FMP. Therefore the next steps for this action includes an amendment to the CPS FMP to define management provisions, including reference points and harvest control rules for a Pacific sardine stock delineated by U.S. waters. A review of management provisions for Pacific sardine, provided in advance of this meeting, and recommendations output from the meeting will support next steps to establish management provisions for the stock. Meeting participants are expected to provide recommendations on appropriate management options. No management actions will be decided by the meeting participants. The meeting participants’ role will be the development of recommendations and reports for consideration by the Pacific Council at its September 2026 meeting in Vancouver, Washington. Meeting participants will also recommend future research topics organized by priority for NMFS and Pacific Council consideration.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agendas may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.
Meeting materials
A detailed agenda will be made available prior to the start of the meeting.
Additional information
Visitors to the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center will need to obtain a visitor badge. Visitors are also required to present a REAL ID – compliant form of identification. For instance,
- State-issued identification that is REAL ID – compliant
- Passport
- Enhanced Driver’s License
- Federal employee, military, or veteran identification card
Visitor protocols will be provided in the meeting announcement on the Pacific Council’s website (see www.pcouncil.org).
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Hayden York at 503-280-2424 at least ten business days prior to the meeting date.
If you have additional questions regarding the meeting, please contact Katrina Bernaus at 503-820-2420; toll free 1-866-806-7204, extension 420.