The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene to review the suitability of a standardization of fishery-dependent indices for midwater rockfishes and an eDNA-based index of abundance for application in groundfish stock assessments. The methodology review meeting is open to the public and being conducted in person with the opportunity for public comment.
This in person meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will continue through Thursday, October 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until business for the day has been completed.
Purpose of the meeting
The purpose of the groundfish methodology review meeting is aimed at evaluating fishery-dependent indices for midwater rockfishes and an eDNA-based index of abundance, which has been developed for the Pacific hake stock assessment, and has been informally proposed for application to widow rockfish and other groundfish species. The fishery-dependent methodology review will focus on practices for data filtering, index standardization model structure, and variables to consider in standardization. The proposed model includes a standard spatiotemporal delta-model for catch rates, positive encounters, and a third layer which supports the estimation of the magnitude of preferential sampling behavior (aggregate, or by vessels) and compares indices to models that do not account for non-random sampling. The eDNA-based index of abundance method review will include the application of eDNA approaches in building an abundance index using Pacific hake as a case study and how the same samples collected and analyzed for hake can be repurposed to examine the abundance and distribution of a wide range of groundfish and coastal pelagic species. This review is planned in preparation for the 2029 groundfish stock assessment cycle. The results of this review are not considered final until reviewed by the full SSC at a future Pacific Council meeting.
Meeting Materials
To attend the meeting
Please join using this link: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/899171905
Meeting ID: 899171905
Or dial: +1 (650) 4191505 United States (San Mateo, CA)
Access Code / Meeting ID: 899171905
International numbers available: https://v.ringcentral.com/teleconference
Additional information
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Hayden York at 503-820-2412 at least ten business days prior to the meeting date.
If you have additional questions regarding the meeting, please contact Diana Perry at 503-820-2414; toll free 1-866-806-7204, extension 414.