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National Marine Fisheries Service publishes its final “List of Fisheries” for 2020

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 […]

Council letter and NMFS response: Notice of waiver of observer and catch monitor coverage requirements

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 […]

Ad Hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee to hold webinar meeting on April 1, 2020

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Ad Hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee (SaMTAAC).  The meeting is open to the public. The webinar meeting will be held Wednesday, April 1, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.  The scheduled ending time for the SaMTAAC webinar is an estimate, the meeting will adjourn when business for the day is completed.

Purpose of the webinar

At this meeting, the SaMTAAC will continue to develop alternatives that address obstacles to achieving the goals and objectives of the groundfish trawl catch share plan related to under-attainment of non-sablefish shorebased trawl allocations.  The SaMTAAC’s work on alternatives will be presented at the June 2020 Pacific Council meeting. Further information on the work of the SaMTAAC is available on the sablefish area management and trawl allocation attainment webpage.

Meeting documents

To attend the webinar (RingCentral)

  1. Join the meeting by visiting this link:
    https://meetings.ringcentral.com/join
  2. Enter the Meeting ID: 5038202416 and click JOIN
  3. Next you will be prompted to either:
    1. Download the RingCentral meetings application, OR
    2. Join the meeting without a download via your web browser.
  4. Please enter your name and click Join.
  5. You must use your telephone for the audio portion of the meeting by dialing the TOLL number provided on your screen, followed by the meeting ID and participant ID, also provided on the screen.
  6. Once connected, you will be in the meeting, seeing other participants and a shared screen, if applicable.

Technical information and instructions

Attendee instructions

System requirements

  • PC-based attendees: Required: Windows® 8 or 10
  • Mac®-based attendees: Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer
  • Mobile attendees: Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet (See your phone’s App Store and search for RingCentral meeting or visit RingCentral Mobile App site)

You may send an email to Kris Kleinschmidt or contact him at 503-820-2280, extension 412 for technical assistance.

Public listening station

A public listening station will also be provided at the Council office.

Pacific Fishery Management Council
7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101
Portland, OR 97220-1384
503-820-2280
Driving Directions

Additional information

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kris Kleinschmidt at 503-280-2412 at least ten business days prior to the meeting date.

If you have additional questions regarding the webinar, please contact  Dr. Jim Seger at 503-820-2416;  toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

Groundfish Management Team to hold webinar March 24, 2020

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team (GMT) to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s March 2020 meeting agenda. 

Ad Hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee meeting January 22-23, 2020 in Portland, Oregon

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s ad hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee (SaMTAAC) met January 22-23, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. This announcement published in the Federal Register on 12/16/2019. Meeting documents The following documents were developed for that meeting: January 2020 meeting agenda Meeting Summary: SaMTAAC, October 9-10, 2019 SaMTAAC Agenda Item A.2, […]

Pacific Council News Winter 2019: Groundfish

Council Asks NMFS to Delay Electronic Monitoring Regulations Until 2022 The Council reviewed, but did not finalize, its recommendations on the revised electronic monitoring program guidelines and the draft Electronic Monitoring Manual. Instead, the Council will send a letter to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) stating they would like to delay implementation of the regulations […]

Pacific Council News Fall 2019: Groundfish

Cowcod rebuilt; other stock assessments adopted Cowcod has been rebuilt ahead of schedule, the Council announced in September. The cowcod (Sebastes levis) stock south of 40°10’ N. latitude was managed under a strict rebuilding plan that severely constrained West Coast fisheries in California for two decades. Rebuilding cowcod was achieved through large area closures, non-retention […]