• SSC Groundfish Subcommittee to hold online meeting September 2, 2020

    The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to plan a later methodology review of elasmobranch harvest control rules and management reference points.  

  • Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting September 4 & 8, 2020

    The Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council’s) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to review items from the California Current Ecosystem Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team that may potentially inform future annual reports to the Pacific Council on the state of the California Current Ecosystem.  The meeting is…

  • Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting September 4 & 8, 2020

    The Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council’s) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to review items from the California Current Ecosystem Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team that may potentially inform future annual reports to the Pacific Council on the state of the California Current Ecosystem.  The meeting is…

  • Request for nominations for a commercial fishery vacancy on the Habitat Committee

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is requesting nominations of qualified candidates to fill one commercial fishery position on its Habitat Committee (HC).  The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of the 2019-2021 Council advisory body term. To ensure consideration, nominations should be received at the Council office no later than 5 p.m. Pacific…

  • National Archives and Records Administration notice of availability of proposed records schedules and request for comments (electronic monitoring)

    NOAA Fisheries is working with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to establish a new retention schedule for the raw imagery and other data collected by Electronic Monitoring systems. This NOAA Fisheries website provides background information, the proposed rule, the link to the NARA website, and the instructions on how to comment. Public comments are due…

  • Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup to hold online meeting August 28, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) will convene an online meeting.  This online meeting is open to the public, and will be held Friday, August 28, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day has been completed. Purpose of the meeting The primary…

  • Groundfish Management Team to hold online meeting August 25, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold an online meeting to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s September 2020 meeting agenda. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will be held Tuesday, August 25, 2020, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business…

  • Request for nominations for a vacancy on the Salmon Advisory Subpanel representing Washington Charter Operations

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to consider for a vacant Washington Charter Boat Operator position on its Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS).  The successful candidate will serve out the remainder of the 2019-2021 Council advisory body term. To ensure consideration, nominations should be received at the Council office no later than…

  • West Coast Region Electronic Monitoring (EM) Webinar

    PUBLIC NOTICE For Information Contact: NMFS-SEA-20-21 Justin Kavanaugh: Justin.Kavanaugh@noaa.gov (206) 526-4140 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 13, 2020  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces a webinar on EM program implementation for west coast groundfish. The purpose of this webinar is to review guidance materials for EM service providers, including EM Service Plan Guidelines and the…

  • Council says goodbye to Rich Lincoln and hello to Butch Smith

    The Council thanks Rich Lincoln for his three terms of service as a Council member, and welcomes Butch Smith in the Washington obligatory seat, effective August 11. Butch Smith  is a third-generation salmon and sturgeon fishing guide whose family owns and operates Coho Charters in Ilwaco. He is a longtime advocate for salmon and salmon…

  • Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Workgroup to hold online meeting August 6-7, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho Workgroup (Workgroup) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.  The meeting will be held Thursday, August 6 through Friday, August 7, 2020. 

  • Pacific Council News Summer 2020

    An interview with Don Hansen This is the first of a three-part interview with Don Hansen. Don founded Dana Wharf Sport Fishing and Whale Watching, along with the Festival of the Whale in Dana Point, California. He was involved in the development of the first West Coast fishery management plans under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Don…

  • Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup to hold online meeting August 3-4, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup (Workgroup) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. 

  • Highly Migratory Species Management Team to hold online meeting July 27, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold an online meeting of its Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT), which will be open to the public.

  • Call for data and information – Essential Fish Habitat Review for Pacific Coast Highly Migratory Species

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center have initiated a review of essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions in the Pacific Coast Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP).  This call for data and information is intended to support the review. The HMS FMP, its…

  • Pacific Council News Summer 2020: Groundfish

    Six exempted fishing permits move forward The Council has forwarded six 2021-2022 exempted fishing permits (EFP) applications to NMFS. They focus on year-round coastwide midwater rockfish; California Department of Fish and Wildlife recreational cowcod sampling in California; yellowtail rockfish Jig fishing off California; commercial midwater hook-and-line rockfish in the Rockfish Conservation Area off Oregon; Washington…

  • Pacific Council News Summer 2020: Salmon

    Workgroup meets to look into new management approach for southern Oregon/northern California coast coho The ad hoc Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Workgroup met for the first time in June to support the Council in its efforts to develop a new management approach for southern Oregon/northern California coast coho.  NMFS requested the Council assist in…

  • Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting July 15-16, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold an online meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee to review model specifications regarding the Pacific sardine rebuilding plan Rebuilder tool.  This meeting is open to the public. The online meeting will be held Wednesday, July 15, 2020 through Thursday, July 16,…

  • PRELIMINARY DRAFT JUNE 2020 MOTIONS IN WRITING

    Cautionary Note — These preliminary motions do not represent the final official administrative record. The motions and amendments contained in this blog are as projected on the screen at the Council meeting at the time of the Council vote and often use expedited language and references without the benefit of any final editing or proofing.…

  • Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team to hold online meeting July 1, 2020

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team (CCCT) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. This meeting will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2020, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, or when business for the day has been completed. Purpose of the meeting…

  • June 2020 oral public comment sign up

    As with our in-person meetings, we will be accepting oral public comment for each agenda Item. You will still need to fill out a public comment card to sign up for an opportunity to speak, and oral comments will only be accepted before Council action on each agenda item. The links below will take you…

  • NMFS publishes proposed rule for 2020-2021 annual specifications and management measures for Pacific Sardine

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine, for the fishing year from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021. NMFS is accepting comments through June 11, 2020. Please see the Federal Register notice dated May 27, 2020 to view the…

  • Preliminary Assessment of Trawl Under-Attainment Issues and SaMTAAC Alternative Qualification Criteria

    Preliminary Assessment of Trawl Under-Attainment Issues and SaMTAAC Alternative Qualification Criteria

  • SaMTAAC Final Report to the Council (May 2020)

    SaMTAAC Final Report to the Council (May 2020)