• Pacific Council News Summer 2019: Groundfish

    Council, NMFS agree on creating Federal trawl logbook program Earlier this year, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposed a new Federal logbook information collection program for the shorebased individual fishing quota trawl fishery that would require a logbook for Federally-managed groundfish species. This proposal was brought to the Council for consideration and recommendations in June.…

  • Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team Meeting, May 30-31, 2019

    The Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team met on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2019 in Portland, Oregon (see agenda). The Team worked on climate change scenario planning and began developing a plan for a Council-focused scenario planning exercise as part of the Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate and Communities Initiative. The Team was formed in March…

  • Climate and Communities Initiative Spring 2019 Update

    In March 2019 the Council formed the Climate and Communities Core Team (Ad Hoc CCCT) to manage a scenario planning exercise on the topic of shifting stock availability (including shifting distribution) across species, FMPs, and communities across the west coast. The Council expects this exercise to result in the definition of tools, products, and processes necessary to react…

  • Climate and Communities Initiative: 2018 Activities

    In 2018, the following activities took place: Quick Link to the Recorded Webinars and Presentations in the 2018 Webinar Series on Ecosystem Climate and Communities A March 2018 EWG report describing major Council decision types that may benefit from increased ecosystem science input. An April 2018 EWG report with suggestions for issues for discussion at the May 2018 Nature Conservancy…

  • Climate and Communities Initiative 2017 Activities

    2017 ACTIVITIES In March 2017 the Council scoped a potential Fishery Ecosystem Plan initiative to take up in the coming years. They asked the Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) to report back in September 2017 with more information to choose between a combined initiative on the socioeconomic effects of fisheries management practices on fishing communities…

  • Habitat Committee

    The Council’s Habitat Committee provides advice to the Council on a wide variety of habitat-related issues. The committee works with other advisory bodies on habitat issues, helps develop ways to resolve habitat problems and avoid future habitat conflicts, and makes recommendations for actions that will help achieve the Council’s habitat objectives. Meetings are open to the…

  • Pacific Council News: Administrative Briefs

    New Council newsletter format debuts The Council is updating the format of its newsletter to make it more flexible and user-friendly. The web-based format uses a “post” style for articles on similar topics, which makes it easier to share articles across platforms and allows third-party news outlets to link to Council articles. In addition, the…

  • 2019: Third-party video review discussed

    In April 2019 the Council scheduled electronic monitoring (EM) items for the June, September, and November 2019 Council meetings and recommended the Groundfish Electronic Monitoring Policy Advisory Committee (GEMPAC) meet as necessary to review National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) procedural directives and program guidance documents. In September the Council recommended that NMFS consider changes to…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Admin

    New Council newsletter format debuts The Council is updating the format of its newsletter to make it more flexible and user-friendly. The web-based format uses a “post” style for articles on similar topics, which makes it easier to share articles across platforms and allows third-party news outlets to link to Council articles. In addition, the…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Highly migratory species

    Council explores ways to measure bycatch, interactions in drift gillnet fishery In March, the Highly Migratory Species Management Team reported on the development of new methods to report bycatch rates in the large-mesh drift gillnet fishery relative to performance metrics. Performance metrics provide a way for the Council to monitor the drift gillnet fishery’s bycatch…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Pacific halibut

    Changes to halibut management may be on the horizon The non-Indian commercial directed halibut fishery may be managed by the Council in the future, in response to International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) recommendations to change the structure of the fishery, citing safety concerns. The Council asked representatives from NMFS, the states, and Council staff to meet…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Coastal pelagic species

    Pacific sardine assessment shows stock below overfished threshold The Pacific sardine stock assessment approved in April estimated a biomass of 27,547 metric tons, which is below the minimum stock size threshold of 50,000 mt, which corresponds with the overfished threshold. As a result, NMFS is expected to declare the stock overfished in the near future.…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Groundfish

    Changes to groundfish essential fish habitat, Rockfish Conservation Areas approved In March the Council approved sending groundfish fishery management plan Amendment 28 for Secretarial review. Amendment 28 incorporates changes to groundfish essential fish habitat, trawl rockfish conservation areas, deepwater bottom contact gear closures, and other groundfish fishery and habitat protections. The Council also amended a…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Salmon

    Salmon seasons set for 2019 In April the Council adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the west coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. A large increase in hatchery coho over last year will provide a welcome increase in…

  • Pacific Council News Spring 2019: Habitat and ecosystem

    State of the California Current Report notes ecosystem improvements and challenges In March the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers reported on the 2019 Annual State of the California Current Ecosystem Report. Several ecological indicators in 2018 reflect average or improving conditions. For example, the copepod community off Newport was predominately…

  • Ad Hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee May 21-22, 2019 meeting

    The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s ad hoc Sablefish Management and Trawl Allocation Attainment Committee (SaMTAAC) met, May 21-22, 2019. Meeting documents Based on its proceedings at this meeting, the SaMTAAC provided a progress report to the Council (Information Report 2, June 2019 briefing book) May 2019 Meeting Agenda SaMTAAC Agenda Item B, Attachment 1: Process…

  • Instant Pot smoked salmon chowder

    Serves 6. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can use a pressure cooker, or just use a regular pot (it will take longer). Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter 1 onion finely diced 2 stalks celery diced 6 cloves garlic minced 1 tsp dried basil 1/4 tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed 2 1/2 cups fish or seafood stock warmed 1 lb gold potatoes cut into 3/4 inches dice 15 oz can diced tomatoes drained 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp Capers 2 leaves 4 oz cream cheese softened…

  • Spicy Chinese dungeness crab

    Ingredients 2 whole Dungeness crabs 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 (3-inch) knob ginger, minced (about 3 tablespoons) 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons) 3 to 4 fresh red bird’s-eye chiles, seeded and minced 1 tablespoon Chinese fermented black beans or black bean sauce 1 tablespoon shaohsing rice wine or sherry 1/2 cup plain tomato…

  • Oregon pink shrimp cakes with wasabi dipping sauce

    Ingredients 1 1/2 lbs. Oregon pink shrimp. Do not wash. 1 cup plain bread crumbs 1 cup celery stalks, finely minced 1 cup onion, finely minced 1 cup green pepper, finely minced 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 tsp. Tabasco 1 large egg 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce Additional bread…

  • Dungeness crabcakes with green cocktail sauce

    Ingredients 10 slices white bread 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 large egg yolk 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce 7 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 tablespoons olive oil…

  • Dungeness crab bisque

    Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in San Francisco is typically a combination of Dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish. Originally it was made on fishing boats…

  • Grilled fish tacos

    Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in San Francisco is typically a combination of Dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish. Originally it was made on fishing boats…

  • Quick and easy cioppino

    Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in San Francisco is typically a combination of Dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish. Originally it was made on fishing boats…

  • Halibut with capers, olive and tomatoes

    Ingredients Four 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets (another firm white fish like lingcod, rockfish or swordfish may be substituted) All purpose flour 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 large shallots, chopped 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 4 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped 1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided 1…