Updates

April 2021 Decision Summary Document

Salmon Management | Coastal Pelagic Species Management | Groundfish Management | Pacific Halibut Management | Administrative Matters

April 8-9, 12-15, 2021

Council Meeting Decision Summary Documents are highlights of significant decisions made at Council meetings.  Results of agenda items that do not reach a level of highlight significance are typically not described in the Decision Summary Document.  For a more detailed account of Council meeting discussions, see the Council meeting record and transcripts or the Council newsletter.

Salmon Management

Methodology Review Preliminary Topic Selection

The Council supported the majority of items for review submitted by the Model Evaluation Workgroup (MEW), Salmon Technical Team (STT), and the Scientific and Statistical Committee including:

  1. Documentation of the Fishery Regulation Assessment Model (FRAM) program and the development of the new Chinook FRAM base period, including algorithms and User Manual (assigned to MEW).  
  2. Evaluate post-season metrics of FRAM model performance (assigned to MEW).
  3. Provide documentation of the abundance forecast approach used for Willapa Bay natural coho (STT).
  4. Review Oregon Production Index, Hatchery (OPIH) forecast (STT). 

2021 Management Measures – Final Action 

The Council adopted management measures for 2021 ocean salmon fisheries and will transmit its recommendations to National Marine Fisheries Service for implementation by May 16, 2021. Detailed management measures and a press release are posted on the Council’s webpage.

Coastal Pelagic Species Management

Exempted FIshing Permits (EFPs) for 2021-2022 – Final Action 

The Council approved three EFP proposals designed to support stock assessments for Pacific sardine.  This includes a total amount of up to 830 mt for nearshore acoustic-trawl sampling, nearshore aerial surveys, and directed biological sampling.

Review of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 

The Council approved moving forward with Phase 2 of the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) EFH review, to consider options for updating EFH elements in the CPS Fishery Management Plan and appendices.

Pacific Sardine Assessment, Harvest Specifications, and Management Measures – Final Action 

The Council adopted final harvest specifications and management measures for the 2021 – 2022 Pacific sardine fishery. Due to the absence of acoustic-trawl survey data, these specifications are based on the 2020 stock assessment and biomass estimate:

Biomass28,276 mt
Overfishing limit (OFL)5,525 mt
P* (Uncertainty) Buffer 0.40
Allowable Biological Catch (ABCTier 3)3,329 mt
Annual Catch Limit (ACL)3,329 mt
Annual Catch Target (ACT)3,000 mt

Management Accountability Measures include: 

  1. Incidental sardine landing limit in other CPS fisheries of 20 percent.
  2. If landings in the live bait fishery attain 1,800 mt of sardine, a per-landing limit of one mt of Pacific sardine per trip will apply to the live bait fishery.
  3. If the ACT of 3,000 mt is attained, a per-trip limit of 1 mt of Pacific sardine applies to all CPS fisheries.
  4. An incidental per-landing allowance of 2 mt of Pacific sardine in non-CPS fisheries until the ACL is reached. 

The Council also endorsed up to 830 mt of sardine to support exempted fishing permit research (see Agenda Item E.2).

Groundfish Management 

Humpback Whale Endangered Species Act (ESA) Consultation

The Council considered the four Terms and Conditions (T&C) of the most recent humpback whale biological opinion (BiOp) and adopted the following recommendations.

T&C 1:  Regarding Fixed Gear Marking

  • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should engage directly with state agencies, tribes, and industry to understand existing and planned measures regarding whale entanglement mitigation, which include but are not limited to those described in California, Oregon, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports.
  • NMFS should hold workshops with fishing industry members to develop any potential new management measures related to this action.
  • Dedicated Council meeting agenda items should be used to consider and provide input to NMFS on draft new management measures prior to finalization of any regulatory changes.

T&C 2: Regarding the Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup Terms of Reference.

  • The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) chair will recommend a representative for the Council to appoint short-term to the Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup (GESW) to provide additional expertise based on GESW meeting topics.  This short-term appointment was made by the Council under Administrative Matter H.4 – Appointments (see below). 

T&C 3: Relating to Observer Coverage

  • Encourage NMFS to consider additional data sources including logbooks and electronic monitoring, and use the most cost-effective means to obtain scientifically defensible humpback whale bycatch estimates and reduce uncertainty. 

T&C 4: Regarding to Electronic Monitoring (EM)

  • NMFS should consult with vessel captains regarding humpback whale interactions detected through EM data as soon as possible after an event occurs.
  • NMFS should consider including EM in the industry workshops noted above under T&C 1.

Scoping of Non-trawl Area Management Measures

The Council initiated the scoping process for Non-Trawl rockfish conservation area (RCA) management measures at this meeting and adopted a draft purpose and need statement for public review. 

The Council plans to continue to develop a range of alternatives (ROA) to address modifying existing Non-Trawl RCA boundaries and measures to allow groundfish fishing inside the Non-Trawl RCA using only select gears that minimize bottom contact.

The Council provided the following guidance, based on GAP Report 1 recommendations, to develop the ROA:

  1. Prioritize analysis of opening the existing non-trawl RCA off Oregon and California to open access fisheries using hook-and-line gear, and excluding longline, dinglebar, and pot/trap gear.
  2. Conduct a complementary analysis that considers how the LEFG fishermen can access their higher trip limits within the RCA, using the above gear types.
  3. Include an analysis that examines options, as described in GAP report 1,  to narrow the non-trawl RCA by adjusting the seaward and/or shoreward non-trawl RCA boundaries for the following areas: 1) Point Conception, CA to 40° 10’ N. lat; 2) 40° 10’ N. lat  to the Oregon/Washington border, and 3) the 100 fm seaward non-trawl RCA boundary off of Washington.

Additionally, the Council also requested technical assistance from NMFS on relevant topics such as habitat impacts, permits, regulations, and monitoring.

The Council did not recommend moving  forward with scoping of the proposal for commercial salmon troll fishermen to retain shelf rockfish while fishing in the Non-Trawl RCA as part of this package. This item may be considered in the 2023-2024 groundfish harvest specifications and management measure process. 

Sablefish Gear Switching – Identify the Gear Switching Level to Use in Developing Alternatives

The Council adopted a maximum gear switching limit of 29 percent of the trawl sector’s northern sablefish allocation.  No action (i.e., no limit on gear switching) will remain an alternative.  The Council is scheduled to next address this issue at its September 2021 meeting.

Cost Recovery Report and Final Regulations

The Council will consider prioritizing a review of trawl catch share program costs during the next groundfish workload and new management measures agenda item, which will be no sooner than September 2021.  This review of costs related to various program elements could be  considered within the scope of the trawl catch share review that is scheduled to be initiated in 2022.  

The Council also took final action to modify the cost recovery fee determination for the at-sea sector so that they will be based on Pacific whiting exvessel value rather than the value of all groundfish. 

Inseason Adjustments for 2021 – Final Action

The Council recommended corrections to the non-trawl RCA south of 34° 27′ N. lat. in the Groundfish Trip Limit Table 2 to be consistent with the Council’s recommendation under the 2021-2022 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures action in June of last year. The shoreward and seaward boundaries in that area should be 100 fm to 150 fm. 

The Council also recommended adjusting the incidental salmon troll lingcod allowance to one lingcod per two Chinook salmon, plus one lingcod per trip, with a trip limit of ten lingcod. This recommendation is contingent upon NMFS’ determination that this action is applicable under inseason action. NMFS will investigate and inform the Council of their findings.

The Council tasked Staff and the Groundfish Management Team to modify the Chinook salmon catch table (salmon scorecard) to include the trawl gear exempted fishing permit and update the Council at the June 2021 meeting. Alternatively, the Council recommended NMFS provide this information only at the Council’s April and November meetings. 

Implementation of the 2021 Pacific Whiting Fishery Under the U.S./Canada Agreement 

The Council received a briefing on this year’s U.S./Canada Pacific Whiting Treaty process.  The Joint Management Committee, the decision-making body in the whiting treaty process, did not reach consensus on a 2021 coastwide whiting total annual catch (TAC).  NMFS will therefore publish a proposed rule for a 2021 U.S. whiting TAC in late April/early May.  An interim allocation of whiting to tribal and non-tribal sectors will be issued to start the whiting season on May 15, with a final rule published after public notice and comment on the proposed TAC. 

Pacific Halibut Management

Incidental Catch Limits for 2021-2022 Salmon Troll Fishery – Final Action

The Council adopted final incidental halibut catch limits as follows: 

Open May 16, 2021, through the end of the 2021 salmon troll fishery, and beginning April 1, 2022, until modified through inseason action or superseded by the 2022 management measures. License holders may land no more than one Pacific halibut per two Chinook, except one Pacific halibut may be landed without meeting the ratio requirement, and no more than 35 halibut landed per trip.

Administrative Matters

Research and Data Needs Update 

The Council received a briefing on a new database designed to capture priority research and data needs and provided guidance on further database development and a future process for determining research priorities.  Guidance included structural changes to the database including adding a “Habitat” category to the Research Focus field, capturing all future advisory body priority recommendations in the database, and using the priority ranking system recommended by the Scientific and Statistical Committee.  The Council also supported a future process of deciding research priorities every 2-3 years rather than every 5 years.  They tasked Council staff and other advisors to develop process recommendations for further consideration, tentatively scheduled for fall 2021.

Legislative Matters

The Council directed staff to send a letter on Executive Order 14008 Section 216(a) regarding steps the U.S. should take to conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 to the Department of the Interior and Commerce, and directed staff to send a separate letter on EO 14008 Section 216(c) on increasing resilience to climate  change to National Marine Fisheries Service. 

Membership Appointments and Council Operating Procedures

The Council approved the CPSMT’s proposed changes to Council Operating Procedure 26 regarding Coastal Pelagic Species methodology reviews.

Regarding appointments, the Council appointed Mr. Bob Eder to represent the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel and as a temporary member of the Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup for its April 26-28, 2021 meeting.

Press release: Pacific Fishery Management Council sets 2021 West Coast ocean salmon season dates

Portland, Or. – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted ocean salmon season recommendations for 2021. The seasons provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the Pacific coast and achieve conservation goals for the numerous salmon stocks on the West Coast.

The recommendations will be forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for approval by May 16, 2021.

“There will be some restrictive commercial and recreational seasons this year along much of the coast,” said Council Chair Marc Gorelnik. “Forecasts for some Chinook and coho stocks are quite low, which made our job more challenging this year.”

The Council heard reports from commercial, recreational, and tribal representatives on the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ways the Council could provide meaningful fishing opportunities and economic support for coastal communities.

Washington and Northern Oregon (north of Cape Falcon)

Fisheries north of Cape Falcon (in northern Oregon) are limited by the need to constrain catch of lower Columbia River natural tule Chinook and specific Washington coast coho salmon stocks. Three Washington coho stocks are either overfished (Queets River, Strait of Juan de Fuca) or are rebuilding (Snohomish), which was a concern when structuring fishing seasons. 

North of Cape Falcon, the overall non-Indian total allowable catch is 58,000 Chinook coastwide (compared to 54,000 last year) and 75,000 marked hatchery coho (compared to 28,500 last year). 

Tribal ocean fisheries north of Cape Falcon

Tribal ocean fisheries north of Cape Falcon are similar in structure to past years, with a spring season targeting Chinook and a summer fishery for all species. Quotas include 40,000 Chinook and 26,500 coho (compared to 35,000 Chinook and 16,500 coho last year).

Commercial Fisheries

Non-Indian ocean commercial fisheries north of Cape Falcon include traditional seasons in the spring (May-June) for Chinook and in the  summer (July-September) for Chinook and coho. These fisheries will have a 30,750 Chinook quota (compared to 27,640 last year), and a marked coho quota of 5,000 (compared to 2,000 last year).

Recreational Fisheries

The recreational fishery north of Cape Falcon opens with an all-salmon-except-coho fishery on June 19, then transitions to an all-species fishery in late June or early July, depending on the subarea.  Days open per week, size, and bag limits also vary among subareas. The fishery will continue until September 15, or whenever Chinook or coho quotas are reached.  Recreational fisheries in this area will have access to a 27,250 Chinook quota (compared to 26,360 last year), and a marked coho quota of 70,000 (compared to 26,500 last year).

Oregon (south of Cape Falcon) and California

Fisheries south of Cape Falcon are limited mainly by the low abundance forecast for Klamath River fall Chinook. Klamath River.  This year’s management measures are designed to provide fishing opportunity for the more abundant Sacramento River fall Chinook while reducing impacts on Klamath River fall Chinook.

Commercial fisheries in the area from Cape Falcon to the Heceta Bank line are open now through April 30 for all salmon except coho. Starting May 1, Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will open through June with intermittent closures, and will be open continuously in September and October with weekly limits. The area will be open for all salmon (with a 10,000 marked coho quota) intermittently during July and August. 

In the area from Humbug Mt., Oregon to the Oregon/California border (also known as the Oregon Klamath Management Zone (KMZ)), the Chinook season opened in late March and continues in April and most of early May. It is also open in June and July with monthly catch quotas and weekly limits in place.

The area from the Oregon/California border to the southern KMZ boundary (also known as the California KMZ) will be closed to conserve Klamath River fall Chinook. 

Elsewhere in California, Chinook seasons in the Fort Bragg area (southern KMZ boundary to Point Arena) will be open August 1-17 and all of September. The San Francisco area (Point Arena to Pigeon Point) will be open intermittently mid-June through mid-August, and all of September. The Monterey area (Pigeon Point to the Mexico border) will be open intermittently from May to mid-August. There will also be a season from Point Reyes to Point San Pedro (a subset of the San Francisco area) consisting of three openings in early October ranging from one to five days each.  

Recreational Fisheries

Recreational Chinook fisheries from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. are open now through October. Coho fisheries in this area consist of a mark-selective quota fishery of 120,000 in mid-summer (compared to 22,000 last year) and a non-mark-selective quota fishery of 14,000 in September (compared to 3,000 last year). The Oregon KMZ shares the mark-selective coho quota and season dates with the Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. area. Chinook retention in the Oregon KMZ is limited to June 19-August 15.

The California KMZ fishery will be open for Chinook only June 29 through August 1.

Chinook seasons in the Fort Bragg (southern KMZ boundary to Point Arena) and San Francisco (Point Arena to Pigeon Point) areas will open in late June and will continue through October. The Monterey area (Pigeon Point to Mexico Border) is open now through September.  

For details on all seasons, see the season description tables.

Management Process 

“This has been another challenging year for the Council, its advisors, fishery stakeholders, and the public as we strive to balance fishing opportunities with conservation needs for Chinook and coho stocks,” said Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy.

The Council developed three management alternatives in early March for public review and further analysis. The review process included input from Federal, state, and tribal fishery scientists and fishing industry members; public testimony; and three public hearings held by webinar. 

The decision must be approved by NMFS. Coastal states will adopt fishery regulations for state-managed waters that are compatible with the Council’s actions.

Southern Resident Killer Whales 

The Council is working with NMFS to understand the effects of Council-area fisheries on Southern Resident killer whales, which are listed as endangered. Based in part on information provided by the Council’s ad-hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup, NMFS provided guidance on the structure of the 2021 salmon fisheries to address the needs of the whales while providing salmon harvest opportunities. Chinook abundance is well above the level that would require additional fishery restrictions.

Council Role

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 miles off the U.S. coastline. The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

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On the Web

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PRELIMINARY DRAFT APRIL 2021 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. They may use short-hand language or abbreviations that may not be clear without the context of verbal comments and clarifications made during their development at the meeting, or may contain inadvertent transposition errors. They have not been approved by the Council to represent the final official record of Council action. The final official record will be posted on the Council website after the Council approves the full meeting record at a future Council meeting.

Ad Hoc Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Workgroup to hold online meeting May 12, 2021

This post was generated by and redirects to https://www.pcouncil.org/events/ad-hoc-southern-oregon-northern-california-coast-coho-workgroup-to-hold-online-meeting-may-12-2021/.

Notice of availability for Amendment 18 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan

NOAA Fisheries has published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register (86 FR 14401, March 16, 2021) announcing Amendment 18 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 18 would implement a rebuilding plan for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine. Comments on the proposed amendment must be received by May 17, 2021. 

In order to comment on the draft Amendment 18 language, submit all public comments electronically via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to regulations.gov and enter NOAA-NMFS-2021-0008 in the Search box. Click the “Comment” icon and complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

To view the associated Environmental Assessment, visit the West Coast Region National Environmental Policy Act Documents website. Comments on the draft Environmental Assessment must be received by April 15, 2021.

Questions? Contact Lynn Massey, Fishery Management Specialist, NOAA Fisheries, at lynn.massey@noaa.gov

Washington extends application deadline for federal relief funding to commercial fishing industries

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission now accepting applications through April 9

Eligible commercial fishing, shellfish, charter and seafood sector industry members who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic now have through April 9 to apply with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) for assistance.

The 15-day extension includes additional time for industry members who fish or land their fish in Alaska but live in Washington to apply. Washington-based commercial fishers who fish in Alaska should apply to the Washington spend plan for assistance.  

More information and eligibility details and application materials and instructions are available on the PSFMC’s website at: psmfc.org/cares-act-the-coronavirus-aid-relief-and-economic-security-act. Previously open through March 25, applications remain open through April 9.

Three Groundfish Stock Assessment Review Panels Scheduled to be Held Online

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene three Stock Assessment Review (STAR) Panels this year to review new stock assessments for Dover sole, spiny dogfish, lingcod, and vermilion and sunset rockfishes.  These STAR Panel meetings are open to the public, and will be held online.

Dates and times of the STAR Panel meetings

The STAR Panel meeting (STAR Panel 1) to review new assessments for Dover sole and spiny dogfish will be held Monday, May 3, 2021 through Friday, May 7, 2021 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and ending at 5:30 p.m. each day, or when business for the day has been completed.

The STAR Panel meeting (STAR Panel 2) to review new assessments for lingcod will be held Monday, July 12, 2021 through Friday, July 16, 2021 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. each day, or when business for the day has been completed.

The STAR Panel meeting (STAR Panel 3) to review a new assessment for vermilion and sunset rockfishes will be held Monday, July 26, 2021 through Friday, July 30, 2021 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. each day, or when business for the day has been completed.

Purpose of the meetings

The purpose of the STAR Panels is to review draft 2021 stock assessment documents and any other pertinent information for new benchmark stock assessments for Dover sole, spiny dogfish, lingcod (it is anticipated there will be 2 assessments of West Coast lingcod subpopulations delineated at 40°10’ N. lat.), and vermilion and sunset rockfishes (it is anticipated this will be a single assessment of vermilion rockfish and sunset rockfish in combination); work with the Stock Assessment Teams to make necessary revisions; and produce STAR Panel reports for use by the Pacific Council family and other interested persons for developing management recommendations for fisheries in 2021 and beyond.  No management actions will be decided by the STAR Panels.  The STAR Panel participants’ role will be development of recommendations and reports for consideration by the Pacific Council at its virtual June meeting (for Dover sole and spiny dogfish) and its September meeting (for lingcod and vermilion and sunset rockfishes) tentatively scheduled in Spokane, Washington.

To attend the online meetings

Meeting details will be posted to each STAR Panel’s webpage as they become available.

Technical information

Technical details will be posted to each STAR Panel’s webpage as they become available.

For technical assistance, you may send an email to Kris Kleinschmidt or call/text 503-820-2412; or email Sandra Krause or call/text 503-820-2419.

Additional information

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 online meetings, please contact Dr. Andi Stephens, NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center, or  John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll free 1-866-806-7204, extension 413.