Updates

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 the NMFS LOF website. You may also download the Final Rule published April 16, 2020.

For further information, please contact the following NMFS Staff member:

  • Jaclyn Taylor, Office of Protected Resources, 301–427–8402
  • Allison Rosner, Greater Atlantic Region, 978–281–9328
  • Jessica Powell, Southeast Region, 727–824– 5312
  • Dan Lawson, West Coast Region, 562–980–3209
  • Suzie Teerlink, Alaska Region, 907– 586–7240
  • Kevin Brindock, Pacific Islands Region, 808–725–5146
  • Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the hearing impaired may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays

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 about the increased COVID-19 risk posed by human observers on catcher vessels and catch monitors in processing plants.  On April 15, NMFS responded by temporarily waiving the requirement for commercial fishing vessels and first receivers in west coast fisheries to carry a fishery observer or have a catch monitor. The waiver will be in effect beginning on April 16, 2020 for 14 calendar days. Please review the NMFS response carefully for important details on the temporary waiver.

Council sends letter on Columbia River Draft Environmental Impact Statement

See the Council letter
A large dam across the Snake River
Lower Granite Dam, the uppermost of the four lower Snake River dams (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

On April 13 the Pacific Fishery Management Council sent a letter with comments on the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The letter was addressed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration, and Bureau of Reclamation.

The purpose of the DEIS is to update the management of the Columbia River system operations, since conditions have changed since the last EIS in 2002.

The DEIS evaluates impacts to resources in the context of new information and changed conditions in the Columbia River basin. The DEIS also responds to a 2016 U.S District Court order which stated that the DEIS must ensure that management would not jeopardize the continued existence of species listed under the Endangered Species Act, or adversely affect designated critical habitat. The order states that the DEIS must also strive to improve the survival of both juvenile and adult salmon in the main Columbia/Snake migration corridor.

The Council’s letter expresses concerns that the DEIS does not incorporate the Council’s previous recommendations; does not include an “anadromous fish-focused” alternative in the range of alternatives; does not include an equitable economic analysis of recreational, commercial, and tribal fisheries; does not sufficiently account for the impacts of climate change, or avoid and mitigate increased water temperatures; does not sufficiently assess the benefits of configurations and operations that restore or improve essential fish habitat for salmonids; and that the preferred alternative is not a sufficient improvement over the No Action Alternative and, therefore, fails to meet a number of regional requirements, goals, and objectives for salmon (e.g., Endangered Species Act, Northwest Power Act, Northwest Power and Conservation Council Fish and Wildlife Program Recovery and Harvest Goals, Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force Goals, and state water quality standards).

In summary, the letter states “we find the DEIS (and the preferred alternative in particular) insufficient to provide the recovery actions necessary for ESA-listed stocks, or to provide healthy and harvestable Columbia Basin salmon populations necessary to support sustainable commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries that the Council’s constituencies depend on. We also recognize there is an urgent need for stakeholders to come to long-term solutions that provides reasonable certainty to the objectives of all interests.”

2020 salmon season tables

The 2020 salmon season tables are available here:

Press release: West Coast salmon season dates set for 2020

Portland, Or. – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the Pacific coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. Due to the COVID-19 social distancing requirements, all meetings associated with the decision were held via webinar for the first time in the Council’s history.

The recommendations will be forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service for approval by May 6, 2020.

“This year’s package includes some very restrictive seasons in both commercial and recreational fisheries along much of the coast. Uncertainties associated with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on markets, angler effort, and critical catch sampling, coupled with low Chinook and coho forecasts, made structuring the fisheries even more challenging this year,” said Council Chair Phil Anderson.

The Council heard reports from commercial, recreational, and tribal representatives about the challenges created by the pandemic, including difficulties in selling seafood to reduced markets, recreational fishery closures to protect public health, needed access to traditional food sources for tribal communities, and the inability to plan for the near future.

Washington and Northern Oregon (north of Cape Falcon)

Fisheries north of Cape Falcon (in northern Oregon) are designed to allow harvest of healthy Chinook populations that are primarily destined for the Columbia River. These fisheries are severely limited by the need to conserve lower Columbia natural tule fall Chinook and coho stocks, including Columbia River and Oregon Coastal coho, which are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and Queets River, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Snohomish coho salmon stocks, which are either classified as overfished or are currently rebuilding. (Tule fall Chinook originate in the lower Columbia River primarily below Bonneville Dam. They mature more quickly and spawn earlier than upriver fall Chinook.)

North of Cape Falcon, the overall non-Indian total allowable catch is 54,000 Chinook coastwide (compared to 52,500 last year) and 28,500 marked hatchery coho (compared to 190,000 last year). 

Commercial Fisheries

Non-Indian ocean commercial fisheries north of Cape Falcon include traditional, but reduced, seasons in the spring (May-June) for Chinook and a summer season (July – mid-September) for Chinook and coho salmon. These fisheries will have access to 27,640 Chinook (compared to 26,250 Chinook last year), and a marked coho quota of 2,000 (compared to 30,400 marked coho last year).

Recreational Fisheries     

The recreational fishery north of Cape Falcon opens with an all-salmon-except-coho fishery on June 20, transitioning to an all-species fishery on June 29 and continuing to September 30 or when Chinook or coho quotas are reached. Recreational fisheries in this area will have access to 26,360 Chinook (compared to 26,250 Chinook last year), and a marked coho quota of 26,500 (compared to 159,600 marked coho 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 35,000 Chinook and 16,500 coho (compared to 35,000 Chinook and 55,000 coho last year).

Southern Oregon and California (south of Cape Falcon)

Fisheries south of Cape Falcon (in northern Oregon) are constrained primarily by Klamath River fall Chinook and Oregon Coastal natural coho. The commercial fishery consists of modest Chinook fisheries, particularly in California. Recreational fisheries in Oregon include both Chinook and coho opportunity, with coho including both mark-selective and non-mark-selective fisheries. 

Commercial Fisheries

Commercial fisheries in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will open in late April and will continue into early May, with a brief reopening at the end of May. The area will be open again in early June through July and most of August. This area will also be open continuously in September and October with weekly limits in place.

The area from Humbug Mt., Oregon to the Oregon/California border (also known as the  Oregon portion of the Klamath Management Zone) will be open in late April and continue into early May, with a brief reopening at the end of May. The area will be open again in early June through July with monthly catch quotas and weekly limits in place.

The area from the Oregon/California border to Horse Mt., California, will be closed to conserve Klamath River fall Chinook, which are classified as overfished. 

In California, Chinook seasons in the Fort Bragg area (Horse Mt. to Point Arena) will be open ten days in August and for the month of September.  The San Francisco area (Point Arena to Pigeon Point) will be open intermittently from May to July, for most of August, and for all of September. The Monterey area (Pigeon Point to the Mexico border) will also be open for Chinook intermittently from May to July and for most of 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 October ranging from two to five days each.  

Recreational Fisheries

Recreational fisheries from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. will allow Chinook retention from now through October. Coho fisheries consist of a mark-selective quota fishery of 22,000 in mid-summer (compared to 90,000 last year) and a non-mark-selective quota fishery of 3,000 in September (compared to 9,000 last year).

Fisheries from Humbug Mt, Oregon to the Oregon/California border will be open from late June through early August. The area from the Oregon/California border to Horse Mountain, California will be open from early June through early August.

In California, Chinook seasons in the Fort Bragg (Horse Mt.to Point Arena) and San Francisco (Point Arena to Pigeon Point) areas will open on May 1 and will continue until early November, The Monterey (Pigeon Point to Mexico Border) area, will open on May 1 and continue until early October.  

For details on all seasons, please see the season descriptions on the Council website at www.pcouncil.org.

Southern Resident Killer Whales 

The Council has been 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 2020 salmon fisheries to address the needs of the whales while providing salmon harvest opportunities. The recommended 2020 ocean salmon seasons keep total Chinook abundance well above the NMFS guidance. 

COVID-19 Response

Because state directives have resulted in the suspension of some fishing opportunity, NMFS may close Federal salmon fisheries based on recommendations from state authorities to address public health concerns related to COVID-19, or because information essential to manage the fishery is unavailable. 

In addition, if the California recreational seasons in the Fort Bragg, San Francisco, and Monterey areas are delayed, the season in the Eureka area may be extended beyond August 9 if the extension would not increase impacts on stocks above those expected before the season opened.

More details on these potential actions are available in the regulation tables available on the Council’s website.

Management Process 

“It 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 salmon 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 due to COVID-19 concerns. 

The Council received additional scientific information and took public testimony at its April Council webinar meeting before taking final action. The decision will be forwarded to NMFS for their review of consistency with the ESA and other applicable law, and promulgation of Federal regulations. 

In addition, the coastal states will adopt fishery regulations for state-managed waters that are compatible with the Council’s actions.

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 offshore of the U.S. coastline. The Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

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Contact:     

  • Robin Ehlke, Salmon Staff Officer, robin.ehlke@noaa.gov
  • Mike Burner, Deputy Director, mike.burner@noaa.gov
  • Council Office 503-820-2280 (toll free: 1-866-806-7204)

On the Web

Groundfish and Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittees of Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting April 21, 2020

This post was generated by and redirects to https://www.pcouncil.org/events/groundfish-and-coastal-pelagic-species-subcommittees-of-scientific-and-statistical-team-to-hold-online-meeting-april-21-2020/.

Preliminary draft April 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. 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.