Updates

Notice of availability Preseason Report II: Proposed Alternatives and Environmental Assessment Part 2 for 2020 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations

The following document has been posted to the Council’s website:

Preseason Report II: Proposed Alternatives and Environmental Assessment Part 2 for 2020 Ocean Salmon Fishery Regulations (Published March 2020)

2020 Salmon hearings will be conducted via webinar only

Due to public health concerns related to COVID19 the Pacific Fishery Management Council will be conducting the following Salmon hearings via webinar only.

We recognize these meetings are typically held in person, but given the circumstances we feel the webinar platform is the best way to proceed. We appreciate your patience and flexibility.

The links below will take you to the specific meeting information participation:

Hearing materials:

2020 Salmon Hearing Packet: Excerpts from Preseason Report II; proposed alternatives for the 2020 ocean salmon fishery regulations (prepared for the March 23 and March 24 salmon hearings via webinar only)

Attendee instructions:

A few days in advance of the meeting, please reference the following materials and video to practice joining the meeting. This is to ensure your ability to participate, as troubleshooting moments before the meeting will be difficult.

Alternative ways to provide public comment:

Public comment is also being accepted through April 2 at 5 pm Pacific Time via our E-Portal . Agenda Item E.1 is the most appropriate for Salmon alternatives adopted in March.

Pacific Council releases alternatives for 2020 West Coast ocean salmon fishery

Rohnert Park, California – The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted three alternatives for 2020 ocean salmon fisheries off of Washington, Oregon and California for public review. The Council will make a final decision on salmon seasons at its meeting in Vancouver, Washington, on April 5-10. Detailed information about season starting dates, areas open, and catch limits for all three alternatives are available on the Council’s website at www.pcouncil.org.

Forecasts for many Chinook and coho stocks are lower than last year. In addition, the Council is constrained by requirements to conserve Fraser River (Canada) coho and other natural coho runs; to conserve lower Columbia River natural tule[1] fall Chinook; and to protect Sacramento River winter Chinook and Klamath River fall Chinook.

“Developing the seasons for this year’s ocean salmon fisheries will be challenging for ocean fishermen and managers,” said Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy.

“Meeting our conservation objectives continues to be the highest priority for the Council,” said Council Chair Phil Anderson. “In addition, the Council is considering the needs of Southern Resident killer whales as part of its deliberations. Poor ocean conditions and their effects on salmon productivity continue to make it challenging for the Council to meet its management objectives and sustain healthy fisheries. With five salmon rebuilding plans in place in 2020, the Council will look to adopt seasons designed to meet the requirements of the plans, and provide meaningful commercial and recreational fisheries.”

Washington and Northern Oregon (north of Cape Falcon)

Fisheries north of Cape Falcon (in northern Oregon) are limited by the need to reduce catch of lower Columbia natural tule Chinook and coho stocks of concern. Additionally, three coho salmon stocks remain categorized as overfished (Queets River, Strait of Juan de Fuca) or not overfished rebuilding (Snohomish), which is also a concern when structuring 2020 fisheries. 

Tribal ocean fisheries north of Cape Falcon

Tribal negotiations are underway, but at this time the Chinook and coho quotas for tribal ocean fishery alternatives range from 20,000 to 45,000 for Chinook salmon (compared to 35,000 in 2019), and from 0 to 30,000 coho (compared to 55,000 coho in 2019).  Under the range of alternatives, seasons open May 1 and continue through either August 31 or September 15.

Commercial season alternatives

North of Cape Falcon, the non-Indian ocean commercial fishery consist of two alternatives with traditional Chinook seasons between May and September. Chinook quotas for all areas and times range from 22,875 to 30,000, compared to 26,250 in 2019. Coho quotas in the both alternatives range from 2,500 to 5,600 marked coho, compared to 30,400 in to 2019.  The third alternative has the season closed in this area.

Sport season alternatives

North of Cape Falcon, the ocean sport fishery includes two alternatives with Chinook recreational quotas ranging from 22,125 to 30,000, compared to 26,250 in 2019. For coho, recreational quotas range from 22,500 to 29,400 hatchery coho, compared to 159,600 in 2019. Starting dates range from June 14 to June 28, and in all alternatives, recreational fisheries are scheduled to run through mid-to-late September. Chinook retention is allowed through-out the proposed seasons, but coho retention is limited in some of the alternatives.  The third alternative has the season closed in this area.

Southern Oregon and California (south of Cape Falcon)

Fisheries south of Cape Falcon are limited by the need to reduce catch of Oregon Coast natural coho and Klamath River fall Chinook. Klamath River fall Chinook and Sacramento River fall Chinook contribute significantly to ocean harvest, and currently remain categorized as overfished. Klamath River fall Chinook has a relatively low abundance forecast, which will limit salmon fisheries in Oregon and California.  On the other hand, Sacramento River fall Chinook, which comprises a large percentage of the catch in California and Oregon fisheries, are expected to be relatively abundant. This year’s management alternatives are designed to provide fishing opportunity for this more abundant Sacramento River fall run while reducing fishing impacts on Klamath River fall Chinook

Commercial season alternatives

Commercial season alternatives south of Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain are constrained this year to protect Klamath River fall Chinook. Chinook salmon seasons are open April or May through September or October, with closed periods in most months.

The commercial alternatives in both the California and Oregon sectors of the Klamath Management Zone provide a range of Chinook quotas between May and August, with some additional time without quotas for the Oregon sector in April and May. Two alternatives have the California Klamath Management Zone closed for the season.

Commercial seasons south of Horse Mountain vary considerably between the alternatives, with constraints primarily intended to protect Klamath River fall Chinook. In general, the commercial alternatives in these management areas (Fort Bragg, San Francisco, and Monterey) provide similar or reduced levels of opportunity compared to last year.

Sport season alternatives

Chinook fishing in the Tillamook, Newport, and Coos Bay areas all open March 15 and run continuously through October 31, consistent with the 2019 season.

Oregon ocean recreational alternatives include mark-selective coho fishing seasons in starting in late June and running through early to mid-August in the area south of Cape Falcon. Quotas range from 18,000 to 30,000 marked coho (compared to 90,000 in 2019). In addition, non-mark-selective fisheries are proposed in two alternatives for the area between Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain starting in late August or September, with quotas of 3,000 to 4,000 coho (compared to last year’s 9,000).

The range of alternatives include proposed fisheries for the Klamath Management Zone in both California and Oregon with fishing opportunity lower than last year.

California ocean recreational alternatives for Fort Bragg, San Francisco and Monterey will see similar or increased opportunity compared to last year due to an increased Sacramento River fall Chinook abundance forecast. Seasons vary between management areas. 

Concerns regarding Southern Resident Killer Whales

The Council has worked collaboratively with National Marine Fisheries Service (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 opportunity. All alternatives keep total Chinook abundance well above the NMFS guidance.

Management process

Public hearings to receive input on the alternatives are scheduled for March 23 in Westport, Washington and Coos Bay, Oregon, and for March 24 in Eureka, California. The Council will consult with scientists, hear public comment, revise preliminary decisions, and choose a final alternative at its meeting in Vancouver, Washington, on April 5-10.

The Council will forward its final season recommendations to NMFS for its approval and implementation no later than May 6.

All Council meetings are open to the public.

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 Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

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Useful links


[1] Tule Chinook generally spawn lower in the Columbia River than salmon that continue to migrate up the mainstem.

DRAFT Council-Adopted salmon management measures (tables) for public review

The following DRAFT salmon management measure tables were adopted by the Council for public review at their March 2020 meeting.  Please keep in mind the tables are DRAFT until published in Preseason Report II.  (Preseason Report II is tentatively scheduled for publication on or around March 20).

Table 1. 2020 Commercial troll management Alternatives for non-Indian ocean salmon fisheries – Council adopted (Monday, March 09, 2020,11:32 AM)

Table 2. 2020 Recreational management Alternatives for non-Indian ocean salmon fisheries – Council adopted. Monday, March 09, 2020,12:00 PM

Table 3a. (QTA) 2020 Treaty Indian troll management Alternatives for ocean salmon fisheries – AND Table 3b. (Makah Tribal) 2020 Treaty Indian troll management Alternatives for ocean salmon fisheries – Council adopted. Monday, March 09, 2020,11:37 AM

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

This post was generated by and redirects to https://www.pcouncil.org/events/ad-hoc-sablefish-management-and-trawl-allocation-attainment-committee-to-hold-webinar-meeting-on-april-1-2020/.

PRELIMINARY DRAFT MARCH 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.