Updates - Page 66 of 73 - Pacific Fishery Management Council

Pacific Council News Summer 2019: Highly migratory species

Highly migratory species shorts

Deep-set buoy gear: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) presented an analysis of the biological impacts of a deep-set buoy gear fishery in June. The data comes from observer records and logbooks for deep-set buoy gear exempted fishing permit activity from 2015 through early 2019, and shows how many targeted and non-targeted species were caught with deep-set buoy gear during that period (see Table 1). The Council plans to choose a final preferred alternative on deep-set buoy gear in September. It has identified potential socioeconomic effects stemming from the number of permits that would be issued to fish in the Southern California Bight under the Council’s proposed limited entry program. An analysis of these potential effects would help the Council decide in September how many limited entry permits should be issued for this new fishery, assuming it moves forward.

Final rule on commercial Pacific bluefin tuna: On May 2, 2019, NMFS published a final rule implementing Inter-American Tropical Tuna Committee resolutions on Pacific bluefin tuna. The final rule includes catch limits for U.S. commercial vessels that fish for Pacific bluefin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean during 2019 and 2020. The rule implements a 630 metric ton (mt) catch limit for both years combined, with catch not to exceed 425 mt in a single year, and establishes a trip limit of 15 mt until catch is within 50 mt of the catch limit, and a 2 mt trip limit when catch is within 50 mt of the catch limit.

The final rule also creates reporting requirements. When the trip limit is 15 mt, purse seine vessel owners or operators must submit a pre-trip notification to NMFS 24 hours before starting a trip that will result in landing more than 2 mt of Pacific bluefin tuna (in other words, more than 2 mt of Pacific bluefin tuna may not be landed unless NMFS received a pre-trip notification). The rule also implements new procedures for taking inseason action. Legal notices for inseason actions will be posted on the NOAA Fisheries website, which will be followed up by radio call broadcasted by the U.S. Coast Guard.

In addition, as of July 1, 2019, fish buyers will be required to submit electronic landings receipts with Pacific bluefin tuna landings in California ports using the “E-tix” system within 24 hours of landing.

West Coast bluefin tuna harvest strategy: In 2018, the Council directed its advisory bodies to bring forward ideas for a long-term harvest strategy for Pacific bluefin tuna, and in May, NMFS hosted a meeting with stakeholders to discuss the future of the bluefin commercial fishery on the west coast. This NMFS report includes a summary of discussions at the meeting along with a process to allow the Council to contribute to future Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Pacific bluefin tuna resolutions.

Sea turtle bycatch: The United States plans to submit a proposal to strengthen the IATTC’s existing sea turtle bycatch resolution (C-07-03), recognizing that this would require foreign fleets to take measures that are similar to those currently required by U.S. pelagic longline vessels, such as use of circle hooks and finfish bait.

Management strategy evaluations: The International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean is conducting management strategy evaluations for North Pacific albacore and Pacific bluefin tuna. In June the Council reiterated its support of U.S. stakeholder participation in these processes.

Bluefin tuna meetings. The Council agreed to fund travel costs for two Highly Migratory Species Management Team members and four Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel members to attend the Pacific bluefin IATTC-Northern Committee Joint Working Group and Northern Committee meetings during the week of September 2, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. This will allow advisory bodies to better understand the regional fishery management organization process and communicate those lessons to the Council.

Drift gillnet performance. Each June, the Council receives a report from its Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) comparing estimated bycatch of prohibited species in the large mesh drift gillnet fishery against historical benchmark levels. According to the latest report, in 2016, take of northern right whale dolphins slightly exceeded the benchmark level, while in 2017 take of risso’s dolphin and sperm whale exceeded the benchmark. In its report the HMSMT also described an alternative way to assess bycatch in the fishery. This method, which was reviewed by the Scientific and Statistical Committee in 2018, will be used at the June 2020 Council meeting.

Yellowfin tuna regulations discussed

Additional yellowfin tuna regulations are not needed at this time, the Council concluded in June. In 2018 NMFS notified the Council that the Eastern Pacific Ocean stock of yellowfin tuna was subject to overfishing, and that the Council must make recommendations by November 2018 to address the problem. The overfishing determination was based on a 2018 IATTC stock assessment which found that the fishing level was just barely over the level that defines this condition. The IATTC completed a new assessment in 2019, but there are major uncertainties about the results, meaning that NMFS is unlikely to consider it the “best scientific information available.”

Because West Coast catch of yellowfin is a tiny proportion of total eastern Pacific Ocean catch, the Council concluded that additional constraints in West Coast fisheries aren’t needed now. In terms of international action, the Council focused its recommendations on efforts to make sure next year’s IATTC “benchmark” assessment produces reliable results. To that end the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee met with the IATTC staff scientists who worked on the assessment to identify potential improvements.

Seventeen exempted fishing permits forwarded

The Council reviewed 18 deep-set buoy gear exempted fishing permit (EFP) applications submitted for the June Council meeting and forwarded 17 applications to NMFS for issuance. It also preliminarily approved an EFP for night-set buoy gear under 100 percent observer coverage, with a final recommendation coming in September.

Beyond considering these new applications, the Council recommended that NMFS renew the current twenty-one standard deep-set buoy gear and ten linked deep-set buoy gear EFPs for 2020. Since many previously reviewed and recommended permit applications haven’t been issued, the Council asked NMFS to put the current batch of applications at the head of the line.

Other EFPs reviewed in 2017 and 2018 haven’t been issued because the applicant hasn’t followed through on steps needed for NMFS to issue a permit. For that reason, the Council recommended that NMFS stop considering these applications if the applicant hasn’t followed through by the end of this year.

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Pacific Council News Summer 2019: Coastal Pelagic Species

Coastal pelagic species shorts

Proposed sardine rules: On July 1, NMFS published harvest specifications and management measures for the 2019-2020 Pacific sardine fishing year based on Council recommendations at the April 2019 meeting. The biomass estimate of 27,547 metric tons (mt) places sardine in the “overfished” category, meaning the Council and NMFS must develop a rebuilding plan within two years after the “overfished” declaration is published by NMFS (July 9, 2019). This is the fifth year biomass was below the 150,000 mt cutoff value, meaning that directed commercial fishing will remain closed for the fifth straight year. The live bait fishery will be allowed to target sardines until 2,500 mt have been landed, at which point a 1-mt landing cap will apply. Once the annual catch target of 4,000 mt is attained, all fisheries will be limited to a 1-mt incidental landing allowance.

Category change: The “active” and “monitored” categories currently used in the Coastal Pelagic Species Management Plan will be eliminated and replaced with individual descriptions of the management approach for each stock, as directed by the Council in June. The Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team and Council staff are expected to produce a draft revised fishery management plan for consideration at the June 2020 Council meeting.

New prioritization process: A new process for prioritizing coastal pelagic species stock assessments will begin in November 2020, to inform stock assessment priorities beginning in 2022. This biennial process will allow for revisions in intervening years based on new information, and will help with data review and research planning. Pacific sardine will undergo a benchmark assessment in 2020, and the central subpopulation of northern anchovy will be assessed in 2021.

Central Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy harvest specifications: On May 31, NMFS published a final rule establishing a new overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, and annual catch limit for the central subpopulation of northern anchovy. The finalized reference points include an overfishing limit of 94,290 mt, and an annual catch limit of 23,573 mt (down from the 25,000 mt in recent years). The harvest specifications are effective July 1 for the remainder of the January 1 through December 31 fishing year.

Final action on Pacific mackerel assessment, harvest specifications, and management

In June the Council adopted the 2019 Pacific mackerel stock assessment, reference points and management measures for 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 fisheries. These include the specifications in the table below, and the following management measures: if the directed fishery reaches the annual catch target, it will close and shift to an incidental-only fishery for the remainder of the fishing year, with a 45 percent incidental landing allowance when Pacific mackerel are landed with other coastal pelagic species (CPS); in non-CPS fisheries, up to 3 mt of Pacific mackerel per landing may be landed.

Proposed 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 Pacific Mackerel Harvest Specifications

	2019-2020	2020-2021
Biomass	71,099	56,058
OFL	14,931	11,772
ABC0.45 (Tier 2)	13,169	10,289
ACL (=ABC)	13,169	10,289
HG	11,109	7,950
ACT	10,109	6,950
Incidental	1,000	1,000

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Pacific Council News Summer 2019: Pacific halibut

Transfer of halibut management authority moves forward

Plans to transfer management of the non-Indian commercial directed halibut fishery from the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) to the Council are moving forward. In June, the Council committed to working closely with the IPHC and stakeholders on transitioning the management of this fishery, and outlined the Council’s intentions for the fishery in the near future.

The Council asked that IPHC continue to issue licenses for the 2A halibut fisheries, including the directed commercial halibut fishery for 2020 and 2021, to provide time to develop and enact a new regulatory framework. The Council will also ask IPHC to enter into a data sharing arrangement for the IPHC 2A halibut licensing system and the commercial directed halibut fishery logbook data.

For the next few years the Council will focus on a smooth transfer of management authority for the commercial directed fishery, and will not be considering any major changes to the current fishery structure. That said, the Council will consider changes to the fishery within the existing structure (i.e., an open access fishery managed by fishing periods and vessel limits) beginning in 2019 for 2020 regulations.

Beginning in 2019, the Council will use the September and November meetings (concurrent with the halibut Catch Sharing Plan process) to set directed commercial halibut fishery regulations within the existing season structure.

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Pacific Council News Summer 2019: Salmon

Council adopts Klamath, Sacramento fall Chinook rebuilding plans

The Council adopted Klamath River fall Chinook and Sacramento River fall Chinook salmon rebuilding plans in June, choosing “status quo” as the final preferred alternative for both plans. This means that fisheries will continue to be managed under existing protocols, allowing for maximum flexibility in structuring fisheries while rebuilding both stocks and minimizing negative impacts to coastal communities due to fishery constraints. In addition to adopting the final preferred alternative, the Council asked the Habitat Committee to investigate habitat-related issues outlined in both plans, and tasked the Salmon Technical Team with scoping new tools to improve stock assessment and fishery modeling of Sacramento River fall Chinook.

The Council also adopted the three coho salmon rebuilding plans (Strait of Juan de Fuca, Queets River, and Snohomish River) as drafts for public review, and is scheduled to consider these plans for final adoption at the next Council meeting during September in Boise, Idaho.

These five stocks were declared overfished in June 2018. Under the terms of the fishery management plan, a rebuilding plan must be in place within two years. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is charged with putting the rules in place, a process which takes about 18 months. The Council must submit all five plans to the Secretary of Commerce by September 2019.

Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup meets

In March of this year, NMFS announced plans to reinitiate Endangered Species Act consultation on the effect of Council-area ocean salmon fisheries on Southern Resident killer whales. NMFS and the Council agreed on a collaborative approach and began establishing work plans and a tentative schedule.

The Council subsequently formed the Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup, which is tasked with reassessing the effects of Council-area ocean salmon fisheries on the Chinook salmon prey base of the whales. At its first meeting in May, the Workgroup affirmed its task and timeline, identified data gaps, developed risk assessment criteria and methods, and assigned tasks to members. The Workgroup provided a progress report at the June Council meeting and will meet again in July 2019.

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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. The NMFS proposal came in response to the repeal of California commercial logbook requirements for Federal fisheries by the California Fish and Game Commission. The California requirement for shorebased limited entry trawl vessels to report Federally-managed species by logbook will end July 1, 2019.

Trawl logbooks have long been required by the states, but currently there is no Federal logbook requirement. While Oregon and Washington will continue to provide logbooks for the trawl fishery, the loss of California data would represent a major loss of information to fisheries managers and scientists. The data are used in many critical activities such as stock assessments, area management, and bycatch interactions.

The Council agreed with NMFS that creation of a Federal logbook information collection program for the shorebased individual fishing quota trawl fishery was necessary in order to minimize data loss from California ports. The Federal system will ensure the continued coverage of limited entry trawl vessels on the west coast, and should avoid substantial gaps in the trawl logbook dataset from California. Additionally, this program will provide coverage if Oregon or Washington remove their logbook requirement in the future.

Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup meets

The Pacific Coast Groundfish Endangered Species Workgroup met this spring to review incidental take estimates of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Workgroup advises the Council on the ESA compliance of West Coast groundfish fishing, reviewing estimates of incidental take for eulachon, green sturgeon, humpback whales, leatherback sea turtles, and short-tailed albatross. The Workgroup reported to the Council in June that the fishery had exceeded the incidental take guidelines for humpback whales, but was under the limits for eulachon, green sturgeon, short-tailed albatross, and leatherback sea turtles.

NMFS has begun its reconsultation on the effects of Council-managed fisheries on humpback whales. The Workgroup recommended research into new fishing gear that may reduce whale entanglements, and supported the Council’s efforts to decrease take of ESA-listed seabirds (see article below). To this end, the Workgroup recommended that the Council and NMFS continue to explore ways to improve fixed-gear configurations (particularly for floated longline gear).

The Council agreed with a Groundfish Advisory Subpanel recommendation that three groundfish industry members be added to the workgroup before the next meeting.

Additionally, the Workgroup recommended a logbook for the fixed-gear fisheries, as it had in past reports. This would provide critical data to managers and scientists. The Council reaffirmed its support for this idea and recommended that NMFS pursue development of a fixed-gear logbook.

The Council adopted all the recommendations noted above, which are detailed in the Workgroup’s report.

Council takes final action on albatross take in longline fishery

In June, the Council selected its final preferred alternative to address the take of albatross in groundfish longline fisheries.

Under the alternative, non-tribal vessels 26 feet and greater (overall length) using bottom longline gear in the limited entry fixed gear, open access fixed gear, and Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota Program, must either use streamer lines or deploy gear at night. (See link for technical requirements).

Currently, vessels 55 feet and longer must use streamer lines, which deter seabirds from diving on baited hooks as they are deployed.

Vessels fishing south of 36° N. latitude would be exempt from the requirements. Vessels 26-55 feet could deploy streamer lines at their discretion when a small craft wind advisory (or higher) is in effect.

The Council also encouraged continued collaborative research to develop and test enforceable floated mainline gear configurations that can sink within the streamer line zone to reduce seabird interactions.

The decision was made in response to a 2017 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion addressing take of endangered short-tailed albatross in Council-managed groundfish longline fisheries. The opinion required the Council to extend the existing streamer line requirements to smaller vessels. It also allowed vessels to set the gear at night, when albatross are not active, as an alternative to deploying streamer lines. These requirements apply when fishing in Federal waters (3-200 nautical miles).

NMFS expects to finalize regulations implementing the Council proposal by the beginning of 2020.

Inseason adjustments to groundfish fisheries

In June the Council considered routine inseason action on groundfish stocks as well as adjustments to incidental landings of Pacific halibut in the primary sablefish fishery north of Point Chehalis.

The Council also discussed the unexpectedly high bycatch of shortbelly rockfish in the at-sea whiting fleet to-date. NMFS decided not to implement accountability measures on the groundfish fishery related to shortbelly rockfish at this time.

The Council heard from the California Groundfish Collective regarding how annual vessel limits for cowcod may curtail their fishing efforts earlier than expected. The Council took no action on this issue, but did not oppose NMFS reviewing an exempted fishing permit submitted by the Collective that may provide options for them to continue fishing.

The Council adopted the recommendations of the GMT as follows:

Increase incidental Pacific halibut landing allowance from 200 to 250 lbs dressed weight Pacific halibut per 1,000 lbs dressed weight sablefish, plus 2 Pacific halibut in the primary sablefish fishery north of Point Chehalis.
Increase limited entry bocaccio trip limit for the area between 40° 10′ N. lat. – 34° 27′ N. lat. to 1,500 lbs per 2 months
Recommend revised trip limits for big skate in the shorebased IFQ program as shown:

Jan/Feb	March/Apr	May/June	July/Aug	Sept/Oct	Nov/Dec
5,000 lbs	25,000 lbs	30,000 lbs	70,000 lbs	20,000 lbs	20,000 lbs

Open Access sablefish recommendations:
- Open Access North 300 lb per day, or one landing per week up to 1,400 lb, not to exceed 2,800 lb per 2 months.
- Open Access South 300 lb per day, or one landing per week up to 1,600 lb, not to exceed 4,800 lb per 2 months.

NMFS developing electronic monitoring guidelines

NMFS is developing internal guidelines on how electronic monitoring data is stored, and is considering the costs and benefits of video storage, and the management, scientific, and enforcement needs of electronic monitoring programs around the country. NMFS will also consider different types of data storage to reduce costs to industry. NMFS is expected to provide a draft procedural directive on this issue at the September or November Council meeting for review and comment.

In addition, NMFS recently published a final rule to implement electronic monitoring for the midwater trawl whiting and fixed-gear catch share fisheries on the West Coast. In September, the Council will review a NMFS document that will guide electronic monitoring providers and fishermen on how to participate in the program.

Council adopts schedule for setting 2021-2022 harvest specs, management measures

In June the Council adopted a schedule for setting 2021-22 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures. The schedule includes steps such as scientific peer review of data and analyses; preparation of analytical documents; state meetings to solicit public input; and notice and comment rulemaking. The next steps, scheduled for the September Council meeting in Boise, Idaho, are to consider new harvest specifications and management measures. All of these steps need to be timed so that the new regulations can be implemented on January 1, 2021.

The Council also discussed a streamlined process that would allow management measures to be put in place on January 1, 2021 and would free up resources for related Council actions. Final action is scheduled for June 2020.

Council ponders how to phase in conservative catch limits

The Council is considering new ways to phase in more conservative catch limits for groundfish stocks in order to ease short-term negative economic impacts when catch limits are significantly reduced. One option is to phase in new acceptable biological catches (ABCs) over three years. Another is to set ABCs for a limited period based on higher overfishing probabilities than the current maximum. These changes will require a fishery management plan amendment.

In September the Council will look at criteria for these new harvest control rules, a time limit for the duration of the phase-in period (or frequency of their use), the types of analyses needed, and the timing of an amendment process. The Council would like feedback on whether this process should synchronize with the 2021-22 biennial specifications process or be considered on another track. The Council also requested a list of stocks that would be good candidates for these alternative rules.

This issue arose in response to new sigma values recommended by the Scientific and Statistical Committee for determining ABC buffers. The sigma value represents the scientific uncertainty in estimating an overfishing limit. One feature of the new sigma framework is that the sigma (and hence the ABC buffer) increases with the age of the assessment. These larger buffers will result in lower annual catch limits for some key stocks such as Oregon black rockfish.

The phase-in of an ABC control rule is designed to help stabilize catch levels as stock assessments are updated. Whether to apply such a control rule for stocks in the precautionary zone or for rebuilding stocks will be part of the scoping discussion.

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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 2019 and will report back at the September 2019 Council meeting.

The specific tasks addressed during this meeting were:

Refine the scenario topic used in the exercise
Develop a timeline for the scenario planning process (to be conducted between the September 2019 and March 2020 Pacific Council meetings)
Identify participants in the exercise.
Plan future meetings or webinars if necessary.

ADD ANY RESULTING REPORTS HERE

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 to potential future ecosystem states resulting from climate variability and climate change. The Core Team will flesh out the details of this scenario planning exercise and report back to the Council in September 2019. The bulk of the scenario planning activities would occur between October 2019 and March 2020 when the Council would receive a report on the outcomes of the exercise. Using Scenarios to Explore Climate Change: A Handbook for Practitioners (National Park Service, 2013) provides a general overview of using scenario planning methods to evaluate adaption strategies for climate change.

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 workshop on climate change and fishing communities.
A May 15-16 workshop sponsored by The Nature Conservancy to further the objectives of this initiative, and provide information in support of a climate initiative.
A September 2018 EWG report reviewing information gathering activities conducted up to that time and recommending that the Council consider using climate change scenario planning as a vehicle to accomplish the goal of this initiative. In response, the Council formed the Ad Hoc Climate Scenario Investigation Committee (CSI), composed of Council members Caren Braby, Rich Lincoln, and John Ugoretz to consider how scenario planning efforts could advance the Climate and Communities Initiative. The CSI reported back to the Council in November 2018 with a set of tasks for the EWG to lay the groundwork for conducting a scenario planning exercise beginning in 2019.

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 (A.2.7) and on human recruitment to the fisheries (A.2.6), and an initiative on the effects of near-term climate shift and long-term climate change on our fish, fisheries, and fishing communities (A.2.8).

The EWG presented a report in September that identified specific objectives of the initiatives, inventoried available information, and proposed a timeline for completing either or both initiatives. Based on this scoping the Council decided to begin work on the Climate Shift Initiative with an emphasis on the wellbeing of dependent 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 public.

Lance Hebdon is the Chair and Dr. Correigh Greene is the Vice-Chair of the Habitat Committee (HC).

See the HC roster.

Latest Habitat Reports

Current Habitat Topics

The list below includes major topics discussed by the Habitat Committee since 2015. For more information, see the briefing book archives.

General topic	Details	Relevant agencies or organizations	Date last discussed in Habitat Committee
Essential fish habitat for highly migratory species	Five year review	NMFS	2020 (March)
Ecosystem-based fishery management	Annual Integrated Ecosystem Assessment report	NMFS	Annually
Salmon	Salmon rebuilding	NMFS, Council	2020 (March)
Groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH)	Groundfish EFH (Amendment 28)	Council, NMFS	2019 (September)
Fishery Ecosystem Plan	Five-year review	Council	2020 (March)
Fishery Ecosystem Plan	Climate and communities initiative	Council	2019 (March)
Dams	Klamath dam removal		2019 (November)
Corals	Deep sea corals	NOAA	2019 (March)
Columbia River	Dissolved gas levels at dams	States of Washington, Oregon	2019 (March)
Aquaculture	Humboldt Bay aquaculture	Humboldt Bay Harbor District, Nordic Aquafarms	2019 (March)
Sacramento water	Central Valley Operations Biop	Bureau of Reclamation, NMFS	2019 (November)
Sediment management	Washington and California coastal sediment management activities	WDFW, California Natural Resources Agency	2019 (June)
Research and data	CalCOFI ( California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations) update	NMFS	2019 (June)
Offshore energy	Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) California task force activities; offshore wind	BOEM	2019 (June)
Liquified natural gas (LNG)	Jordan Cove LNG project and pipeline	FERC	2019 (November)
Klamath	New Biological Opinion	Bureau of Reclamation	2019 (June)
Klamath	Flushing flows	Bureau of Reclamation, NMFS	2019 (June)
Sanctuaries	Sanctuaries	National Marine Sanctuary Program	2020 (March)
Sacramento Delta	Study of Juvenile Salmon Use of the Sacramento Delta	NMFS	2019 (April)
Priorities	Shared Council/NMFS habitat priorities	Council, NMFS	2019 (November)
Pollutants	National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit for offshore Seafood Processors	Environmental Protection Agency	2019 (April)
Drought	Washington drought declaration	Washington state	2019 (April)
Coastal zone management	Proposed Rule Changes to Coastal Zone Management Act Federal Consistency Process	NMFS	2019 (April)
Beavers	Oregon Dept of Transportation (ODOT) beaver removal policies	ODOT	2019 (April)
Aquaculture	NOAA aquaculture rules/plan	National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)	2019 (April)
Research and data	Research and data needs	Council	2018 (September)
Killer whales (southern resident)	Expansion of critical habitat	NOAA	2019 (November)
Ecosystem-based fishery management	West Coast Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Roadmap Implementation	NMFS	2018 (September)
Columbia River	Treaty negotiations	Dept. of State	2018 (September)
Climate change	Report to legislature on ocean acidification	Oregon Coordination Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia	2018 (September)
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act	Reauthorization	Council	2018 (November)
Dams	Raising of Shasta dam	Bureau of Reclamation	2018 (November)
Dams	San Clemente dam removal		2018 (November)
Columbia River	Essential fish habitat in the Columbia River	EPA	2018 (November)
Aquaculture	Pacific Ocean Aquafarms (proposed offshore yellowtail tuna facility)	Hubbs Sea World Research Institute	2018 (November)
Estuaries	General	PMEP, others	2019 (September)
Columbia River	Flows		2018 (June)
Offshore energy	Trident/Morro Bay offshore wind project	Trident Wind	2018 (April)
Columbia River	Spill (through dams)	Federal Columbia River Power System	2018 (April)
Salmon	Escape of Atlantic salmon from aquaculture facility		2017 (September)
Fishery Ecosystem Plan	Climate vulnerability assesssment report	Council/NMFS	2017 (September)
Dams	Oroville Dam	US Army Corps of Engineers, others	2017 (September)
California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment	Assessment indicators	NMFS	2017 (September)
Aquaculture	Rose Canyon Aquaculture project (offshore project for seabass, yellowtail, etc)	Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute	2017 (September)
Ecosystem-based fishery management	Sablefish ecosystem indicators	Council, NMFS	2017 (November)
Salmon	Coastal Coho Restoration Plan	NMFS	2017 (March)
Fishery Ecosystem Plan	General initiatives	Council	2017 (March)
Research and data	Habitat Use Database	NMFS	2017 (June)
Research and data	BOEM data portal for offshore renewable energy	BOEM	2017 (June)
Marine planning	Marine planning		2017 (June)
Law enforcment	NMFS Office of Law Enforcement Strategic Plan review	NMFS	2017 (June)
Climate change	Pacific Coast Collaborative and Ocean Acidification Alliance	Pacific Coast Collaborative (states of WA, OR, CA)	2017 (June)
Aquaculture	Coast Seafoods aquaculture project	Coast Seafoods/Humboldt Bay	2017 (April)
General	Fisheries-specific habitat objectives	Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission	2016 (November)
Dams	Hells Canyon Section 401 Certification	Federal Energy Regulatory Commission	2016 (November)
Columbia River	Columbia River operations, general	NMFS, BOR, EPA, USFWS	2020 (March)
Sacramento water	Sacramento winter-run chinook outlook and planning	NMFS	2016 (March)
Nuclear power	Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant closure/fish entrainment	Pacific Gas & Electric	2016 (June)
Climate change	Western Regional (Climate Change) Action Plan	NMFS	2016 (June)
Ecosystem-based fishery management	Ecosystem indicators	NMFS	2016 (April)
Climate change	Thermal Refugia in the Columbia River System/Norwest Stream Temperature Model	NMFS	2016 (April)
Climate change	Ocean Acidification policy recommendations	NMFS	2016 (April)
Riparian buffers	Oregon Forest Practices Act buffer requirements inadequate	Oregon Board of Forestry	2015 (November)
General	Intergovernmental Policy Council habitat framework		2015 (November)
Drought	Federal legislation - drought issues		2015 (November)
Columbia River	High temperatures and fish kills	NMFS/WDFW/ODFW	2015 (November)
Forage fish	Unmanaged forage fish protection	Council	2015 (March)
Climate change	NMFS Climate Science Strategy Update	NMFS	2015 (March)
Offshore energy	Oregon State University (OSU) wave energy test site	OSU	2015 (June)
Desalination	Proposed desalination projects in California	DeepWater Desal, California American Water, People's Moss Landing Water Desal Project	2015 (June)
Aquaculture	Catalina Sea Ranch/KZO Sea Farms proposed project	Catalina Sea Ranch/KZO Sea Farms proposed project	2015 (June)
Flooding	Chehalis River flood damage reduction project	Washington Dept of Ecology, USACE	2019 (September)
Aquaculture	Ventura Shellfish Project		2019 (September)
Sanctuaries	Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan Review	Office of National Marine Sanctuaries	2019 (November)
Eelgrass	Review of California eelgrass mitigation policy	NOAA	2019 (November)
Salmon	Salmon reintroduction upstream of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams	Confederated Tribes of the Colville/UCUT	2019 (November)
Offshore energy	Responsible Offshore Energy Development Alliance (RODA)	RODA	2019 (November)
Humpback whales	Expansion of critical habitat	NOAA	2019 (November)

Habitat Correspondence and Resolutions

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