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.