April 15, 2020 — Last week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously voted (with National Marine Fisheries Service abstaining) to send a letter to NMFS requesting a blanket waiver for observer coverage in all West Coast fisheries with Federal observers, as well as catch monitors in the groundfish IFQ shoreside monitoring program. The letter was sent today. The Council requests that the waiver remain in place as long as the shelter in place orders are in effect for Washington, Oregon, and California.
“In light of the rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout the U.S. since [waiving observer coverage in some situations], the uncertain rate of infection in in many areas, and especially of new information on asymptomatic transmission of the virus, we urge you to now adopt stronger, more proactive protections for public health and the safety of fishermen, observers, and others with whom they have contact,” the letter states. “In particular, the Council requests that NMFS temporarily suspend federally authorized at-sea observer coverage in all West Coast fisheries (including at-sea sectors) and trawl catch share program shoreside catch monitors.”