February 2, 2021 — With a nod to the scientific advice coming from the International Pacific Halibut Commission, the six-member panel adopted catch limits that met harvest policy standards and gave each area a boost over 2020 levels.
A total mortality limit of 39 million pounds is higher than the last three year’s adopted limits, which have ranged from 36.6 mlbs to 38.61.
January 28, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC or Council) and its advisory bodies will meet March 2-5 and 8-11, 2021 by webinar only, to address issues related to groundfish, Pacific halibut, salmon, highly migratory species, ecosystem, and administrative matters.
Please see the March 2-5 and 8-11, 2021 Council meeting notice on the Council’s website for further updates and details regarding webinar participation; schedule of advisory body meetings, our E-Portal for submitting public comments, and public comment deadlines. There will be no meetings scheduled during the weekend of March 6-7, however, the meeting will continue daily on Monday, March 8 at 8 a.m. through Thursday, March 11, 2021. Meetings of advisory bodies will also be conducted by online meetings based on the schedules in the agenda.
Instructions for how to connect to the online meetings will be posted on the Council’s March 2021 meeting webpage prior to the first day of the meeting.
For further information:
January 27, 2021 — The International Pacific Halibut Commission has opened the license application period for fishermen in Area 2A, Washington, Oregon and California.
While the IPHC sets the overall total fishery removals (mortality limit) for the area, the Pacific Fishery Management Council and National Marine Fisheries Service adopts a catch-sharing plan for all three states to further allocate the amount of fishery removals between sectors.
December 4, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:
The Pacific Fishery Management Council will host an online meeting of the Area 2A Pacific halibut governmental management entities that is open to the public. The meeting will be held Monday, January 4, 2021 from 10:30 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, until 2 p.m., or until business for the day has been completed.
Please see the Area 2A Pacific Halibut Manager’s online meeting notice on the Council’s website for participation details.
For further information:
November 2, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Fishermen sometimes unintentionally catch fish they do not want or cannot keep. This is called bycatch. While these fish are returned to the sea, many of them do not survive. This is a major problem worldwide—nearly 10 percent of global fishery catches are discarded each year
This waste of valuable seafood protein has been an increasing focus of management, industry, and public concern due to its ecological and economic impacts. That’s where our innovative donation program comes in.
Alaska fishermen occasionally catch Pacific halibut and salmon incidentally in trawls targeting groundfish. Because halibut and salmon are valuable targets of other fisheries, they are designated as prohibited species. Groundfish trawlers are not allowed to retain or sell them. Historically, all prohibited species caught in Alaska were discarded at sea to avoid any incentive to catch these species.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Alaska seafood industry have a long history of cooperative efforts to reduce bycatch. However, even after bycatch has been eliminated to the extent practicable, some is inevitable.
In 1996, NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council established the Prohibited Species Donation Program. It takes a unique approach to the problem of discarded fish by making it possible for fishermen to donate some bycatch to hunger relief organizations. It simultaneously reduces waste, provides high quality seafood protein to people in need, and avoids incentives to catch prohibited species.
“Bycatch donation is an example of thinking outside the box. When we think about reducing waste, it is usually about avoiding bycatch. This program is a creative solution to maximize the value of the bycatch that can’t be avoided,” said Jordan Watson, NOAA Fisheries biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
October 30, 2020 — A labeling mistake has led the FDA to order the recall of more than two tons of packaged halibut filets produced by a subsidiary of Sealaska, the Juneau-based Alaska Native regional corporation.
The agency initiated the recall on October 23 after it was discovered that the breaded filets — advertised as gluten free — contain wheat and milk but did not reveal the presence of the potential allergens. No illnesses have been reported.
The fish was supplied and packaged by Orca Bay Foods. Since 2017 the Seattle area-based processor has been wholly owned by Sealaska, whose Alaska Native shareholders live in Southeast Alaska and the greater Pacific Northwest.
October 20, 2020 — The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council clarified their focus to tie the management of halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea to abundance in a new motion that, after one amendment, was passed unanimously.
The final Council motion revised the purpose and need statement and the alternatives for an initial review analysis that will likely come at the April council meeting, scheduled for April 5-6, 2021.
October 20, 2020 — A “resounding success” is how scientists summed up this summer’s Pacific halibut survey, despite it being shortened and scaled down due to constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The so-called fishery-independent setline survey uses standardized methods to track population trends in the Pacific halibut stock, which ranges from the U.S. West Coast to British Columbia, Canada, and the far reaches of the Bering Sea.
October 14, 2020 — A “resounding success” is how scientists summed up this summer’s Pacific halibut survey, despite it being shortened and scaled down a bit because of covid constraints.
The so-called fishery-independent setline survey uses standardized methods to track population trends in the Pacific halibut stock, which ranges from the U.S. West Coast to British Columbia and the far reaches of the Bering Sea.
October 6, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
START TIME: 9:00 a.m.
WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.
CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8422. The access code is 632-479-325. Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.
AGENDA: The SSC will meet to:
COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Friday, October 9, 2020. Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org. Additional information is available in the meeting notice.
MATERIALS: All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC October 13, 2020 webpage.
QUESTIONS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.