Saving Seafood

March 2-5 and 8-11, 2021 PFMC (online) meeting notice and agenda now available

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:

Halibut Area 2A License Applications Open for Submission for 2021

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.

Read the full story at Seafood News

PFMC: Habitat Committee to hold online meeting February 24, 2021

January 22, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council  will hold an online meeting of its Habitat Committee to consider information on marine planning and offshore development activities.  This meeting is open to the public.  The online meeting will be held Wednesday, February 24, 2021, starting at 1 p.m. and ending at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, or until business for the day has been completed.

Please see the meeting notice on the Council’s website for details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Kerry Griffin at 503-820-2409;  toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

OREGON: ODFW seeks nominees for Pacific fisheries council

January 21, 2021 — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting nominations for a seat on the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The deadline to request nomination materials is Feb. 19, and the three-year term begins Aug. 11.

The council manages fisheries for approximately 119 species of salmon, groundfish, coastal pelagic species (sardines, anchovies and mackerel) and highly migratory species (tunas, sharks and swordfish) off the coasts of Oregon, Washington and California. It includes 14 voting members representing tribal and state fish and wildlife agencies, and private citizens knowledgeable about sport fishing, commercial fishing and/or marine conservation.

The ideal candidate would be knowledgeable about fishery resource conservation and management in marine waters off the West Coast. Specific knowledge of and experience in management issues and fisheries is important, as is a strong conservation ethic. The successful candidate also must work collectively with other council members, often making difficult decisions, to fulfill the standards set forth by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Members make a substantial time commitment to fully participate in council business and related activities.

Read the full story at the Newport News Times

Rigorous management practices have led to successful rebuilding of several West Coast groundfish stocks

January 14, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

A new paper published in Nature Sustainability, “Identifying Management Actions that Promote Sustainable Fisheries,” demonstrates that rigorous management practices have helped rebuild depleted fish stocks worldwide and underscores the fact that greater investment in fisheries management generally leads to better outcomes for fish populations and the fisheries they support.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages commercial and recreational ocean fisheries on the West Coast, was one of two dozen international management and research entities collaborating on this study.

The study was led by Michael Melnychuk, research scientist at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington.  Management practices and outcomes adopted by the Pacific Council to rebuild West Coast groundfish stocks contributed to the study.

“Rebuilding these overfished stocks was a painful process for West Coast fishermen,” said Pacific Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy. “This study shows that their short-term sacrifices paid off in the long run, leading to more sustainable fisheries for future generations.”

“Rebuilding these stocks required collaboration between a lot of different people, from fishermen to scientists to environmentalists,” said Pacific Council Chair Marc Gorelnik. “It was a tough process, but in rebuilding these stocks, we also built long-lasting, valuable relationships. Responsible fisheries management requires sacrifices, but it pays off. This is a really hopeful story.”

Read the full release here

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel to hold online meeting February 16, 2021

January 14, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.  The meeting will be held Tuesday, February 16, 2021, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, or until business for each day is completed.

Please see the meeting notice on the Council’s website for details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Brett Wiedoff at 503-820-2424;  toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC: Groundfish Management Team to hold online meeting February 17, 2021

January 6, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene a webinar meeting of its Groundfish Management Team to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s March 2021 meeting agenda. This meeting is open to the public. The online meeting will be held Wednesday, February 17, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). The scheduled ending time for this GMT meeting is an estimate, the meeting will adjourn when business for the day is completed.

Please see the meeting notice on the Council’s website for details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Todd Phillips at 503-820-2426;  toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC: Salmon Technical Team work session February 16-19, 2021

December 23, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT) will hold a work session February 16-19, 2021.  The start and ending times of this work session will be determined shortly and posted to our website when they become available.

Please see the STT February 2021 work session notice on the Pacific Council’s website for the purpose of the online work session.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff  Mike Burner at 503-820-2414, or Robin Ehlke at 503-820-2410.

PFMC: Ecosystem Workgroup and Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel to hold online meetings February 22 & 23, 2021

December 22, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workshop (EWG) and Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel (EAS) will hold online meetings, which are open to the public.  The EWG will hold an online meeting on Monday, February 22, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, or until business is concluded. The EWG and EAS will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, or until business is concluded.

Please see the meeting notice on the Council’s website for additional details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Dr. Kit Dahl at 503-820-2422; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

Salmon Technical Team work session January 19-22, 2021

December 22, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT) will hold a work session January 19-22, 2021.  The start and ending times of this work session will be determined shortly and posted to our website when they become available.

Please see the STT January 2021 work session notice on the Pacific Council’s website for the purpose of the online work session.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff  Mike Burner at 503-820-2414, or Robin Ehlke at 503-820-2410.