Saving Seafood

September 8-11 and 14-18, 2020 PFMC Meeting Notice (Online) and Agenda Now Available

August 11, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC or Council) and its advisory bodies will meet September 8-11 and 14-18, 2020 online only, to address issues related to groundfish, Pacific Halibut, salmon, highly migratory species, coastal pelagic species, ecosystem, and administrative matters

Please see the September 8-11 and 14-18, 2020 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 schedule during the weekend of September 12‐13, however, the meeting will continue daily on Monday, September 14 at 8 a.m. through Friday, September 18, 2020. Meetings of advisory bodies will also be conducted by online meetings based on the schedules in the agenda. There will be one opportunity for public comment daily in each of the online meetings.

Instructions for how to connect to the online meetings will be posted on the Council’s September 2020 Meeting webpage prior to the first day of the meeting.

Please note that the evolving public health situation regarding COVID‐19 may further affect the conduct of the September Council and advisory body meetings. Pacific Council staff will monitor COVID‐19 developments and will determine if there is a need for additional measures. If such measures are deemed necessary, Council staff will post notice of them prominently on our website (www.pcouncil.org). Potential meeting participants are encouraged to check the Pacific Council’s website frequently for such information and updates.

For further information

SSC Groundfish SubCommittee online meeting September 2, 2020

August 7, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to plan a later methodology review of elasmobranch harvest control rules and management reference points.  This online meeting is open to the public, and will be held Wednesday, September 2, 2020, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Pacific Time, or until business for the day has been completed.

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

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC: Ecosystem SubCommittee meeting of the SSC September 4 & 8, 2020

August 6, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to review items from the California Current Ecosystem Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Team that may potentially inform future annual reports to the Pacific Council on the state of the California Current Ecosystem.  The meeting is open to the public.

The SSC Ecosystem Subcommittee meeting will be held Friday, September 4, 2020 and will continue on Tuesday, September 8.

Please see the SSC Ecosystem Subcommittee meeting notice on the Council’s website for all of the details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

PFMC: Request for nominations on the Habitat Committee (due August 31 2020)

August 4, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is requesting nominations of qualified candidates to fill one commercial fishery position on its Habitat Committee. Successful candidates will serve out the remainder of the 2019-2021 Council advisory body term. To ensure consideration, nominations should be received at the Council office no later than 5 p.m. Monday, August 31, 2020.

Please see the Council’s Advisory Body Vacancy webpage for full details on the available positions, including the vacancy announcements and how to apply.

The Council is committed to the principle of diversity and is particularly interested in receiving nominations from a broad spectrum of people. Eligibility or selection for these positions will not be based on race, color, national origin, handicap, age, religion, or sexual orientation.

If you have further questions, please contact Mr. Mike Burner at 503-820-2414; toll free 1-866-806-7204.

National Archives and Records Administration notice of availability of proposed records schedules; request for comments (electronic monitoring)

August 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries is working with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to establish a new retention schedule for the raw imagery and other data collected by Electronic Monitoring systems. This NOAA Fisheries website provides background information, the proposed rule, the link to the NARA website, and the instructions on how to comment. Public comments are due to NARA by September 4, 2020.  Please note, this rule-making differs from the NMFS, West Coast Region’s Electronic Monitoring Program EM data retention policy.

For further information:

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

PFMC: Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup to hold online meeting August 28, 2020

August 3, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) will convene an online meeting.  This online meeting is open to the public, and will be held Friday, August 28, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day has been completed.

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

PFMC: Groundfish Management Team to hold online meeting August 25, 2020

July 29, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold an online meeting to discuss items on the Pacific Council’s September 2020 meeting agenda. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will be held Tuesday, August 25, 2020, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day has been completed.

Please see the GMT online meeting notice on the Council’s website for purpose and participation details.

For further information:

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

Request for nominations: Salmon Advisory Subpanel and Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel (due August 17, 2020)

July 16, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to consider for a vacancy on the Salmon Advisory Subpanel representing Washington charter operations; and a vacancy on the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel representing Washington at-large at its September 2020 meeting.  Successful candidates will serve out the remainder of the 2019-2021 Council advisory body term. To ensure consideration, nominations should be received at the Council office no later than 5 p.m. Monday, August 17, 2020.

Please see the Council’s Advisory Body Vacancy webpage for full details on the available positions, including the vacancy announcements and how to apply.

The Council is committed to the principle of diversity and is particularly interested in receiving nominations from a broad spectrum of people. Eligibility or selection for these positions will not be based on race, color, national origin, handicap, age, religion, or sexual orientation.

If you have further questions, please contact Mr. Mike Burner at 503-820-2414; toll free 1-866-806-7204.

NOAA Seeks Input on Recommendations for a Comprehensive Interagency Seafood Trade Strategy

July 14, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

On May 7, 2020, the White House issued an Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. As part of this effort, the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are co-chairing the Interagency Seafood Trade Task Force (Seafood Trade Task Force), which will develop recommendations to provide to USTR for the development of a comprehensive interagency seafood trade strategy. On behalf of the Seafood Trade Task Force co-chairs, NOAA requests written input from interested parties on how best to achieve the objectives of the Seafood Trade Task Force as described in the Executive Order, including improving access to foreign markets for U.S. seafood exports through trade policy and negotiations; resolving technical barriers to U.S. seafood exports; and otherwise supporting fair market access for U.S. seafood products.  Public input is being sought to inform the Seafood Trade Task Force as it works with Federal agencies and other stakeholders to develop recommendations to USTR in the preparation of a comprehensive interagency seafood trade strategy.

Please see the Federal Register notice dated July 10, 2020 for full details, including information on how to submit comments. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before August 1, 2020.

For further information:

  • Please contact Andrew Lawler, NOAA Fisheries, telephone:  202-689-4590; email:  Andrew.Lawler@noaa.gov

Updated: Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee of the SSC to hold online meeting July 15-16, 2020

July 13, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold an online meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee to review model specifications regarding the Pacific sardine rebuilding plan Rebuilder tool.  This meeting is open to the public. The online meeting will be held Wednesday, July 15, 2020 through Thursday, July 16, 2020.  The meeting will run 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time each day, or until business for the day has been completed.

Please see the SSC Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee online meeting notice on the Council’s website that has been UPDATED with online meeting participation access codes, dial-in information, and meeting materials.

For further information:

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