Saving Seafood

Fishery Council Seeks Input on Protecting Prey for Endangered Killer Whales

August 28, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

A workgroup has outlined options for providing for prey needs of endangered Southern Resident killer whales in the course of designing West Coast salmon fishing seasons.

The workgroup was formed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Now the Council wants to know what you think of their options, described in a Range of Alternatives (PDF, 18 pages) and Recommendations. The options are available for public comment until September 2, 2020.

The options are varied and extend across the West Coast.

One alternative would be to set a threshold for salmon abundance. Under this alternative, if Chinook salmon numbers off the West Coast fall to a certain level, then additional management measures would apply to fishing. NOAA Fisheries identified a similar interim threshold to evaluate 2020 fisheries, although salmon numbers did not fall to that level.

Another option suggests updating the goals for how many Chinook salmon return to California rivers, such as the Sacramento River and the Klamath rivers. The anticipated removal of dams from the Klamath River could increase its potential for salmon production, according to the alternatives.

The Council will take public comments and consider the choices during its September meeting before refining a range of alternatives to share for broader input. The Council will then take public comment on those alternatives before finalizing its selection at its November meeting. Ultimately, NOAA Fisheries will evaluate and decide whether to approve the Council’s recommendation for the fishery measures under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. We will also ensure it complies with the Endangered Species Act.

Read the full release here

Correction: Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup to Meet September 29-30, 2020

August 24, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public.  The meeting will be held Tuesday, September 29 through Wednesday, September 30, 2020, starting at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) and ending at 5:00 p.m. daily, or until business for the day is complete.

Please see the September 29-30, 2020 Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup meeting notice on the Pacific Council’s website for details.

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Ms. Robin Ehlke at 503-820-2410; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

September 2020 Briefing Book online (Septmber 8-11 & 14-18, 2020 PFMC online meeting only)

August 21, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Briefing Book for the September 8-11 and 14-18, 2020 Council meeting has been posted to the Council’s website on the “September 2020 Briefing Book” webpage.

The Briefing Book contains the meeting agenda, “situation summaries” (brief summaries that provide background for each agenda item), reports and materials for each agenda item, and public comment submitted to our e-portal. Advisory body and committee agendas and memos are also available.

For further information:

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

August 11, 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.

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

August 11, 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.

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.