Saving Seafood

PFMC: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Workgroup to hold online meeting May 12, 2021

March 31, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho Workgroup will host an online meeting that is open to the public.  The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 12, 2021 from 9 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time, until 5 p.m., or until business for the day has been completed.

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

For further information:

  • Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff Robin Ehlke at 503-820-2410; toll free 1-866-806-7204, extension 410

PFMC: Three Groundfish Stock Assessment Review Panels Scheduled to be Held Online (2021)

March 30, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene three Stock Assessment Review (STAR) Panels this year to review new stock assessments for Dover sole, spiny dogfish, lingcod, and vermilion and sunset rockfishes.  These STAR Panel meetings are open to the public, and will be held online.

Please see the STAR panel notice on the Pacific Council’s website for participation details for all 3 STAR panel meetings.

For further information:

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

April 2021 Briefing Book available online (April 2021 PFMC meeting)

March 26, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Briefing Book for the April 6-9 & 12-15, 2021 Council meeting has been posted to the Council’s website on the “ April 2021 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:

PFMC: Notice of availability: Salmon Preseason Report II (March 22, 2021)

March 23, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The following document has been posted to the Council’s website:

Public hearings on the proposed management alternatives

Hearings held on-line only

  • Washington
    Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
  • California
    Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
  • Oregon
    Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 7:00 p.m.

Written public comment on the Alternatives may also be submitted to the PFMC’s Public Comment Electronic Portal  (E-Portal).  The public comment deadline is 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday, April 5, 2021.

Public comment on the Alternatives will also be accepted during the April Council meeting (held via webinar) on Thursday, April 8, during the public comment period for Agenda Item D.1.

For further information

California salmon season delayed and shortened, angering North Bay fishermen

March 17, 2021 — San Francisco Bay Area grocery stores and fish markets aren’t expected to be stocked with salmon this year, as fishery officials chose to delay the start of the season last week and restrict the time fishermen have on the water.

What’s the reason? It appears adult king salmon numbers from the Sacramento River fall run are projected by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to be much smaller than last year’s. The state wants to protect more of the salmon navigating the rivers to spawn by shortening the season that they can be caught in the Pacific Ocean.

Expected to be decided within the next few weeks, there are three proposals on the table, all shorten the season considerably. The closest start may be May 1, instead of April.

Whatever decision is made, it is expected to be greeted with disappointment from commercial and sport fishing enthusiasts, tackle shops and other businesses reliant on this $1.4 billion industry that employs 23,000 people statewide, according to the Golden State Salmon Association. The group hosted a virtual conference to discuss the matter on March 12.

Attendee Tim Ely, who runs the Outdoor Pro Shop retailer in Cotati, estimates his store will lose $500,000 this year.

Read the full story at The North Bay Business Journal

California Commercial Salmon Season to be Reduced — Maybe by Half

March 16, 2021 — The California commercial salmon season, due to start May 1, will be only about half as long as last year’s season, after the Pacific Fisheries Management Council settled on three proposals for the dates and months fishing can take place this season.

“Time on the water is cut this year in an effort to have more salmon return to the rivers to spawn to meet our management objectives,” Kandice Morgenstern, environmental scientist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said after the council’s decision Thursday.

Read the full story at Seafood News

April 6-9, and 12-15, 2021 PFMC (online) meeting notice and agenda now available

March 16, 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 April 6-9, and 12-15, 2021 by webinar only, to address issues related to groundfish, Pacific halibut, salmon, highly migratory species, ecosystem, and administrative matters.

Please see the April 6-9, and 12-15, 2021 Council meeting notice on the Council’s April 2021 meeting webpage 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 April 10-11, however, the meeting will continue daily on Monday, April 12 at 8 a.m. through Thursday, April 15, 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 April 2021 meeting webpage prior to the first day of the meeting.

For further information:

PFMC: March 2021 Council Decision Summary Document Online

March 16, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council met March 4-5 and 8-11, 2021 via RingCentral webinar. The March 2021 Council Meeting Decision Summary Document contains the highlights of significant decisions made during that meeting. Results of agenda items that do not reach a level of highlight significance are typically not described in the Decision Summary Document.

Pacific Fishery Management Council releases alternatives for 2021 West Coast ocean salmon fisheries

March 11, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted three alternatives for 2021 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California for public review. The Council will make a final decision on salmon seasons at its meeting on April 6-9 and 12-15. Detailed information about season starting dates, areas open, and catch limits for the three alternatives are available on the Council’s website at www.pcouncil.org.

Forecasts for many Chinook and coho stocks have improved over last year; however, the Council is constrained by requirements to conserve Fraser River (Canada) Washington coastal and Puget Sound natural coho runs, lower Columbia River natural tule[1] fall Chinook, and Klamath River fall Chinook.

“Meeting our conservation and management objectives continues to be the highest priority for the Council,” said Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy. “Balancing those objectives while providing meaningful commercial and recreational seasons remains a challenge in 2021.”

Council Chair Marc Gorelnik said, “the Council is considering the needs of Southern Resident killer whales as part of its deliberations. We are also considering the need to rebuild some Chinook and coho stocks that have been designated as overfished.”

Read the full release here

PFMC: 2021 Public hearings on salmon management (via webinar only)

March 11, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

Public hearings to review the Council’s proposed ocean salmon fishery management alternatives will be conducted via webinar only. The links below will take you to the specific hearing information:

For further information on the salmon hearings, please contact Robin Ehlke at 503-820-2410; toll-free 1-866-806-7204, extension 410.