PFMC Archives - Page 16 of 37

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.

Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Technical Workgroup to hold online meeting August 6-7, 2020

July 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The online meeting will be held Thursday, August 6 through Friday, August 7, 2020; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time each day. The meeting times are an estimate; the meeting will adjourn when business for the day is complete.

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

For further information:

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

Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup online meeting August 3-4, 2020

July 8, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup (Workgroup) will meet online, and this meeting will be open to the public. The online meeting will be held Monday, August 3 through Tuesday, August 4, 2020. The meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on August 3. The meeting will continue August 4 at 9 a.m. (PDT) and will end at 5 p.m. The meeting times are an estimate; and will adjourn when business for the day is complete.

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

For further information:

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

Highly Migratory Species Management Team to hold online meeting July 27, 2020

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

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold an online meeting of its Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT), which will be open to the public. The online meeting will be held Monday, July 27, 2020 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Please see the HMSMT 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.

Call for data and information – EFH Review for Pacific Coast Highly Migratory Species

July 1, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center have initiated a review of essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions in the Pacific Coast Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This call for data and information is intended to support the review.

The HMS FMP, its EFH provisions, and maps can be found on the Council’s HMS webpage, under “Key Documents”. The HMS FMP includes the following species:

Sharks: common thresher, shortfin mako, blue
Tunas: albacore, bigeye, Pacific bluefin, skipjack, yellowfin
Striped marlin
Broadbill swordfish
Dorado

Fishery management plans are required to identify and describe EFH for each life stage and species, identify and minimize impacts from fishing and non-fishing activities, and identify research needs, among other requirements. A complete description of EFH provisions to be included in FMPs can be found in the EFH regulatory guidance at 50 CFR§600.815(a). Information and data should be relevant to:

The habitat needs, associations and distribution FMP species listed above
Major prey items of species listed above
Adverse impacts on EFH from fishing activities and potential minimization measures
Adverse impacts on EFH from non-fishing activities and potential minimization measures
Research and information needs

Information and data sources can include published scientific literature, unpublished scientific reports, information from interested parties, and previously unavailable or inaccessible data.

Information relevant to the HMS EFH review should be submitted to Nicole Nasby-Lucas (nicole.nasby-lucas@noaa.gov) no later than Monday July 13^th, 2020. For further information, please contact Kerry Griffin (kerry.griffin@noaa.gov).

PFMC: June 2020 Council Decision Summary Document online

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

The Pacific Fishery Management Council met June 12 and June 15-19, 2020 via RingCentral webinar. The June 2020 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.

Visit the June 2020 meeting webpage and look under “Key Documents” to download the Decision Summary document
If you have questions regarding the June 2020 meeting or the Decision Summary document, please contact Council staff at 503-820-2280; toll free 1-866-806-7204
Media inquiries, please contact: Ms. Jennifer Gilden at 503-820-2418

Read the full release here

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

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

Please see the SSC Coastal Pelagic Species Subcommittee online meeting notice on the Council’s website for participation details.

For further information:

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

Survey sheds light on what worries Alaska’s fishermen

June 19, 2020 — Alaska’s fishermen are worried about lost income, spreading COVID-19 to coastal communities and weary of policy decisions made amid a pandemic, according to a recent survey of nearly 800 commercial fishermen.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, SalmonState, an Alaska-based nonprofit, surveyed 779 fishermen throughout the state to gauge their primary concerns from before and after the coronavirus outbreak.

Lost income, preventing spread of the coronavirus and “bad policy decisions while fishermen are distracted” were the three most prevalent COVID-19-related concerns, according to the survey that was conducted between April 14 and May 3. Those concerns were shared by 77%, 70% and 59% of respondents, respectively.

Read the full story at the Peninsula Clarion

Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team online meeting July 1, 2020

June 10, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Ad Hoc Climate and Communities Core Team (CCCT) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. This meeting will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2020, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, or when business for the day has been completed.

Please see the CCCT 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.