Saving Seafood

June 10-19, 2020 PFMC Meeting Notice (Online Meeting) and Agenda Now Available

May 13, 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 June 10-19, 2020 online only, to address issues related to groundfish, salmon, highly migratory species, coastal pelagic species, and administrative matters.

Please see the June 10-19, 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 June 13‐14, however, the meeting will continue daily on Monday, June 15 at 8 a.m. through Friday, June 19, 2020.

Key agenda items for the meeting include Council considerations to:

  • Provide Recommendations to Upcoming International Forums Including U.S. Positions on Pacific Bluefin Tuna Catch Limits to the Inter‐American Tropical Tuna Commission and Receive an Update on the U.S./Canada Albacore Tuna Treaty
  • Adopt Terms of Reference for Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Endangered Species Act Consultation Update
  • Adopt Final Risk Assessment, Review Draft Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup Management Measure Recommendations, and Provide Guidance
  • Final Action to Adopt Management Measures and Exempted Fishing Permits for 2021‐2022 Groundfish Fisheries
  • Adopt Final List and Schedule of Groundfish Stocks for Assessment in 2021, the Stock Assessment and Methodology Review Terms of Reference (TOR) for Groundfish and Coastal Pelagic Species, and the Rebuilding TOR for Overfished Groundfish Stocks; Refine the Preliminary List of Stocks for 2023 Assessments
  • Review Draft Sardine Rebuilding Plan, Adopt a Range of Alternatives, and Consider a Preliminary Preferred Alternative, As Appropriate
  • Adopt Final Recommendations for Electronic Monitoring Program Regulatory Changes, Program Implementation, and Exempted Fishing Permits
  • Adopt Final Inseason Adjustments for 2020, Including Shorebased Carryover, as Necessary to Achieve but Not Exceed Annual Catch Limits and Other Management Objectives

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 June 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 June 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:

Salmon Advisory Subpanel to hold online meeting June 8, 2020

May 12, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council)  Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS) will host an online meeting which is open to the public. The meeting will be held Monday, June 8, 2020, from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business is complete.

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

For further information:

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

PFMC: Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup to hold online meeting June 1, 2020

May 6, 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 via webinar, and this meeting will be open to the public.  The  webinar meeting will be held on Monday, June 1, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day has been completed.

Please see the SRKW Workgroup online meeting notice on the Council’s website for 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.

PFMC: Ad hoc Ecosystem Workgroup to hold online meeting May 27

May 6, 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 Wednesday, May 27, 2020, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.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 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.

CCI “Scenario Deepening” webinar series; various dates May 20 through June 5

April 30, 2020 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

As part of its Climate and Communities Initiative (CCI) the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is sponsoring a series of webinars with its advisory bodies, which are open to the public.

The series of webinars will be held on the following dates and times:

  • Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Wednesday, May 20, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Scientific and Statistical Committee: Tuesday, May 26, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Groundfish Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Thursday, May 28, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Monday, June 1, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Salmon Advisory Subpanel and Technical Team: Tuesday, June 2, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Habitat Committee: Friday, June 5, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Please see the CCI “Scenario Deepening” webinar series notice on the Council’s website for the purpose of the webinars and participation 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 Subcommittee of the SSC to hold online meeting May 12-14, 2020

April 24, 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) and invited scientific experts will hold a meeting to review proposed length-based assessment methods followed by a workshop to explore data-limited assessment methods.  The meeting is open to the public.

The online meeting will be held from Tuesday, May 12, 2020 through Thursday, May 14, 2020 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continuing until 5:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time each day or until business for the day has been completed.

Please see the Groundfish Subcommittee of the SSC May 12-14, 2020 online meeting notice on the Council’s website for participation details.

For further information:

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

Controversy descends on Pacific sardine fishery over stock surveys

April 23, 2020 — The Pacific sardine fishery on the U.S. West Coast appears to be headed for another year of being shut down after a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) assessment showed a low biomass.

The NOAA assessment estimated the Pacific sardine biomass will be at 27,547 metric tons by the summer – significantly less than the 150,000 metric tons needed to reopen the fishery to commercial fishing. Any fishery at less than 50,000 metric tons is considered to be overfished. The assessment estimates the sardine biomass was around 1.8 million metric tons in 2006.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

PFMC: Request for nominations for two advisory body vacancies

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

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to consider for vacancies on the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel and the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel at its June 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, May 18, 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.

West Coast Whiting Season to Open May 15; Pandemic Creating Uncertainties

April 20, 2020 — This year’s high-volume Pacific hake fishery will open on time, but it’s already been a rocky road to set the coastwide total allowable catch for the U.S. and Canada.

Fishery managers, scientists and industry representatives from both countries met in March, as usual, to review the stock assessment and negotiate a coastwide TAC that would support fisheries in both areas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, negotiations were held via webinar. This year, for the first time in the history of the whiting treaty, the countries couldn’t agree.

Read the full story at Seafood News

NMFS suspends West Coast observer requirements

April 17, 2020 — Most requirements for observers aboard West Coast fishing vessels have been temporarily suspended through April, following the lead of NMFS’ decision to do the same earlier for Northeast fisheries in the face of coronavirus outbreaks.

The agency announced the decision Wednesday, April 15, hours after a recommendation from the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and also cited new policies of monitoring service providers to address health and safety concerns for their observers and fishing crews.

A NMFS notice to industry issued by the office of Ryan Wulff, the assistant Pacific regional administrator for sustainable fisheries, said the two-week hiatus was requested by contractors who provide observer services, and are now implementing health guidelines to address concerns raised by fishermen and plant operators.

Read the full story at National Fisherman