| List of Council Decisions at the June 2000 Council Meeting
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| Following is a brief listing of significant decisions made by the Council at the June 2000
meeting in Portland, Oregon. More detailed information on the results of the June 2000
meeting, including informational discussions when no Council action was taken (such as an
update on the salmon fishery catches), can be found in the Council Summer Newsletter
(Volume 24, Issue 3). This newsletter is scheduled to be released and posted on this
website by July 21, 2000.
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| SALMON
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| Subject:
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Salmon Methodology Reviews
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| Guidance:
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The Council anticipates the SSC will be provided the necessary
documentation by September 29, 2000 to begin review of the new
Klamath Ocean Harvest Model and some portion of the Coho Cohort
Analysis Project. The Selective Chinook Fishery Regulation
Assessment Model to be implemented no earlier than the 2002
salmon season, will not be reviewed this year. This model will.
Priorities and scheduling for future reviews of abundance forecast
methodologies, especially for Puget Sound and Washington coastal
coho, will be discussed at a joint meeting of the SSC and Salmon
Technical Team in September.
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| Subject:
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Status of Amendment 14 and Implications for 2001
Overfishing Concerns
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| Action:
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The Council concluded that the status of wild Queets coho will trigger
an overfishing concern when Amendment 14 of the Salmon FMP is
implemented. The Council will request WDFW and the Quinault
Indian Nation to take the lead in initiating the review process, with
completion of a formal overfishing assessment by September 2001.
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| Subject:
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Update on Review of Oregon Coastal Natural Coho
Management Criteria
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| Action:
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The Council complimented the Amendment 13 Work Group on their
initial progress in reviewing the technical basis for allowable fishery
impacts on Oregon coastal natural coho salmon. The workgroup was
encouraged to add a sensitivity analysis for changes being
considered to the existing fishery impact matrix.
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| MARINE RESERVES
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| Subject:
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Staff Report on Phase 1 Considerations of Marine
Reserves as a Management Measure
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| Action:
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The Council approved the release, with various edits, of the Draft
Report "Marine Reserves to Supplement Management of West Coast
Groundfish Resources: Phase I Technical Analysis" for public review.
Phase I of consideration of marine reserves is designed to conclude
with a Council decision on whether or not marine reserves have a
role in fishery management. Public comment received over the
summer will be considered at the September Council meeting in
Sacramento, towards a decision on final approval of Phase I
considerations and whether or not to begin Phase II.
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| GROUNDFISH
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| Subject:
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Strategic Plan
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| Action:
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The Council adopted, with minor edits, the draft Groundfish Fishery
Strategic Plan for public review over the summer, and adopted a
public hearing schedule that includes nine ports in Washington,
Oregon and California between July 25 and August 9. One important
element of the Groundfish Strategic Plan calls for a 50% or more
reduction in the number of vessels in all commercial fishing sectors,
through a license limitation program. The Plan will be considered for
final adoption at the September Council meeting in Sacramento,
California.
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Stock Assessment Priorities for 2001
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| Guidance:
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The Council endorsed conducting biological data collection
assessments for the following species in 2001: sablefish, shortspine
thornyhead rockfish, black rockfish (south), silvergrey rockfish, Dover
sole, and cabezon. Depending on the availability of additional
financial and staffing resources, yelloweye rockfish and the
"remaining rockfishes" complex may also have assessments
conducted, however Pacific whiting will not be assessed in 2001.
The results of these biological assessments in 2001 will be used to
manage fisheries in 2002.
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Status of Fisheries and Inseason Adjustments
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| Action:
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The Council adopted inseason increases in the cumulative trip limits
for several species in both limited entry (all gears) and open access
commercial fisheries. A reduction was also adopted for the southern
shelf rockfish cumulative limit, for all commercial gears, to 500
pounds per month. For recreational fisheries, the Council will author
a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission and NMFS to
ensure the preseason catch estimates for bocaccio, lingcod, canary
rockfish, and cowcod rockfish south of Cape Mendocino are not
exceeded. This likely means closures or other catch restrictions later
this summer.
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| Subject:
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Sablefish Three-Tier Fishery Season and Limits
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| Action:
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The Council adopted a nine-day season with an opening date of
August 6 for the sablefish three-tier fishery. The following cumulative
trip limits apply by tier: Tier 1- 81,000 pounds; Tier 2- 37,000 pounds;
Tier 3- 21,000 pounds. A new transfer date of August 1, 2000 was
also adopted for limited entry fixed gear permits.
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Rockfish Bycatch Rates
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The Council adopted the use of a 16% discard rate for minor rockfish
and bocaccio for limited entry and open access commercial
groundfish fisheries.
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| Subject:
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American Fisheries Act Management Measures
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| Guidance:
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The Council set aside further consideration of protective measures
for the processor component of the groundfish fishery from the
effects of the American Fisheries Act (AFA), provided however, that
this decision would be reconsidered if adverse impacts can be
demonstrated. The Council also set a control date of June 29,2000
for permits from AFA qualified vessels, regarding future restrictions
related to adverse impacts from the effects of the AFA.
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Process for Technical Review and Monitoring of
Rebuilding Plans
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The Council accepted conceptual recommendations from NMFS staff
regarding organizing the process for developing and monitoring
rebuilding plans for overfished groundfish species. The Council will
review final terms of reference for the recommended approach at the
September Council meeting.
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Canary Rockfish Rebuilding Plan Development
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| Action:
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The Council will convene a meeting of the allocation committee,
Council staff, and state and federal agencies to conduct analyses for
a canary rockfish draft rebuilding plan. The plan will be considered
at the September Council meeting. This plan will include options for
allocation between fisheries, fishery regulations, a rebuilding
schedule, and catch levels during the rebuilding timeframe.
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Cowcod Rebuilding Plan Development
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| Guidance:
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The Council will rely on allocation recommendations from the State
of California. Council staff and state and federal agencies will
conduct analyses for a cowcod rockfish draft rebuilding plan. The
plan will be considered at the September Council meeting. This plan
will include options for allocation between fisheries, fishery
regulations, a rebuilding schedule, and catch levels during the
rebuilding timeframe.
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Default Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) Fishing Rate
Within the Harvest Rate Policy
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| Action:
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The Council adopted new default maximum sustainable yield fishing
rates for five groups of groundfishes. The effect of adjusting these
new rates will be a more conservative fishing approach, amounting
to a 10%-20% reduction in the fishing pressure for several groundfish
species.
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Fishing Capacity Reduction Measures
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The Council initiated the first step in considering a measure to reduce
fishing capacity in the sablefish fixed gear fishery. The Council
instructed staff to analyze a "permit stacking" proposal, and to report
the results of this analysis at the September Council. The primary
goal of "permit stacking" would be to reduce the number of fishermen
participating in the fishery.
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Observer Program
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The Council took no further action at this time regarding refinements
to the Observer Program regulation language, however, refinements
to existing language are expected before final regulation adoption.
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| HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES
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| Subject:
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Update on New Fishery Management Plan Development
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| Guidance:
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The Council provided guidance on eleven elements involved in the
development of the Fishery Management Plan for highly migratory
species. One element was an extension in the schedule of about five
months, such that final Council action would occur at the September
2001 Council meeting.
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| COASTAL PELAGIC SPECIES
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| Subject:
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Exempted Fishing Permits to Harvest Anchovy in Closed
Area
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The Council took action to recommend that NMFS not grant an
Exempted Fishing Permit to take 2,000-3,000 metric tons of anchovy
in the Farallon Islands closed area.
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Pacific Mackerel Harvest Guideline and Other
Specifications for 2001
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The Council adopted a harvest guideline of 20,740 metric tons of
Pacific mackerel for the season beginning July 1, 2000 through June
30, 2001.
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Pacific Sardine Harvest Guideline Suballocation
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The Council took no action at this time regarding a proposal for a
separate suballocation of the Pacific sardine harvest guideline for the
area north of the California-Oregon state line. The issue will be
reconsidered at the November 2000 meeting.
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CPS Finfish Limited Entry Permit Issues: Capacity Goal
and Squid Permit Transferability
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The Council adopted a motion to reconsider the issue of extending
the CPS limited entry permit transferability deadline of December 31,
2000 after an analysis is concluded on the economic effects of such
action, and such analysis is reviewed by the Council advisory bodies.
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Amendment 9 to the CPS Fishery Management Plan
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The Council adopted for public review a draft Amendment to the CPS
Fishery Management Plan. Elements of the draft Amendment
include bycatch measures, market squid MSY and acceptable
biological catch.
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| HABITAT ISSUES
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| Subject:
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Report of the Habitat Steering Group
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The Council approved the release of three letters: one to the Co-Chairs of the CalFed policy group regarding CalFed's strategic plan
and management programs, one to the U.S. Forest Service regarding
a proposed rule on roadless areas, and one formally commenting on
the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Draft Environmental Impact
Statement.
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| Administrative and Other Matters
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Report of the Budget Committee
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The Council adopted a Budget Committee report for the record.
Highlights of the report included an update on the selection process
for meeting venues for 2003 and an update on FY2000 funding and
expenditures.
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Research and Data Needs/Economic Data Plan
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The Council delayed until September any action on the subject of a
public review draft document for research and data needs.
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Council Staff Workload Priorities and Schedules
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The analysis and report on the issue of permit stacking in the limited
entry fixed gear sablefish fishery is a workload measure additional to
the current staffing budget. The Council placed this new issue above
completion of the draft American Fisheries Act FMP Amendment in
the spectrum of staff workload priorities.
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Appointments
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| Action:
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The Council appointed Dr. Mark Powell as the Conservation
Representative on the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel. The California
Department of Fish and Game appointed Mr. Michael Rhode as the
replacement for Mr. Larry Week on the Habitat Steering Group.
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Draft Agenda for September 2000
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The Council commented on a draft September 2000 agenda, and
suggested several modifications for inclusion to the proposed agenda
to be distributed in mid-August.
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PFMC
07/07/00
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