September 2002 Council Meeting
List of Decisions

Released September 23, 2002; 8:14 pm

A basic summary of decisions from the September 9-13, 2002 meeting in Portland is posted below. More detailed information on groundfish management measures can be found at:

• 2002 Inseason Adjustments
• 2003 Management Measures

Habitat Issues

Essential Fish Habitat Issues

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Issues The Council approved a letter to the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding Columbia River dredging. The Council also directed the Habitat Committee to prepare draft letters on ongoing Klamath River flows and FERC hydropower re-licensing procedures and regulations, and to look into the effects of power plants such as the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant on habitat impacts to Council-managed species. These efforts will be reviewed at the next Council meeting.

Groundfish Management

2003 Groundfish Harvest Levels and Management Measures

The Council adopted significant reductions in groundfish harvest levels and more conservative management measures for the 2003 groundfish fishery to protect overfished rockfish species. The centerpiece of Council actions was the adoption of depth-based restrictions that seasonally move recreational and commercial fisheries that catch these overfished stocks out of the depth zones they inhabit. Get detailed information on the optimum yields and management measures.

Inseason Adjustments to the 2002 Groundfish Fishery

The Council adopted inseason adjustments to this year's groundfish fishery to achieve the annual OY in response to the new depth restrictions. Larger landing limits were adopted for the daily-trip-limit sablefish fishery and for slope rockfish in fixed gear limited entry and open access fisheries. For trawl fisheries, larger limits were adopted for slope rockfish and the Dover sole-thornyhead-sablefish complex. Get detailed information on 2002 inseason adjustments.

Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs): Update and New Proposals

The Council discussed proposals for six exempted fishing permits (EFP) for next year. These include:

CDFG:  nearshore flatfish small footrope trawl,
ODFW:  selective flatfish trawl,
WDFW:  arrowtooth flounder trawl,
WDFW:  midwater yellowtail trawl,
WDFW:  dogfish longline, and
WDFW:  midwater trawl pollock.

Groundfish Stock Assessment Priorities for 2003

The Council recommended a prioritized list of groundfish stock assessments to be conducted next year. Stocks the Council gave highest priority were a cluster of Pacific whiting, bocaccio, cowcod, widow rockfish, darkblotched rockfish, and black rockfish; a lower priority to the cluster of lingcod, Pacific ocean perch, yellowtail rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish; and recommended delaying the assessment for cabezon.

Amendment 17 - Multi-Year Management

The Environmental Analysis for Amendment 17 will be distributed for public review. The Council anticipates taking final action on Amendment 17 at the October-November Council meeting.

Scoping for Delegation of Nearshore Management Authority

The Council delayed any decision on initiating an FMP amendment. California Department of Fish and Game will bring forward a proposal for nearshore management in 2003. The Council may consider initiating an FMP amendment at a future meeting.

Salmon Management

Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Methodology Review Priorities

The Council directed the SSC to review modifications to the Chinook Fishery Regulation Assessment Model to accommodate analysis of selective fisheries. The Council will consider authorizing any model changes at the November Council meeting.

Marine Reserves

Marine Reserve Proposals for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

The Council approved the elements of a letter containing its comments to the California Fish and Game Commission on alternatives for marine reserves for state waters of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, with certain edits and additions.The Council also authorized the Council Executive Director to attend California Department of Fish and Game meetings to explain the Council position.

Pacific Halibut Management

Proposed Changes to the Catch Sharing Plan and Annual Regulations

The Council adopted for public review the following proposed changes to the Area 2A Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP):

1. Develop framework language allowing inseason action to transfer quotas between the Columbia River and Central Oregon Coast sport subareas.
2. Develop framework language allowing preseason transfer of quotas between the North Central and South Central Oregon coast sport subarea May (spring) seasons to meet the CSP objective of setting equal number of fixed fishing days for the two subareas.
3. Extend the closing dates for recreational season in all subareas south of Cape Falcon from September 30 to October 31.
4. Change language defining the central Oregon recreational fisheries to spring and summer seasons rather than May and August seasons, and include the months of May to July in the spring season and the months of August to September (or October) in the summer season.
5. Redefine the Washington North Coast recreational season dates to allow a flexible opening dates in May.
6. Increase the priority of a July 1-4 fishery in the Washington North Coast recreational season by allocating 65% of the subarea quota to the season opening in May and 35% to the season opening in July.
7. Expand the closed Yelloweye Conservation Area in the recreational Washington North Coast subarea to provide additional protection for yelloweye rockfish.
8. Remove the Halibut Hotspot closure in the recreational Washington North Coast subarea located 19 miles SW of Cape Flattery and adjacent to the Yelloweye Conservation Area.
9. Specify a cap on the landing restriction in the directed fixed gear sablefish fishery north of Pt. Chehalis of no more than 150 pounds (dressed weight) of halibut per 1,000 pounds (dressed weight) of sablefish plus an additional two halibut in excess of the ratio.
10. Allow any unused halibut allocation in the directed fixed gear sablefish fishery to be returned to the Washington sport allocation.

Coastal Pelagic Species Management

Pacific Sardine Fishery Update

Regarding the 2002 fishery, the Council recommended the following to NMFS:  1) Establish a 45% (by weight) incidental catch allowance in the Pacific mackerel fishery; 2) Establish an emergency rule to trigger the reallocation of the remaining harvest guideline prior to October 1; and 3) Should no emergency rule be possible, trigger the October 1 reallocation of the remaining Pacific sardine harvest guideline per the FMP. Additionally, the Council will have the Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team analyze alternative actions to modify either the FMP allocation framework or existing regulations on sub-areas and reallocation dates. The Council will consider this analysis at a future meeting and consider initiating an FMP amendment at the October-November 2002 Council meeting.

Administrative and Other Matters

Legislative Matters

The Council tasked the Executive Director to prepare response letters on current legislation, and develop language to exempt West Coast groundfish from any future ITQ moratorium language. The latter assignment is to provide options that may be entertained when the current Magnuson-Stevens Act moratorium expires October 31.

Appointments to Advisory Bodies, Standing Committees, and Other Forums

Tribal Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS) Seats

• The Council agreed to delay consideration until the November meeting of a joint proposal by the Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes for sharing the California tribal seat on the SAS.
• The Council decided to delay appointment of the Washington Coastal tribal seat on the SAS until the November Council meeting and requests further nominations.

Additional Groundfish Management Team (GMT) State Seats

• The Council approved the state nominations and appointed Mr. Tom Barnes, CDFG, and Ms. Michele Robinson, WDFW, to the GMT.

Other Advisory Body Appointments and Miscellaneous Issues

• The Council appointed the following persons to fill advisory body vacancies: Mr. Rob Zuanich, Washington commercial, Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel (CPSAS); Mr. Rhett Weber, Washington Charter, Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP); Mr. Bill Sutton, Commercial At-large, Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel (HMSAS); Mr. Anthony Nizetich, Southern Processor, HMSAS; Mr. Butch Smith, Washington Charter, SAS; and Dr. Tom Welsh, Idaho Sport Fisher, SAS.
• The Council had extended the opening for the conservation representative to the Habitat Committee to September 30 and candidate selection will be considered at the next Council meeting. Download the Vacancy Announcement.
• The Council reviewed the request from Ms. Janice Green regarding the need for more representation of non-charter recreational fishermen on the GAP. The Council will review the GAP composition and may make recommendations for changes at the November Council meeting.
• The Council tasked the Executive Director to appoint members to an Ad Hoc Vessel Monitoring System Committee, which will meet prior to the October-November Council meeting.

PFMC
09/16/02