Updates on pelagic trawl gear and crab industry research are on the agenda for the June 1-9 meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) in Vancouver, Washington.
The federal fisheries board will also discuss next steps on pelagic trawl performance, a review of groundfish fishery management plan objectives and salmon bycatch genetic stock composition, plus the observer 2025 annual report from the North Pacific Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee within the council.
Other items before the council at this meeting include the 2025 survey review of Gulf of Alaska groundfish, an initial review of Gulf of Alaska Tanner crab protection measures and final specifications on scallops.
No final actions are on the agenda.
The council's Scientific and Statistical Committee is to meet June 1-3 and the Advisory Panel from June 2-5, with the council itself meeting June 4-8.
The eAgenda, schedule and pre-meeting review documents are already available on the council's website. The Scientific and Statistical Committee has a separate SSC eAgenda.
Written comments may be submitted via the e-Agenda from May 8 through May 29.
Remote testimony will be accepted at all three meetings. For answers to related questions email [email protected].
For hotel accommodations for the meeting the council has advised booking by April 30 using group code NPF at https://group.hilton.com/yuozod (or call 360-993-4500 / 1-800-HILTONS) to receive the discounted rate of $182/night.
Other related meetings include the virtual meeting of the Scallop Plan Team on April 6, the Ecosystem Committee meeting in Anchorage on May 8, the virtual Crab Plan Team meeting May 11-15 and the Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee meeting May 18.
During its February meeting in Anchorage the council heard several days of testimony from over 170 people, including harvesters, community residents economically and culturally dependent on salmon, Community Development Quota groups and others. They then made final recommendations to establish a bycatch limit and corridor closure and additional avoidance measures to minimize Western Alaska chum salmon harvest in the Bering Sea pollock fishery
The council recommended a bycatch limit of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon with a corridor closure for the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Council staff noted that establishing a Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch cap was critical to the council's approach because about 80% of the chum salmon in the overall bycatch are not from Western Alaska. Annual genetics analyses have determined that the majority of the pollock fishery's chum salmon bycatch are Russian and Asian hatchery chum.
The corridor includes 40 Alaska Department of Fish & Game groundfish statistical areas north of Unimak Pass, the area where consistently over 80 percent of Western Alaska chum bycatch is caught. All Western Alaska chum salmon caught as bycatch in the corridor count toward the bycatch cap during a migration period from June 10 through Aug. 31, identified as critical for Western Alaska chum salmon. The dates overlap with the pollock fishery B season.
