Oregon Fish and Wildlife
seeks input on groundfish bycatch and salmon issues
By Joel Gallob Of the News-Times
As the issues involved in maintaining a viable West Coast
fishing industry have run up against those involved in maintaining sustainable
fisheries and their supporting ecosystems, the Pacific Fishery Management
Council's decisions have had growing impacts on the Oregon coast over the last
decade.
The PFMC is the federal decision-making body with authority over the West Coast
groundfish fishery and other regional fisheries. The Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife, which is represented on the council, is seeking public input on
several subjects the PFMC will address at its next meeting, and will hold a
hearing in Newport on Sept. 14 to receive public comment.
The PFMC September agenda will cover topics on salmon, groundfish and highly
migratory species (such as tuna). Although comments on all topics on the agenda
will be welcome, according to the ODFW notice, the meeting will focus on
"several major issues that will significantly affect how fisheries that
target groundfish or have groundfish bycatch will be managed for many years to
come. So this is a particularly important time to give us your views."
The meeting will be held at the upstairs meeting room
at Englund Marine Supply, 975 SE Bay Blvd, in Newport.
The issues to be discussed include groundfish bycatch reduction measures such
as: setting catch caps for overfished species for each fishery sector, including
sectors that have incidental catch of protecting groundfish; groundfish
management measures to protect Essential Fish Habitat; and stock assessment
results for 23 groundfish species.
The groundfish bycatch reduction effort will focus on several options identified
in the environmental impact statement the PFMC has drafted on the bycatch of
groundfish. The EIS' preferred alternative specifies the setting of total catch
caps for each of 10 fishery sectors to reduce bycatch; reducing overcapacity in
all commercial fisheries; bycatch accounting for each sector; support for the
future use of individual fishing quotas; and individual vessel catch caps that
may be implemented to reduce bycatch.
The 10 fishery sectors include three whiting sectors; several "limited
entry" (i.e., permit-based) sectors; directed open access vessels;
incidental open access vessels; tribal vessels; and recreational fishers,
including charter vessels.
Comments will also be welcomed on other PFMC agenda items, as well. These
include: overfishing of bigeye tuna; changes to the catch sharing plan and 2006
regulations for Pacific halibut; the Klamath River fall chinook conservation
objective; possible in-season adjustments to the 2005 groundfish fishery,
adoption of a rebuilding plan policy; and approval of stock assessment for
2007-08 management.
Klamath controversy
Many of these items are controversial. Perhaps most controversial right now is
the Klamath River Chinook management. Many Oregon coast fishermen say that
management of the Oregon coast Chinook salmon fishery for the protection of
Klamath River fish has deprived them of much of their catch this summer.
At its June meeting, the PFMC identified Essential Fish Habitat for the West
Coast groundfish species, as required under the Magnusson-Stevens Fisheries
Conservation Act. The PFMC defined that habitat as all waters from the shore out
to the 3,500 meter (1,914 fathom) line, plus all seamounts, and any areas
previously identified as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC). Estuaries,
seagrass, canopy kelp, and rocky reefs, as well as several oil drilling
platforms off the California coast, have been designated as HAPCs.
Regulations recommended to protect EFH include banning certain kinds of gear and
restricting the size of roller gear. In addition, nine areas off the Oregon
coast have been selected to be "no bottom trawl" areas, along with
several other areas off the coasts of Washington and California. The PFMC also
has approved "freezing" the trawl footprint, by restricting trolling
seaward of 700 fathoms.
For more information on EFH, and to view the preferred alternative, visit www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/gfefhei.html
Twenty-three species of ground were assessed in
2005 and the result of those assessments will be used to set harvest levels for
2007 and 2008 and to adjust rebuilding plans for overfished species. For more
information on these stock assessments, go to www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/05/gfstokasmts.html
Persons who wish to receive notices for future pre-PFMC meetings should send an
e-mail to ODFW to: MRP.Notices@state.or.us
making the request.