Salmon Management
Pacific Fishery
Management Council
April
11, 2006
Salmon Management
Pacific Fishery
Management Council
Identification of Stocks not Meeting Conservation Objectives
The Council confirmed the Klamath River fall Chinook stock
has triggered a Conservation Alert according to the terms of the Salmon Fish Management
Plan (FMP). Consequently,
the Council directed the Executive Director to request that the California Department
of Fish and Game, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Hoopa Valley Tribe, and
Yurok Tribe conduct a formal review of the factors responsible for spawning escapement
shortfalls in 2004, 2005, and the projected shortfall in 2006. This review is
to be completed no later than March 2007. Further, the Council tasked the Executive
Director with coordinating activities of the Habitat Committee to assist in this formal
review.
The Council noted that Queets River spring/summer Chinook have not met their conservation
objective in the last three years, but confirmed the Salmon Technical Team evaluation
that the stock is an exception to the FMP Overfishing Criteria because Council area
fisheries impacts are less than 5%. The Council requested Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife and the Quinault Indian Nation provide an assessment of the cause
of the shortfall.
Methodology Review Process and Preliminary Topic Selection for
2006
The Council adopted the following candidate items that the Scientific and Statistical
Committee may consider for the 2006 Salmon Methodology Review:
- September 1 maturity boundary (“birth date”) for Klamath River fall
Chinook;
- Chinook and Coho Fishery Regulation Assessment Model (FRAM) documentation;
- Columbia River fall Chinook ocean abundance forecast;
- Coweeman tule Chinook exploitation rate estimates;
- Oregon Coast Natural coho ocean abundance prediction methodology;
- Klamath Ocean Harvest Model contact rate and harvest estimates;
- Estimates of sea lion predation on Klamath fall Chinook;
- Experimental design for near-shore commercial salmon test fisheries.
The final list of items will be determined at the September Council
meeting, and the Review will occur prior to the November Council meeting.
Final Action on 2006 Salmon Management Measures
The Council adopted recommended salmon management measures off California, Oregon,
and Washington for submission to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The management
measures will require implementation by emergency rule. The detailed management measures
can be viewed on the Council website http://www.pcouncil.org/salmon/salcurr.html#2006
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Salmon Season to Open
Recreational Salmon Season in Northern/Central California scheduled to open
April 28, 2006
Recreational Salmon Season in Northern/Central California scheduled to open in both
State and Federal waters effective Monday May 1, 2006.
An emergency
closure forced recreational anglers to limit fishing opportunities during the month
of April to California waters within three miles of shore along a large portion of
coastline.
Regulations recently adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council
will open Federal waters off the California coast from Fort Bragg south for all recreational
salmon fishermen starting on Monday May 1, 2006. Charter fishing
boats and private anglers have been anxiously waiting for word of the reopening of
all waters to salmon fishing this spring.
California King Salmon, the premier
of its species will be available to local anglers who will again be able to catch
fish from healthy stocks of Sacramento River runs. According to Roger Thomas, President
of the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association, “On our recent offshore
whale watching trips, we found large schools of bait along with lots of birds and
whales which is a good indicator for a great opener."
The Golden Gate
Fishermen’s Association represents Charter boats from Fort Bragg to Monterey
and carries approximately 200,000 recreational anglers each year. Representatives
from all aspects of the fishing industry and angler groups have worked hard, along
with the State Dept. of Fish & Game and the National
Marine Fisheries Service to enable a 2006 salmon season structure that would provide
maximum opportunity for the California recreational angler.
For more information contact your favorite boat, bait and tackle shop or sport fishing
center, or access the California Dept. of Fish and Game at www.dfg.ca.gov.
Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association boats can be found on goldengatefishermensassociation.com.
For more information please contact Mr. Roger Thomas, GGFA President at (415) 674-3474.
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