Council staff, advisory bodies reshuffle 2025 agenda; staff to watch new deregulatory guidance

Council staff presented an updated year‑at‑a‑glance and revised quick reference agendas for June, September and November during the April 15 meeting, and advisory bodies offered scheduling, workload and procedural recommendations.

Executive Director Burton opened H3 with a review of edits to the council’s planning calendar: the groundfish “gear‑switching implementation clarifications” item was removed from the June agenda, the groundfish risk‑tables initiative was moved from June to September, the take‑reduction team update was shifted from September to November, and a sardine stock‑structure and management item was added for November following earlier CPS decisions. Staff also added a salmon Essential Fish Habitat Phase 1 synthesis to April 2026.

Why it matters: The council’s year‑at‑a‑glance sets where advisory bodies and technical panels meet, affects workload for NOAA Fisheries staff and science centers, and determines whether complex items receive sufficient premeeting review. Advisory panels urged prioritization of a smaller set of topics to ensure thorough technical review and draft statements.

Advisory‑body and staff highlights - Groundfish Advisory Panel (GAP) recommended unshading and scheduling “harvest specifications flexibility scoping” for June; GAP emphasized that responsive tools could reduce workload and add management flexibility. Susan Chambers read the GAP supplemental report on the record. - The Highly Migratory Species Management Team requested a remote June meeting if NOAA Fisheries staff cannot attend in person; the HMSMT noted staff composition that may require hybrid arrangements. - The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) summarized many planned star panels and subcommittee meetings through 2025 and into early 2026 (benchmark rockfish star panels, groundfish subcommittee meetings, a proposed early‑fall economic review of the trawl catch share program, and an October salmon methodology review). The SSC flagged that compressed timelines can force members to draft science statements under time pressure and recommended shifting reviews when feasible. - Groundfish Management Team (GMT) and GAP urged prioritized GMT attention to stock definitions and in‑season management for June, and suggested a multi‑day premeeting webinar if the GMT is expected to comment on all June items. - Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) advisory and management teams asked the council to schedule a Pacific sardine stock structure and management item in November and suggested removing a shaded CPS EFP item in November because no new EFPs are expected.

Policy and regulatory watch - Several council members asked staff to monitor new guidance on deregulatory executive orders and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)/Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) guidance that could affect rule‑writing and whether items should be treated as regulatory changes. Director Burton said the council expects the CCC (Council Coordination Committee) to discuss NEPA and deregulatory guidance in May and that staff will report back.

Public comment and priorities - Oceana (Jeff Shuster) urged council action on coastal pelagic species, requested an agenda item on northern subpopulation Northern anchovy because recent acoustic trawl survey biomass estimates were very low, and asked the council to consider a point‑of‑concern for that stock. - Council members and advisory panels agreed to prioritize a small number of June items for full GMT/SSC review (proposed highest priorities: stock definitions and in‑season management; secondary priorities: adoption of stock assessments and harvest‑specs planning).

Next steps - Staff will incorporate suggested edits into the June quick reference agenda and continue to coordinate with advisory bodies on meeting formats (in‑person vs. remote) and premeeting webinar needs; the council asked staff to provide updated workplans and to report back at the next meeting.

Quotations from the meeting - "We do expect the work that is underway right now to be finalized by the November meeting," Director Burton said when summarizing items moved to November. - "We're very encouraged and optimistic that the pathway you set out will... address many of the long standing issues," Jeff Shuster of Oceana said about CPS science and management planning.

Ending: The council left the June agenda largely intact but unshaded targeted items for scoping in June and moved others later in the year; staff will watch OMB/OIRA NEPA and deregulation guidance and return with recommended calendar updates.