PFMC adopts initial 2025 salmon management alternatives; NMFS, states and tribes urge conservative approach

The Pacific Fishery Management Council on March 6 adopted initial coastwide salmon management alternatives for the 2025 season, directing the Salmon Technical Team (STT) to compile and model the Salmon Advisory Subpanel (SAS) proposals and related modifications. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), state agencies and tribal representatives urged conservative management because of low forecasts for several California and Columbia Basin stocks.

The council’s actions followed extensive reports from the Pacific Salmon Commission, NMFS, state co‑managers, tribal representatives and the SAS. Angela Fristall, council staff, opened the agenda item and said the council’s task was to identify management elements and alternatives for STT to collate into coastwide options for public review, and that any alternatives departing from the salmon FMP may require emergency rule implementation.

Why it matters: NMFS highlighted serious constraints for several stocks — including Sacramento River fall Chinook and Klamath River fall Chinook — and recommended conservative preseason alternatives. Tribes and state managers repeatedly urged caution and emphasized treaty and trust responsibilities; the council adopted alternative packages for non‑Indian fisheries, South‑of‑Cape‑Falcon fisheries and treaty tribal ocean fisheries and asked the STT to run the models.

What the council adopted

- Non‑Indian ocean alternatives (motion by Kyle Laddix): The council adopted the SAS’ proposed initial alternatives for non‑Indian ocean fisheries with specific edits: added marked‑coho quotas (Alternative 1: 130,000 marked coho; Alt. 2: 115,000; Alt. 3: 100,000), corrected commercial troll TACs and catch limits for Alternative 3, and added several short June Chinook‑only recreational subarea openings in…