Pacific Council finalizes response to Executive Order 14276, but federal‑register submission fails after tally correction

The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Sept. 24 approved edits to its draft letter responding to President Biden’s Executive Order 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” and adopted a work‑plan matrix of council actions to send to NOAA Fisheries. The council also directed staff to finalize and send a second “council member” letter that outlines broader, whole‑of‑government requests to Secretary of Commerce Letnick. However, a motion to also file that council‑member letter as a formal comment to NOAA’s federal‑register notice was later reported by the council’s executive director to have failed after a vote‑tally correction.

The council’s staff summary said EO 14276 asks regional fishery management councils to propose actions that stabilize markets, improve access, enhance profitability and prevent fishery closures — and to provide dates for final council action and proposed NOAA implementation. "The executive order requires fishery management councils to recommend actions that stabilize markets, improve access, enhance economic profitability, and prevent closures," Kelly Ames, a senior council staffer, told the council during the situation summary.

Why it matters

Council responses to EO 14276 will be used by NOAA Fisheries to populate a federal “unified agenda” that signals upcoming regulatory changes and resource needs. The council’s submission is intended to identify measures the Pacific Council can take within its authority and to flag broader requests — such as infrastructure and trade measures — that need cabinet‑level attention.

What the council decided

- The council voted to update the draft letter to the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (attachment 4 in the briefing materials) by incorporating editorial and substantive suggestions from the Habitat Committee and the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel, and to submit that letter together with the staff‑prepared matrix of actions (attachment 5). That motion was made by Councilmember John Ugoretz and seconded by Councilmember Corey Ridings; the motion was approved (one abstention recorded from Ryan Wolf, NOAA/NMFS). The motion instructed staff to transmit the letter and matrix once finalized.

- The council also directed the executive director and staff to finalize a separate council‑member letter to Secretary Letnick that outlines priorities beyond regulatory rulemaking (for example, port and processing infrastructure, USDA programs, seafood marketing, and trade issues). That motion (moved by Councilmember Jamie Dimon) was approved after amendment; the final vote recorded one “no” (John Ugoretz) and three abstentions (Sharon Kiefer, Lynn Mattis and Ryan Wolf). The council directed staff to send that letter to Secretary Letnick and to cc the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries.

- A later motion to submit the council‑member letter as a formal response to NOAA’s federal‑register notice (Supplemental Attachment…