Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council asks NOAA Fisheries to review whiting EFP after tribal, angler and industry testimony
Summary
After hours of testimony from tribal biologists, anglers, processors and industry, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to ask NOAA Fisheries to consider an exempted fishing permit that would allow at‑sea processing of Pacific whiting south of 42° N. Tribes urged deferral over salmon risks; industry argued the permit is precautionary and monitored.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Tuesday voted to transmit its full record and public comment to the National Marine Fisheries Service so officials there can consider an exempted fishing permit (EFP) that would allow at‑sea processing of Pacific whiting south of 42° north latitude.
The motion — which a council member described as a request for NMFS to “consider the complete record” rather than an endorsement — passed after more than three hours of public comment and council discussion. The motion carried with a majority in favor; two council members registered “no” votes and one abstained.
The meeting opened by returning to agenda item F4, where dozens of stakeholders had sought time to speak. Daniel Portnoff, a graduate student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, urged caution and asked the council to defer endorsement because “California…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
