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Pacific Fishery Management Council adopts 2027–28 specs schedule, tasks staff to explore canary rockfish allocations
Summary
The council unanimously approved the 2027–28 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures schedule and asked staff, the Groundfish Management Team and interested GAP members to analyze canary rockfish allocation scenarios and potential subtrip limits ahead of September discussions.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council on Thursday adopted the schedule and plan for developing 2027–28 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures and provided guidance asking staff to examine allocation options for canary rockfish and other targeted measures.
"I move the council adopt the schedule and plan for the 27–28 groundfish harvest specifications and management measures process as outlined in agenda item EAE 8 supplemental revised attachment 1 from June 2025," Council member Lynn Mattis said when she introduced the motion. The motion was seconded by Chris Dispensin and passed unanimously after the chair called the question.
The GMT had presented a preliminary list of potential management-measure changes and warned it may not have capacity to analyze every item this cycle. Council members said early prioritization is important because slippage in the schedule can cascade through the process. The GMT report identified allocation changes for biannually allocated stocks — with particular attention to canary rockfish — and recommended coordination with the GAP and NIMS on legal boundaries and analytical approaches.
In follow-up guidance, Mattis asked GMT, GAP and council staff to begin examining canary rockfish allocations using historical sector-sharing and mortality years (2015–16, 2017–18, 2024 and the most recent full-mortality year), and to use percentage-by-sector calculations as a starting point rather than metric tons. She also asked staff to bring forward information on constraints by sector in September so the council can frame a problem statement and identify viable options.
Council members asked for clarity on who would carry out the summer work and noted limited NIMS staffing. Todd (GMT staff) said the GMT would convene an analytical team, assign leads based on GMT member specialties and prioritize state representatives’ contributions, while acknowledging the product this summer would be informative rather than a fully fleshed analysis.
The adopted guidance also directs examination of subtrip limits for the shelf rockfish complex north of 40°10' N and consideration of changes to California recreational rockfish management, including potential movement from conservation areas to sub-bag limits. The GAP had earlier recommended exploring those options and flagged concerns about remote advisory meetings limiting robust discussion.
The council closed the agenda item and scheduled further specification work for the fall, with GMT and GAP expected to provide more detailed information in September.
