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Council finalizes nearshore stock decisions, sets conditions for Oregon removals and asks NWFSC for widow rockfish projections
Summary
The council completed phase 2 of nearshore groundfish stock definitions—adopting Oregon removals with delayed implementation conditioned on benchmark assessments and MOUs, redesignating certain Washington stocks as ecosystem components, and asking the Northwest Fisheries Science Center to run alternative projections for widow rockfish harvest‑control rules to inform OFL/ABC advice.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council on March 5 completed the second phase of its groundfish stock‑definition work and opened an analytic path for widow rockfish harvest policy.
Key actions on nearshore stocks: After weeks of deliberation and public comment, the council approved a conditional package to remove eight Oregon nearshore stocks from the West Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan but delayed any implementation until after a benchmark assessment for Oregon black rockfish and a no‑earlier‑than date (motion language called for not earlier than 2026/01/01; council discussion clarified 2030 timing and a requirement that specific assessments be completed). The motion also asked NMFS and the state of Oregon to develop memoranda of understanding or similar arrangements to preserve sampling, data collection, monitoring and funding coordination during the transition. Two species already acted…
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