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Pacific Fishery Management Council adopts detailed groundfish terms of reference, adds GAP appendix and risk‑table guidance
Summary
The council adopted a detailed outline of terms of reference for groundfish stock assessments that adds a living GAP (stakeholder) appendix, incorporates risk tables into assessment documents, and sets criteria for on‑ and off‑ramps and research vs. management assessment tracks. Final adoption is scheduled for November 2026.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council on June 2026 adopted a detailed outline of terms of reference (TOR) for groundfish stock assessments that adds a formal GAP appendix, integrates risk‑table guidance and creates separate research and management assessment tracks.
Dr. Diana Perry, who introduced agenda item E7, told council members the draft TOR proposes a living GAP appendix to capture industry and stakeholder observations and recommended that one‑page “at‑a‑glance” summaries continue as outreach tools though not as components of the assessment review tour. "We are proposing to create a management and research track," she said, describing management‑track assessments as the council's standard products and research tracks as "research‑intensive" analyses used in select cases.
The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) urged continued production of at‑a‑glance summaries for stakeholders but recommended they be provided to the council prior to decision‑making rather than included in the TOR. Reading the SSC statement, Dr. Gayen Johnson said the SSC "recommends renaming the risk tables with a name that better reflects that the method is used to characterize scientific uncertainty" and emphasized that the tables are meant to "characterize scientific uncertainty" by adjusting sigma values and not to create an extra buffer between OFL and ABC.
The Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) and Groundfish Management Team (GMT) both supported the GAP appendix and one‑page summaries while noting concerns about workload and how risk tables would be used in practice. Gary Merritt, speaking for the GAP, said the panel "is very supportive of the development of a GAP appendix" and suggested the first iteration occur prior to preassessment workshops so local knowledge can inform assessments.
Councilor Lynn Mattis moved to adopt the detailed TOR as shown in the meeting materials, including instructions to incorporate recommendations from the SSC, GAP and GMT; require one‑page at‑a‑glance summaries as part of the assessment process (but not the review tour); add criteria for on‑ and off‑ramps between assessment types; include a living GAP appendix with first iteration in November/December even years; and incorporate risk tables as a TOR component. The motion was seconded by Councilor Brad Pettinger and carried on a voice vote.
What this means: The council's action formalizes a process to record fisheries participants' observations (the GAP appendix), requires clearer criteria for when an assessment can be transitioned between research and management tracks, and asks staff and advisory bodies to refine how uncertainty‑characterization tools (risk tables) are labeled and used in management. The council directed staff to continue drafting final TOR language for adoption at the November 2026 meeting.
Next steps: Staff will draft final TOR language that incorporates GAP, GMT and SSC comments and return it to the council for final adoption in November 2026, alongside further discussion of the policy implications and naming/communication approach for risk tables.
