WestCoastRegion

September 12-14, 2015

Salmon Consultation on the

Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery:

Update

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

In June, NMFS requested input on:• Expected salmon bycatch• Expected distribution of salmon bycatch among

groundfish sectors, particularly Chinook• Measures that minimize salmon bycatch

• Necessary to define the proposed action, provide robust consultation, allow flexibility in fishery

SALMON BYCATCH WORKSHOP

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3

SALMON BYCATCH WORKSHOP

• 45 attendees• No salmon stakeholder representatives• Set of questions on management framework,

bycatch thresholds and actions• Addressed ESA and MSA requirements• Brainstorming, no decisions made

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

New ideas for Bycatch Frameworks?

+=

Sector 2

Sector 1

ReserveSum of Sectors

Fleetwide bycatch

threshold

Sector 3

Not NowNot Now

Not NowNot Now

Inseason data

important!

Salmon Abundance

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5

Actions affecting bycatch?

Future IFQ fishery changes could significantly affect salmon bycatch but uncertain how

cooperation among vessels

under IFQ program

COOP agreements working but need the details

Not much change to at-sea sector salmon bycatch

Re-evaluate processing south of 42⁰ and OSCZ actions

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6

What?

Who?

How?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8

• Current framework, webinar+, GMT, GAP input• Focus is on management framework• Elements to be defined• NMFS not advocating specific proposals at this

time, but criteria are important

Input ProposalsLasting, verifiable, and adaptable consultation that allows fishery management to respond to changing conditions and opportunities.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9

SB IFQ whiting Bottom trawl IFQ Gear

Switching

Pacific whiting fishery • overall annual 11,000 Chinook bycatch threshold • sector specific annual

bycatch rates = 0.05 Chinook/mt whiting

Bottom trawl annual 9,000 Chinook

bycatch threshold

Tribal whiting

MS & CP whiting

SB IFQ Non-whiting

Midwater trawl, N of 40° 10

N.lat.

Remaininggears &

target species

SB IFQ Non-whiting

Midwater trawl, S of 40° 10

N.lat.

Proposal 1: Current Framework (evolving)

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10

Trends in Chinook Bycatch in Groundfish Fishery

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 a/

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Whiting Bottom Trawl Total

Num

ber o

f Chi

nook

Whiting ITS amount

Bottom trawl ITS amount

Whiting:• 0.002 listed Chinook/mt whiting• 0.07 listed Chinook/Chinook caught

Bottom trawl: few recoveries

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11

Fleetwide bycatch

threshold

+= ReserveSum of bycatch guidelines from

all sectors

Bycatch Guideline/rates – SB IFQ Program

Midwater non-whiting trawl

Shorebased whiting

Bycatch Guideline – LE/OA Fixed gears,

& recreational

Bottom trawl/Gear switching

Bycatch Guideline/rates –

MS & C/P

Proposal 2: Workshop feedback

10,00020,000

Sum of bycatch guidelines from

all sectors10,000

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12

Bycatch Guideline - MS & C/P

• Number of Chinook (coastwide or regional) bycatch rate per mt whiting

• Salmon bycatch measures in annual coop permit application; performance assessed in annual report

• If bycatch guideline is reached, OSCZ goes into effect

• Other measures would stay in place.

Proposal 2: Details

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13

Bycatch Guideline – Shorebased IFQ Program

• Overall IFQ guideline for # of Chinook with sub-guidelines for SB whiting, non-whiting midwater trawl, and bottom trawl/gear switching.

• SB whiting = bycatch rate per mt whiting.

• If SB whiting guideline is reached, OSCZ goes into effect

• Midwater trawl closures: Columbia & Klamath rivers, inside 100 fm in Eureka area.

• Clear criteria for whiting and non-whiting bycatch in subguidelines

Proposal 2: Details

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 14

Bycatch Guideline – LE & OA Fixed gears, & recreational

• Number of Chinook for these sectors combined• Historical catch very low = post season

monitoring• Consideration for Reserve in case of overage

Proposal 2: Details

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 15

Reserve

• Establish rules and performance measures for distribution if sector exceeds guideline

• Automatic action via pre-established rules least disruptive

• Set aside a portion of reserve for uncertainty in fisheries not monitored inseason

Proposal 2: Details

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 16

A robust, flexible approach considers

• Inseason management capability (resources & budget)

• Thresholds based on supporting data and rationale

• Differences in fleet operations that affect Chinook bycatch

• Hotspots for non-target species

• Stock composition relative to fleet distribution

• Allocation objectives achieved without increases to bycatch?

• Changes in the fishery ≈ change in action or analysis ≈ reinitiation

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 17

Thresholds must be supported by best available information

2002 North of Cape FalconCape Blanco to 40°10’ N. Lat.

Cape Falcon to Cape BlancoSouth of 40°10’ N. Lat

2004 North of Cape FalconCape Blanco to 40°10’ N. Lat.

Cape Falcon to Cape BlancoSouth of 40°10’ N. Lat

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00

Chinook/trawl hour

0‐125 125‐250 >250

2011 North of Cape FalconCape Blanco to 40°10’ N. Lat.

Cape Falcon to Cape BlancoSouth of 40°10’ N. Lat.

2013 North of Cape FalconCape Blanco to 40°10’ N. Lat.

Cape Falcon to Cape BlancoSouth of 40°10’ N. Lat.

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00

0‐100 >100‐150 >150‐200 >200

Bottom trawl bycatch - further south, more compressed, greater depths than in early 2000s.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 19

Composition of ESA listed Chinook bycatch varies by sector

42%

4%

34%

3%16%

2%

At-sea

6%

77%

15%

1%

Shorebased

Puget Sound Chinook Upper Willamette River Chinook Lower Columbia River Chinook Snake River spring/summer run Snake River Fall run Central Valley Spring run

2009-2013

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 20

CAOR

CR

PS

1983

CaliforniaOregonColumbia RiverWA North CoastPuget SoundCanadaNon-FRAM stocks

2009

2010

2008

1983

2011

2012

2013

Source: Dr. P. Moran, NMFS, 2015, NMFS Report 1, D.3.a, June 2015

Composition of Chinook bycatch varies by latitude

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 21

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 22

TimelineSept 2015

Nov

March

April

June

Finalize Proposed Action

Consultation Begins

Additional information and analysis

Complete draft Biological Opinion

Council input on draft Biological Opinion

Finalize Biological Opinion

Coordination with 2017-2018 specifications

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 23

Please discuss:• Preferred proposal• Overall bycatch threshold and sector guidelines• Rules for distribution from Reserve• Measures to minimize salmon bycatch now and

over time• Work: who and how?

Chinook bycatch varies by location, depth and month

North of Cape Falcon 2011

2013Cape Falcon to Cape Blanco

20112013

Cape Blanco to Cape 40°10’ N. Lat. 2011

2013

South of 40°10’ N. Lat. 2011

2013

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000At-Sea

Apr May Jun Jul August Sept Oct Nov Dec

North of Cape Falcon 2011

2013Cape Falcon to Cape Blanco

20112013

Cape Blanco to Cape 40°10’ N. Lat. 2011

2013

South of 40°10’ N. Lat. 2011

2013

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000Shorebased

0-100 fm 2011201220132014

101-150 fm 2011201220132014

151-200 fm 2011201220132014

>200 fm 2011201220132014

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

Apr May Jun Jul August Sept Oct Nov Dec

0-100 fm 2011201220132014

101-150 fm 2011201220132014

151-200 fm 2011201220132014

>200 fm 2011201220132014

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

# Chinook # Chinook