Appointments | Call For Nominations | RKC Savings Area | Snow Crab Rebuilding | Cook Inlet Salmon FMP | BSAI and GOA Groundfish Specifications | Charter Halibut | Salmon Bycatch | Crab Conservation Workplan | Staff Tasking | Upcoming Meetings

Appointments

The Council made the following appointments during the December 2022 Council meeting:

Advisory Panel

The Council revised its Advisory Panel appointment policy to allow appointment of new members to a one-year orientation term, that if subsequently extended by 2 years, would constitute a full three-year term for purposes of term limits.

For 2023, the following members of the Advisory Panel were reappointed: Julie Kavanaugh, Heather Mann, and Patrick O’Donnell for three-year terms; and Tamara Briggie, Gretar Gudmundsson, Tim Heuker, Lauren Mitchell, Brian Ritchie, Paul Wilkins, and Susie Zagorski for two-year terms to extend their initial one-year appointment. Additionally, Jessie Edson, Rick Laitinen, Landry Price, and Chelsae Radell, were newly appointed for a one-year orientation term.

Scientific and Statistical Committee

All current members of the SSC were reappointed for 2023, with the exception of Dr. George Hunt, who is stepping down. Additionally, Dr. Martin Dorn, Dr. Michael Jepson, and Dr. Robert Suryan were newly appointed for 2023.

Other Advisory Groups

Dr. Skylar Bayer has been appointed to the Scallop Plan Team.

All current members of the Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee (PNCIAC) have been reappointed for 2023 and 2024.

Call for Nominations

The Council is soliciting a nomination for the Charter Halibut Management Committee, The Council is looking for an additional Area 2C member who would represent participants from south of Sitka. The Committee provides recommendations to the Council on any issue affecting charter halibut management off Alaska. Membership of the Committee represents a diversity of charter halibut fishing communities in Areas 2C and 3A, and the Committee generally meets twice a year, in October and December. Please submit a letter of interest to Sarah Marrinan (sarah.marrinan@noaa.gov) by February 3, 2023.

RKCSA Closure Emergency Action

At this meeting, the Council considered and recommend against emergency rulemaking for a proposed action that would have closed the Red King Crab Savings Area and Savings Subarea to fishing with all gear types for January 1 – June 30, 2023. The Council did initiate a separate action to consider crab abundance-triggered area closures through normal rulemaking.

After reviewing the emergency rule analysis, the Council determined the proposed action did not meet the requirements established under NMFS’ Policy Guidelines for the Use of Emergency Rules, specifically criterion 1 and 3. For criterion 1, the Council determined the situation did not result from recent, unforeseen events or recently discovered circumstances. While Bristol Bay red king crab abundance is low, the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, and the stock is regularly assessed so this the decline in abundance is not unforeseen or recently discovered. For criterion 3, Council members believe that available information does not support a finding that the immediate benefits of emergency rulemaking outweigh the value of advance notice, public comment, and deliberative consideration of the impacts on participants under the normal rulemaking process. Although the analysis indicates the proposed action could provide habitat benefits through reduced bottom contact by trawl gear and potentially reduced Bristol Bay red king crab mortality, these impacts are identified as uncertain and highly dependent on assumptions that the closure will move trawl and fixed gear fleets into areas with lower crab impacts. The analysis also indicates potentially negative impacts to other prohibited species like salmon, halibut and herring and fleet operations.

In response to discussion, testimony and analysis on this topic, the Council initiated a separate action to consider crab abundance-triggered area closures through normal rulemaking. The Council adopted a purpose and need statement and provided two alternatives (which are not mutually exclusive) for an initial review analysis.

The first alternative considers implementing an annual closure of the Red King Crab Savings Area and Red King Crab Savings Subarea to all commercial groundfish fishing gears. The existing closure for non-pelagic trawl gear is not changed. The closure would be triggered either by the closure of the BBRKC fishery (Option 1) or by a threshold for the area-swept biomass of BBRKC (50,000t; Option 2). This alternative also considers exempting hook-and-line gear (Sub-option 1) and/or pot gear (Sub-option 2).

The second alternative considers implementing a closure of Area 512 for fishing for Pacific cod with pot gear. The closures would again be triggered by either the closure of the BBRKC fishery (Option 1) or by a threshold for the area-swept biomass of BBRKC (50,000t; Option 2).

The analysis will also evaluate the potential trade-offs and challenges of establishing dynamic closure areas to promote BBRKC. In addition, the analysis will provide an expanded discussion of the performance standard applicable to vessels in the directed pollock fishery and the regulatory definition of pelagic trawl gear. The expanded discussion will include background on the rationale for and information used to establish the performance standard and gear definition to help evaluate whether the performance standard and gear definition are meeting Council objectives.

Staff contact is Sam Cunningham

Snow Crab Rebuilding

At this meeting, the Council made an initial review analysis of a draft environmental assessment to rebuild the Eastern Bering Sea snow crab stock in compliance with section 304(e)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The impacts of the alternatives considered on EBS snow crab stock, fishery participants, habitat, and other components of the human environment are described in the analysis.

After reviewing the draft, the Council recommended scheduling the analysis for final action and selected the following as their preliminary preferred alternative:

Alternative 2:     Set a target rebuilding time frame for the number of years necessary to rebuild the stock to the BMSY level at a probability ≥50%. The stock will be considered “rebuilt” once it reaches BMSY.

Option 2:     Allow the directed fishery to open based on the state harvest strategy while the stock is rebuilding.

In speaking to the motion, the Council noted that the preliminary preferred alternative is consistent with the mandate under the Magnuson Stevens Act to rebuild stocks and is also consistent with National Standard 1 in that it would establish a plan estimated to rebuild the stock in less than 10 years but allows directed fishing to occur under the state harvest strategy while the stock rebuilds to a level that achieves optimum yield. Maintaining the economic opportunity for a directed commercial fishery under the state harvest strategy is essential for harvesters, processors, and communities. Selecting this option as the preliminary preferred alternative does not extend the proposed rebuilding timeline.

The Council also requested, based on the SSC recommendations, if possible, the analysts should add:

1. the projected catch during the rebuilding period to inform the evaluation of the potential economic effects; and
2. information on the status of fishing-dependent communities through the 2021/22 season and CDQ ownership/participation.

The analysis will also evalaute Alternative 1 in the expected effects section of the alternatives.

Staff contacts are Jon McCracken and Sarah Rheinsmith.

Cook Inlet Salmon FMP

The Council conducted its initial review of the Cook Inlet Salmon FMP Amendment analysis, which evaluates alternatives to manage salmon fishing in the Federal waters of upper Cook Inlet. The Council elected not to select a preliminary preferred alternative at this time, and anticipates taking final action on this amendment at the April 2023 Council meeting.

The purpose of this action is to amend the Salmon FMP to bring the FMP into compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, consistent with the 2016 Ninth Circuit decision and the recent summary judgment opinion of the Alaska District Court in UCIDA et al. v. NMFS. Federal management must be consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including the required provisions for an FMP specified in section 303(a). The analysis describes and evaluates the impacts of the four management alternatives under consideration by the Council, noting that two of these are not viable based on court decisions. For the next version of the analysis, staff will provide additional details on Federal oversight and other operational details that would result from implementing Alternative 2 or 3. 

Staff contact is Nicole Watson

Groundfish Final Harvest Specifications

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

The Council recommended final groundfish harvest specification amounts, prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, and halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMRs) to manage the 2023 and 2024 BSAI groundfish fisheries, and approved the BSAI Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report. Harvest and PSC specifications for 2023 and 2024 fishing years are available in the Council motion.

Prior to recommending specifications, the Council reviewed Ecosystem Status Reports including 4-page summary briefs for the Aleutian Islands (AI) and the Bering Sea (BS), which summarize ecosystem conditions. Although sea ice formation was delayed and melt was early, overall, the Eastern Bering Sea in 2022 has returned to average conditions with the cold pool most similar to 2017. While some biological indicators suggest continued lagged effects of previous warm years in the Bering Sea, such as large declines in some salmon and crab stocks, the indicators suggest that productivity and conditions are favorable for juvenile survival and adult growth of most groundfish species. In the Aleutian Islands (AI), persistent anomalous warm conditions continue to differentially impact species and productivity, especially in the western AI. Near-average temperatures are predicted for Alaskan waters through December 2022 with the exception of the western Aleutian Islands, where positive anomalies are predicted.

The BSAI SAFE report forms the basis for BSAI groundfish harvest specifications for the next two fishing years. Some groundfish stocks in the BSAI are assessed annually while others are assessed less frequently due to stock prioritization, including assessment methods and data availability. Full assessments were performed in 2022 for 17 stocks including EBS and AI pollock, EBS and AI cod, Sablefish, Yellowfin sole, Greenland turbot, Arrowtooth flounder, northern rock sole, Pacific ocean perch, Blackspotted and rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish. sharks and Atka Mackerel. A report on the status of forage fish in the BSAI was provided. For stocks with partial assessments, specifications are rolled over from the previous assessment. The statewide sablefish assessment was provided during the Joint Plan Team report.  Final BSAI specifications for 2023 and 2024 are shown on Table 1 in the Council motion.

Overall, the status of stocks in the BSAI continue to appear favorable. No stocks are experiencing overfishing or are overfished. All stocks are above B_MSY or the B_MSY proxy of B_35% where estimates are available. The SSC recommended setting ABCs below the maximum permissible for the following stocks: EBS pollock, northern rocksole, blackspotted and rougheye rockfish, and BSAI sharks. Further discussion of the harvest control rules for all stocks and their application under a range of recruitment estimation is planned in conjunction with the SSC’s workshop in February 2023.

In setting TACs for 2023 and 2024, the Council accounts for Guideline Harvest Levels (GHLs) for groundfish fisheries in State waters. The GHL in the AI will be set at 39% of the AI ABC, or a maximum of 15 million pounds (6,804 t). The BS GHL will be set at 12% of the EBS Pacific cod. An additional reduction of 45 t is taken from the remaining EBS Pacific cod maxTAC for the Area O jig fishery. The Council’s OFLs, ABC, and TACs take the GHLs into account.

The Council specified an ABC reserve for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole, which was specified as the ABC surplus for the species (i.e., the difference between the ABC and TAC); specified Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) limits for halibut, crab, and herring; and specified halibut discard mortality rates (DMRs) for the BSAI. Crab PSC limits have all declined from 2021 levels due to the decline in the estimated abundances of Red King crab, Snow crab and Tanner crab.  Additionally, Federal regulations state that the Red King Crab Savings Subarea is closed to nonpelagic trawl gear if Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) does not set a TAC for red king crab in the Bristol Bay area in the previous year. A TAC is not set for the 2022/2023 Bristol Bay red king crab season; thus the area will be closed to nonpelagic trawl gear in 2023.

Staff contact is Diana Stram.

Gulf of Alaska

The Council recommended final harvest specifications for the 2023 and 2024 GOA groundfish fisheries and approved the 2022 Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report. For final rulemaking for the 2023 and 2024 fishing years, the Council recommended Overfishing Limits (OFLs) and Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) levels consistent with SSC recommendations, and Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for GOA groundfish species. The Council also recommended halibut Prohibited Species Catch (PSC) limit apportionments and adopted updated halibut discard mortality rates (DMRs) for 2023. In setting the TACs for 2023 and 2024, the Council accounts for guideline harvest levels (GHLs) for groundfish fisheries in state waters; full details are in included in the Council Motion.

The Council also reviewed the Ecosystem Status Report for the GOA, including a 4-page GOA ecosystem brief. The report provided information on ocean conditions, phytoplankton and zooplankton densities, forage fish abundance, and seabird and marine mammal trends. The report highlighted average temperatures for 2022, however, the GOA biological community is still in transition from the marine heatwaves in 2014-2016 and 2019. Examples of species populations that remain reduced include capelin, eulachon, Steller sea lions, Prince William Sound humpback whales, and Pacific cod. Another year of predicted similar ocean conditions in 2023 may shed light on how persistent the impacts of previous heatwaves will continue to be.

The 2022 GOA Groundfish SAFE report includes stock status updates for all stocks or stock complexes managed through the GOA Groundfish FMP. The GOA SAFE report forms the basis for GOA groundfish harvest specifications for the next two fishing years. Based on consideration of stock prioritization including assessment methods and data availability, some stocks are assessed on an annual basis while others are assessed less frequently. Full assessments were produced for all stocks in the GOA in 2022 with the following exceptions: partial assessments were produced for Pacific ocean perch, shallow water flatfish including northern and southern rock sole, deep water flatfish, rex sole, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, and arrowtooth flounder. No assessments were produced for shortraker rockfish, the other rockfish complex, Atka mackerel, skates, nor octopus. For these exceptions, specifications were rolled over from the previous assessment for each stock.

The GOA Groundfish Plan Team report summarized the issues discussed and recommendations made by the Plan Team at its November meeting. Highlights of the GOA Plan Team report included stock assessment presentations from individual assessment authors and authors of the Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile (ESP) report cards for GOA pollock and Pacific cod. Some of the issues that pertain to both BSAI and GOA Groundfish, such as sablefish, are covered in the Joint Plan Team Report.

The SSC recommended 2023 and 2024 OFLs and ABCs and provided guidance on many of the assessments in its draft SSC report. Maximum permissible ABCs were set for all stocks in the GOA for 2023. Overall, the status of stocks in the GOA continue to appear favorable. No stocks are experiencing overfishing or are overfished. Most stocks are above B_MSY or the B_MSY proxy of B_35% with the exception of Pacific cod.

The GOA Pacific cod stock remains at low levels. The 2023 spawning biomass is projected to be at B_25.5% and the 2023 ABC is a 25% decrease from the 2022 ABC. The 2023 Federal GOA Pacific cod Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is 18,103 mt. An additional 6,532 mt are reserved for the state waters fishery.

For most stocks, the Council established TACs equal to ABCs. Exceptions where the TAC is set below ABC include pollock, Pacific cod, shallow water flatfish in the Western GOA, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole in the Western GOA, other rockfish in the Eastern GOA, and Atka mackerel.

Staff contact is Sara Cleaver.

Charter Halibut Management Measure for 2023

The Council identified a suite of charter halibut fishing management measures (e.g., bag limits, size restrictions) for halibut fishing in Areas 2C and 3A to recommend to the IPHC for 2023. The measures approved by the Council were developed by the Charter Halibut Management Committee based on analyses provided by ADF&G demonstrating projected removals, catch limits adopted by the IPHC for 2022 for reference, and in considering the interests of the fishery.

Given that the charter mortality catch limits for 2023 are still unknown until the Area-wide mortality limits are set by the IPHC at its annual meeting in January 2023, the Council’s recommendations provide direction for how the measures should become more or less restrictive in response to different limits that could be adopted at the IPHC. Staff will use the following direction to identify the measures that can be adopted given the Area-wide mortality limits set. The measures adopted are expected to constrain overall charter removals to the final 2023 area-specific charter mortality limits, based on projected removals by ADF&G.

The Council recommended a procession of measures, as needed, dependent on the IPHC’s selection of the total constant exploitation yield for 2023 and the resulting charter halibut catch limits. Measures would remain consistent throughout the 2023 season. Tables are referenced from the ADF&G analysis of projected removals, which is available on the eAgenda:

For IPHC Area 2C:

1. A daily bag limit of 1 halibut, with a reverse slot size limit, where the upper limit is fixed at O80 (halibut equal to 80 inches or more may be retained), and a decreasing lower size limit that is applied until the allocation is reached, but no lower than U40 (halibut equal to 40 inches or less may be retained). These measures cover projected charter removals that range from 0.867 up to 1.121 million pounds (Mlb), as provided by Table 2C.5 (page 21) of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) analysis.

2. If the allocation cannot be reached with a lower size limit of U40 and upper size limit of O80, then also prohibit halibut retention on Mondays, beginning with September 18 and all other Mondays through the end of the season; then, if necessary, add consecutive Monday closures from September 18 working toward the beginning of the season until the allocation is reached. These additional measures cover projected charter removals that range from 0.734 to 0.867 Mlb, as indicated in Table 2C.8.b (page 25) of the ADF&G analysis.
3. If the allocation cannot be reached with a lower limit of U40 and all Mondays closed, then add an annual limit of 3 fish per charter angler. If possible, increase the lower size limit to U41 or U42 to reach the allocation. These additional measures cover projected charter removals that range from 0.686 to 0.723 Mlb, as indicated in Table 2C.10.b (page 30) of the ADF&G analysis.
4. If the allocation is not reached by closing all Mondays and applying a 3-fish annual limit, then allow the lower size limit to decrease from U40 until the allocation is reached. This covers projected charter removals that range from 0.564 up to 0.686 Mlb, as indicated in Table 2C.10.b (page 30) of the ADF&G analysis.

If an annual limit is adopted in Area 2C, implement a requirement for charter anglers to record, immediately upon retaining a halibut, the following information: the date, location (IPHC Regulatory Area), and species (Pacific halibut) on their harvest record, consistent with the past reporting requirements implemented in IPHC Area 3A.

For IPHC Area 3A:

All allocations shown below include, unless otherwise specified: a daily bag limit of 2 halibut; one fish of any size and one fish with a maximum size limit; 1 trip per charter vessel per day with retention of halibut; and, 1 trip per charter halibut permit per day.

1. If the allocation is less than 2.37 Mlb, but greater than or equal to 2.075 Mlb, apply:
2. One fish of any size and one fish less than or equal to 28 inches; and,
3. Adjust the number of Wednesdays closed to the retention of halibut, so that projected charter removals are within the Area 3A allocation, as indicated in Table 3A.13 (page 74) of the ADF&G analysis.
4. If the allocation is less than 2.075 Mlb, but greater than 1.75 Mlb: in addition to all closed Wednesdays and a second halibut 28 inches or less, close as many Tuesdays as needed to keep the charter harvest removals within the Area 3A allocation, as indicated in Table 3A.5 (page 65) of the ADF&G analysis.
5. Should the allocation be below 1.75 Mlb, in addition to closing all Tuesdays and Wednesdays, lower the size of the second fish to as low as 26 inches, until the projected charter harvest removals meet the allocation. This covers allocations as low as 1.69 Mlb as indicated in Table 3A.6 (page 65) of the ADF&G analysis

In addition, the Council is soliciting nominations for a new Charter Halibut Committee Member from Area 2C. In particular, they requested nominations for a new member from south of Sitka. The Committee typically meets twice a year (October and December) to provide guidance on charter halibut management measures, but also provides advice to the Council on other ad hoc issues relevant to charter halibut management. If interested, please submit a letter of interest to Sarah Marrinan (sarah.marrinan@noaa.gov) by February 3, 2023.

Staff contact is Sarah Marrinan.

Salmon Bycatch

The Council reviewed a staff discussion paper on chum salmon bycatch in the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) pollock fishery, stemming from a request at the June 2022 Council meeting. The Council also received a report from the newly formed Salmon Bycatch Committee which had its first meeting in late November. Following extensive public testimony from in-river salmon users, Tribal representatives, concerned community members across western Alaska as well as information provided from the pollock Incentive Plan Agreement (IPA) sector representatives on their 2022 B season bycatch performance, the Council initiated action to modify chum salmon bycatch management measures in the EBS pollock fishery.

The Council directed the Salmon Bycatch Committee to develop recommendations for potential regulatory and non-regulatory chum salmon bycatch management measures, including but not limited to a Prohibited Species Catch limit (PSC cap). The committee has been asked to specifically consider alternative management measures that focus on avoidance of Western Alaska chum salmon. The committee could recommend concepts or specific components of alternatives including management measures linked to abundance indices or other triggers and metrics to evaluate bycatch performance. 

The committee will meet twice before the April 2023 Council meeting and their report and recommendations will be considered at the April Council meeting in conjunction with the Chinook and chum salmon genetic reports, pollock sector IPA reports, and potential management measures for evaluation in a forthcoming analysis. The next meeting of the Salmon Bycatch Committee will be on January 25^th at the Council office in Anchorage, Alaska with hybrid options for remote participation. Among the items to be reviewed by the committee, and as noted in the approved terms of reference for the committee, will be the final recommendations of the State of Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force for management of chum salmon bycatch.

Staff contact is Diana Stram.

Crab Conservation Workplan

At this December 2022 meeting, the Council considered a draft workplan on potential crab conservation and management actions prepared by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) staff. This draft workplan outlines potential conservation and management action that may be considered to improve crab bycatch management and further reduce fishing impacts on Bristol Bay red king crab and Eastern Bering Sea snow crab, which are stocks of priority conservation concern.

The draft workplan includes non-regulatory measures, potential area closures, potential changes to management boundaries, and potential changes to bycatch management. ADF&G staff prepared this suite of potential management measures based on October 2022 Advisory Panel recommendations for comprehensive management action. The draft workplan also provides relevant information and research that could inform revisions to current management measures or development of new management measures. Sources of the information and research suggestions in the draft workplan include recent Council documents, Scientific and Statistical Committee recommendations, information provided to the Council by fishery participants, and suggestions developed by ADF&G crab research and management staff.

In response to the draft workplan, the Council requests the Crab Plan Team add discussion of the following items to their 2023 CPT schedule and provide feedback on the relative prioritization of these issues and their ability to improve stock condition. Measures for consideration include:

• Consider the efficacy and ability to identify areas (static and/or dynamic) for groundfish fishery closures to protect snow crab, and suggested areas that could bring meaningful savings.
• Align crab PSC limit boundaries with the crab stock management area for snow crab
• Remove or revise trawl crab PSC limit floors for Bristol Bay red king crab and Eastern Bering Sea snow crab
• Update trawl crab PSC limits based on status of crab stocks
• Establish non-trawl crab PSC limits

Council staff will prepare a briefing for the Crab Plan Team on the information that has previously been presented in consideration of these topics in the past. The Crab Plan Team will consider these topics at their meeting January 17- 20, 2023.

In addition, at this December 2022 meeting, the Council approved the SSC recommendation to form a working group to develop a framework for how to estimate the magnitude of unobserved mortality for crab stocks and how these estimations may be utilized in BSAI crab stock assessments.

Staff contact is Sarah Marrinan

Staff Tasking

The Council discussed the relative priority and scheduling of previously-tasked projects, and identified new tasking. The revised 3 meeting outlook reflects this guidance.

Following review of the Council advisory groups, the Council took the following actions:

• Call for nominations for representative on Charter Halibut Committee (see also call for nominations/appointments newsletter).
• Appointed Dr. Skylar Bayer to the Scallop Plan Team.
• Reappointed all current members of the Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee. 
• Reappointed all current members of the SSC, except Dr. George Hunt who has stepped down, as well as three new members: Dr. Martin Dorn, Dr. Michael Jepson, and Dr. Robert Suryan.
• Reappointed all eligible members of the Advisory Panel with expiring appointments, as well as four new members: Jessie Edson, Rick Laitinen, Landry Price, and Chelsae Radell.
• Established an orientation year for new AP member appointments, with the possibility to extend that initial appointment an additional two years in order to constitute a full three-year term for the purpose of AP term limits.

The Council provided the following direction and guidance:

• Write a letter to NOAA Fisheries with a request for bridge funding to support an additional year of the trawl EM program, due to an unforeseen delay in the issuance of the proposed rule.
• Support for the SSC recommendation for AFSC to conduct statistical and economic analyses for sablefish that could be relevant to TAC considerations.
• Request for the agency to report back at a future meeting on penalties for sexual assault and sexual harassment against observers.  
• Request for further interagency staff exploration on the effect of hatchery releases in the North Pacific and avenues to discuss at the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission.

Staff contact is Diana Evans.

Upcoming Meetings

The following Committee and Plan Team meetings are currently anticipated:

• BS FEP Local Knowledge, Traditional Knowledge, and Subsistence Taskforce (LKTKS) – January 5, 2023 eAgenda
• BSAI Crab Plan Team meeting and modeling workshop – January 17-20, 2023, hybrid/Anchorage, AK eAgenda
• Ecosystem Committee – January 18-19, 2023, hybrid/Anchorage, AK eAgenda
• Trawl Electronic Monitoring Committee – January 20, 2023, hybrid/Anchorage, AK eAgenda
• Salmon Bycatch Committee – January 25, 2023, hybrid/Anchorage, AK eAgenda
• Partial Coverage Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (PCFMAC) – January 31, 2023 (T), hybrid/Seattle, WA
• Joint Groundfish Plan Teams stock prioritization meeting – February 2, 2023, virtual

Proposers of the Alaĝum Kanuux̂ National Marine Sanctuary nomination in the Pribilof Islands are hosting a virtual roundtable on January 30, 2023, from 10a-noon, about their perspectives with respect to the nomination. More information will be available on the Council website once it becomes available.

The SSC is hosting an SSC workshop, “Rapid change in the northern Bering and southern Chukchi Seas: Identifying ecosystem responses and effects on the management of Federal fisheries,” on February 7-8, 2022, as part of the Council meeting in Seattle, WA. Written public comments will be accepted in advance of the meeting to help guide SSC discussion.