MINUTES OF THE THIRTY NINTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CANADA - U.S. GROUNDFISH COMMITTEE

 

I. Call to Order

Dave Hanson (U.S.) called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. on May 8, 1997.

Parent Committee members:

Technical Sub-Committee members and others present:

II. Appointment of Secretary

Diana Trager of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, was appointed secretary for the meeting.

III. Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved (Appendix A).

IV. Adoption of Minutes of July 1996 meeting

Minutes of the Thirty Eighth Annual Meeting (1996) were adopted as submitted.

V. Progress on 1996 recommendations of the Parent Committee to itself.

  1. Follow-up on the Saltonstall Kennedy Nearshore Rockfish proposal is needed.

    The proposal was submitted in 1996, but did not receive funding. The proposal was revised and submitted again in 1997. The outcome will not be known until later in 1997.

  2. A letter will be written to the State of California thanking them for participating in the 1996 meeting and inviting them to the 1997 meeting.

    A letter was written to California thanking them for their participation in the 1996 meeting.

  3. A commitment for meeting schedule and attendance is needed early in 1997.

    This was addressed.

VI. 1997 Recommendations of the TSC to the Parent Committee

  1. The TSC recommends that the Parent Committee investigates the possibility of having PSMFC establish and maintain CARE and TSC home pages under the PSMFC web site. The CARE page will require technology and software to post and retrieve high quality images.

    2. The Parent will recommend PSMFC pursue this.

  2. The TSC suggests that a letter be written by the Parent Committee to the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin International Task Force explaining TSC’s mission objectives, and terms of reference.

    The Parent Committee will send a joint letter to the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin Task Force.

  3. The TSC notes that the combined Canadian/U.S. harvest of hake continues to exceed the adopted yield option and recommends to the Parent Committee that the bilateral negotiations be encouraged to arrive at a solution.

    4. The Parent Committee will continue to pursue if Canada/U.S. Pacific hake negotiations resume.

  4. TSC concerns with jack mackerel, Pacific (chub) mackerel, and Pacific sardine includes fishery development and possible adverse multispecies interactions in the Washington-British Columbia area. These issues demonstrate that the international/transboundary nature of these resources spans Canada, the United States, and also Mexico. National Marine Fisheries Services' present policy of relying on the west coast states individually to manage these species fails to address the scope of the management problem and need for international coordination. The TSC recommends that the Parent Committee consider urging the U.S. NMFS to support development and adoption of a multispecies FMP including mackerels and Pacific sardine.

    The Parent Committee will send a joint letter to the U.S. NMFS advocating the development of a multispecies FMP including mackerels and Pacific sardine.

  5. The TSC observes a growing need for synoptic oceanographic data. Current efforts appear to be poorly coordinated and inadequate in both spatial coverage and frequency of observation. The TSC recommends that the Parent Committee pursue development of a formal coordinated physical and biological oceanographic monitoring program for the west coast of North America.

    The Parent Committee will send a joint letter to the Center directors asking for the best way to pursue monitoring program and for it to be communicated back to the Parent Committee.

  6. The TSC requests that the Parent Committee continue to pursue support for separate catch monitoring, research, and management initiatives for nearshore rockfish.

    The Parent Committee recognizes the need for innovative strategies for dealing with near shore rockfish.

    The Parent Committee committed to again submitting a near shore rockfish proposal to obtain a Saltonstall-Kennedy grant. Diana Trager will investigate further if any possible funds could be obtained from the "Canadian Groundfish Conservation Fund."

  7. The TSC requests that the parent committee draft a letter to the PFMC and the PacFIN Data Committee stating concern regarding the impact of restrictive single-species trip limits on discard in multi-species fisheries. For example, the recent, unrestricted increase in the grenadier catch by central California hook and line fishermen likely results in high levels of sablefish and thornyhead bycatch with unknown levels of discard. Furthermore, these single species restrictions on landed catch create an incentive for misrepresentation of catch on fish landing receipts and a high enforcement burden.

    The Parent Committee will send a joint letter to the PFMC and the PacFIN Data Committee regarding the Committee’s concern regarding the impacts of restrictive single-species trip limits on discards in multi-species fisheries.

VII. 1997 Recommendations From Parent Committee to TSC

  1. The Parent Committee requests the TSC include Mackeral and Sardine in the species reviewed by the subcommittee for a period of two years. After two years the validity of the committee exchanging information on Mackeral and Sardine will be reviewed.

  2. The Parent Committee commends the TSC for the improved communication between its agency members and for selecting appropriate meeting locations to keep down the costs of travel.

  3. The Parent Committee notes the outstanding issue of separate Canada and U.S. assessments for yellowtail rockfish. The Parent Committee continues to encourage discussion on yellowtail between technical staff of the two countries. The Parent Committees recognizes this is being taken on by the TSC under 1997 recommendations from the TSC to itself.

 

VIII. 1997 Recommendations From Parent Committee to Itself

  1. ;Encourage participation in TSC from all councils.

  2. Ensure conference call is in place for TSC on or about April 16, 1998 to discuss the agenda and arrangements for Annual TSC meeting. PSMFC to coordinate.

IX. Other Business

  1. The Parent Committee thanks the TSC for identifying Mark Wilkins as TSC contact for setting up the TSC and CARE home pages under the PSMFC web site.

  2. The Parent Committee will arrange for a plaque to be made and presented to Barry Bracken for his long service on the TSC.
  3. The Parent Committee will hold a conference call in early October 1997 to discuss progress and outstanding issues.

 

X. 1998 Meeting Location

The 1998 Annual TSC meeting will be held in Olympia, Washington, May 5, 6, & 7, 1998. A Parent Committee meeting will follow the end of the TSC meeting on May 7.

Mr. Barss will stay on as Chair for the 1998 TSC Annual Meeting.

APPENDIX A THIRTY NINTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CANADA - U.S. GROUNDFISH COMMITTEE
May 8, 1997
AGENDA

I. Call to Order

II. Appointment of Secretary

III . Approval of Agenda

IV. Adoption of minutes of the July 1996 meeting

V. Progress on 1996 recommendations of the committee to itself

VI. 1997 recommendations from the TSC to the parent committee

VII. Recommendations from the parent committee to the TSC

VIII. Recommendations from the parent committee to itself

IX. Other Business