Federal fisheries board members are set to take final action on the Cook Inlet salmon fishery management plan during their December meeting and also do an initial review of Pacific cod trawl and pot catcher issues.
The complete public review draft for the Cook Inlet salmon FMP is already loaded onto the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s website at npfmc.org, along with other documents to be addressed during virtual council sessions on Dec. 4 and Dec. 7-11.
At this time the Cook Inlet salmon FMP is set for discussion on the morning of Dec. 7, following a report in full, from the advisory panel, followed by discussions on Pacific cod.
The council’s December meeting has traditionally been held at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, but has gone virtual as a health precaution because of the global novel coronavirus pandemic, which is currently spreading rapidly throughout Alaska.
The council website also provides a list of pre-meeting review documents for the council meeting, which was revised on Monday, Nov. 9. To receive a hard copy of any document by mail, email sarah.labelle@noaa.gov
The webconference is open to the public for all meetings, except for executive sessions.
The council is strongly encouraging written public comment for agenda items before its advisory panel and scientific and statistical committees. Those planning to present oral testimony must be connected to the meeting audio by phone. Connection instructions are at npfmc.org/virtual connections. Anyone having problems getting connected should email npfmc.admin@noaa.gov. That email address will be closely monitored.
Access to the agendas, testimony sign-up and a link to the actual sessions for each one is now simplified on the council’s website, requiring participants to simply clink on icons provided.
The council, AP and SSC will accept written public comments through 5 p.m. Nov. 27.
The council’s charter halibut management committee will meet on Nov. 30. The comment period for that session begins on Nov. 23.
