Nearshore Harvest Cap Reduction

[OceanBlue]

Here's another notice I was asked to post.
Many of us have put in many hours researching, discussing, attending meetings, etc. on this topic. The Commission listened. PLEASE try to attend one of the meetings listed below AND the Feb 7 Commission meeting.

I don't have an agenda for the Feb 7 meeting yet, but will post when I do.


MEETING NOTICE
2003 NEARSHORE GROUNDFISH
FISHERY HARVEST CAP
REDUCTION
January 15, 2003

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold two public meetings to hear comments regarding possible reductions to the harvest of nearshore groundfish in the 2003 commercial and recreational fisheries. The meetings are in preparation for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in Portland on February 7, 2003.

Oregon nearshore fishery harvest caps have been implemented due to concerns over the sustainability of recent harvest levels. The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted harvest caps for the 2003 fishery for several nearshore groundfish species equal to the harvest levels observed in 2000. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (OFWC) adopted the 2000 harvest cap in December. At that meeting the OFWC requested that staff investigate additional reductions to the 2000 harvest caps by 20 percent. They also requested public input on those further reductions to the 2003 harvest caps.

Separate harvest caps, for both commercial and recreational fisheries, will apply to the following species categories of nearshore groundfish:

Black rockfish and blue rockfish
Other nearshore rockfish species
Cabezon
Greenling species

The meetings will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the following locations:

Garibaldi City Hall Port Orford City Hall
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 Thursday, January 30, 2003

More information on the harvest cap issue can be accessed on the web at http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/odfw/nsg...ish/index.html by clicking on “Nearshore Cap Report”. If you do not have web access, a copy of the report can be obtained by calling the Newport office at (541) 867-4741 (FAX number is 867-0311).