Public Meetings this Week on Tuna, Billfish and Shark Fisheries

May 15, 2006

Release from:
NOAA

NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Region, in collaboration with the Pacific Fishery Management Council and state natural resource agencies, will hold a series of public meetings to discuss topics important to commercial and recreational fishermen of highly migratory species (HMS) such as tunas, sharks and billfish. The meetings will highlight domestic and international activities along with federal regulations for U.S. fishing vessels targeting HMS off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. Topics to be discussed include the following:

• 2005 north Pacific albacore season summary and stock status
• U.S.-Canada Albacore Treaty with update on 2006-07 management measures
• Status of regional HMS resolutions and conservation measures
• HMS regulations (logbooks, vessel markings, bycatch issues, observers, HMS permits, exempted fishing permits)
• Preliminary albacore tagging results and future plans

The public meetings will take place May 15-19 in the following locations: Eureka, CA; Newport, OR; Astoria, OR; Charleston, OR; and Westport, WA.

For more information, please visit NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Region website or the Pacific Fishery Management Council website.