[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61127-61128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23999]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF396]
Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of reports, public meetings, and
hearings.
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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) has
begun its annual preseason management process for the 2026 ocean salmon
fisheries. This document announces the availability of Pacific Council
documents, as well as the anticipated dates and locations of upcoming
Pacific Council meetings and public hearings hosted by the Pacific
Council. These documents and events comprise the Pacific Council's
complete schedule for determining the annual proposed and final
modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas
for the March and April 2026 Pacific Council meetings will be published
in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.
DATES: Written comments on the salmon management alternatives must be
submitted through the Pacific Council's e-portal (https://pfmc.psmfc.org) and received by the public comment deadline prior to
the April 2026 Council meeting. Information will be available on the
Pacific Council's website (http://www.pcouncil.org) as the date for the
April Council meeting approaches.
ADDRESSES: Written documents will be available upon request from the
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite
101, Portland, OR 97220-1384, telephone: 503-820-2280 (voice) or 503-
820-2299 (fax).
Council Address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Angela Forristall, telephone: 503-
820-2419.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tentative Schedule for Document Completion and Availability
Mid-February 2026: ``Review of 2025 Ocean Salmon Fisheries, Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Document for the Pacific Coast Salmon
Fishery Management Plan'' is scheduled to be posted on the Pacific
Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
Early March 2026: ``Preseason Report I: Stock Abundance Analysis
and Environmental Assessment Part 1 for 2026 Ocean Salmon Fishery
Regulations'' is scheduled to be posted on the Pacific Council website
at http://www.pcouncil.org.
Late March 2026: ``Preseason Report II: Proposed Alternatives and
Environmental Assessment Part 2 for 2026 Ocean Salmon Fishery
Regulations.'' The report will include a description of the adopted
salmon management alternatives and a summary of their biological and
economic impacts. The public hearings schedule will also be included on
the inside cover of the report and will be posted on the Pacific
Council website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
April 23, 2026: ``Preseason Report III: Council-Adopted Management
Measures and Environmental Assessment Part 3 for 2026 Ocean Salmon
Fishery Regulations'' is scheduled to be posted on the Pacific Council
website at http://www.pcouncil.org.
May 16, 2026: Federal regulations for 2026 ocean salmon regulations
are published in the Federal Register and implemented.
Meetings and Hearings
January 20-23, 2026: The Salmon Technical Team (STT) will meet for
a public work session to draft ``Review of 2025 Ocean Salmon Fisheries,
Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Document for the Pacific Coast
Salmon Fishery Management Plan'' and to consider any other estimation
or methodology issues pertinent to the 2026 ocean salmon fisheries. The
STT may also discuss additional topics and work as time allows,
including but not limited to upcoming agenda items related to
Sacramento River fall Chinook
[[Page 61128]]
and administrative matters scheduled for the Pacific Council's March
and April 2026 meetings. The meeting is scheduled to be held in person
at the Pacific Council office located at 7700 NE Ambassador Place,
Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220. Consult the Pacific Council's website at
http://www.pcouncil.org as the meeting date approaches to get the most
current information.
February 17-20, 2026: The STT will meet for a public work session
to draft ``Preseason Report I: Stock Abundance Analysis and
Environmental Assessment Part 1 for 2026 Ocean Salmon Fishery
Regulations'' and to consider any other estimation or methodology
issues pertinent to the 2026 ocean salmon fisheries. The STT may also
discuss additional topics as time allows, including but not limited to
those identified in the description for the January 2026 STT work
session. The meeting is scheduled to be held in person at the Pacific
Council office located at 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101,
Portland, OR 97220. Consult the Pacific Council's website at http://www.pcouncil.org as the meeting date approaches to get the most current
information.
March 23-24, 2026: Three public hearings will be held to receive
comments on the proposed 2026 ocean salmon fishery management
alternatives adopted by the Pacific Council. Public hearings focusing
on Washington and California salmon fisheries are tentatively scheduled
to occur simultaneously on March 23 at 7 p.m., and the public hearing
for Oregon salmon fisheries is tentatively scheduled for March 24 at 7
p.m. The Washington and California public hearings are tentatively
scheduled to be held in person and occur in Westport, Washington and
Santa Rosa, California. The Oregon public hearing is tentatively
scheduled to be held in person in Newport, Oregon, with remote public
access available. Consult the Pacific Council's website at http://www.pcouncil.org as the meeting date approaches to get the most current
information. A summary of oral comments heard at the hearings will be
provided to the Pacific Council at its April meeting.
Written comments on the salmon management alternatives must be
submitted through the Pacific Council's e-portal (https://pfmc.psmfc.org) and received by the public comment deadline which is
tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. April 6, 2026, and prior to the start
of the April 2026 Council meeting. Verbal comments on the salmon
management alternatives are accepted during the Council meeting
consistent with the Council's April 2026 agenda dates for salmon
topics. Information will be available on the Pacific Council's website
(http://www.pcouncil.org) as the date for the April Council meeting
approaches.
Specific meeting information, including instructions on how to join
the meeting and system requirements will be provided in meeting
announcements on the Pacific Council's website (see www.pcouncil.org).
You may send an email to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt
([email protected]) or contact him at 503-820-2412 for
technical assistance.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in the STT meeting
agendas may come before the STT for discussion, those issues may not be
the subject of formal STT action during these meetings. STT action will
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and
to any issues arising after publication of this document requiring
emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified
of the STT's intent to take final action to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt
([email protected]; 503-820-2412) at least 10 days prior
to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 23, 2025.
Anna Michelle Harrison,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-23999 Filed 12-29-25; 8:45 am]
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