|
Tribal Engagement Newsletter
This newsletter serves as an information source for NOAA Fisheries contacts, job postings, grants, educational opportunities available throughout Alaska, and upcoming North Pacific Fishery Management Council issues.
|
|
North Pacific Fishery Management Council
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC, also referred to as Council) was established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA, also referred to as the Magnuson-Stevens Act) to manage fisheries off the coast of Alaska. The NPFMC meets five times per year and consists of the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC), the Advisory Panel (AP), and the Council. This newsletter includes information about the upcoming February Council meeting and is adapted from the three meeting outlook (Council schedule for the next three meetings). Visit the NPFMC webpage for the upcoming meeting schedule, which includes a detailed breakdown of the upcoming Council meeting by agenda item.
Attend one of our upcoming tribal engagement sessions!
- March 18th, 1-3pm (Virtual): April Council agenda topics except for chum salmon bycatch (see second engagement session)
- March 19th, 1-3pm (Virtual): DRAFT Preliminary EIS alternatives document regarding chum bycatch
Meetings and calls welcomed! Please contact the NMFS AKRO Fisheries Tribal Engagement Team at (AKRO.SFD.tribal.team@noaa.gov) with any requests as soon as possible.
NMFS staff developed a tribal consultation request form to ensure a timely response to requests for consultations. Please use this online form to request tribal consultation as soon as possible if you have interest in consulting with us on April Council topics.
Council Process
April 2024 Council Meeting
NOTE: For referenced materials that are available online, links are provided below. Leading up to the Council meeting, Council staff will post additional materials on the eAgenda.
B Reports (Agency level reports on recent events under their jurisdiction)
- (B1) Executive Director’s Report on general announcements about Council meetings, any personnel changes, and additional opportunities for public input
- (B2) NOAA Fisheries Management Report including annual EFH consultation and seabird bycatch reports
- (B3) NOAA General Counsel Report on any legal issues
- (B4) Alaska Fisheries Science Center Report on program updates and science activities
- (B5) ADF&G report on State of Alaska fisheries management
- (B6) USCG report on any highlights and news
- (B7) USFWS report on a summary of major agency updates
- (B8) NIOSH report
- (B9) Cooperative Reports
- (B10) Public Comment on B1 through B9 agenda items
- (B11) SSC report on SSC agenda items
- (B12) AP report on AP agenda items
C1: Scallops – SAFE report, ABC/OFL, Plan Team report
- The Scallop Plan Team (SPT) will meet March 5, 2024 to review the stock assessment fishery evaluation (SAFE), including socioeconomic updates, and recommend harvest specifications (ABC/OFL) for scallop. The Plan team will also review the ongoing progress in assessment model development for the stock.
- Tribal consultation was not offered for this item as there is no action associated with these summary reports.
- Questions/concerns on this item can be voiced during the March 18th, tribal engagement session.
C2: Salmon bycatch– review (a) Chinook/chum genetics reports for Bering Sea (BS), Gulf of Alaska (GOA); (b) pollock IPA reports, Sea Share; and (c) Chum salmon bycatch initial review analysis
- The Council will receive summary reports on genetics for Chinook and chum salmon incidentally caught in groundfish fisheries in the BS and GOA, as well as a report on the status of the pollock IPA with supporting data from Sea Share.
- In addition, the initial review analysis for Chum salmon bycatch in the BS will be presented.
- Tribal consultation was not offered for items a) and b) as there is no action associated with these summary reports. Tribal consultation has been previously offered for item c) and an additional engagement session is being held on March 19th (see info above on tribal engagement sessions). Questions/concerns on items a) and b) can be asked/voiced during this session.
C3: Area 4 Vessel Caps – Initial Review
- The Council will review an analysis to remove vessel cap limitations for IFQ halibut harvested in Area 4 as a longer-term policy change.
- In the near term, the final rule, published July 26th, 2023 (88 FR 48137) removes the limit on the maximum amount of halibut IFQ that may be harvested by a vessel (i.e., vessel use caps) in Area 4 for 2023 through 2027.
- Tribal consultation was offered for this action item in September 2023 and March 2024.
D Items
- D1 Amendment 80 Program Review – review report
- The Council, SSC, and AP will receive a presentation of the Amendment 80 Program Review. Section 303A(c)(1)(G) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act (MSA) states that all Limited Access Privilege Programs (LAPP) must include provisions for regular monitoring and review. Amendment 80, implemented in 2008, enabled the formation of fishery cooperatives for non-AFA trawl catcher processors. This action provides an overview of the Program. The review will be published around March 15. Presentations are scheduled for Tuesday, April 2nd in the SSC, Friday, April 5th in the AP, and Monday, April 8th in the Council. Typically, there is no further action from the Council on Program Reviews.
- Tribal consultation was not offered for this item as there is no action associated with these program reviews. Questions/concerns on this item can be asked/voiced during the March 18th, tribal engagement session.
- D2 Maximum retention amount adjustments – review discussion paper
- In October 2023, the Council requested a discussion paper focused on potential changes to groundfish maximum retainable amounts (MRA). MRAs are the maximum retainable amount of an incidental catch species (groundfish species or species group not open for directed fishing) that are calculated as a proportion of the basis species (groundfish species or species group open for directed fishing) retained on board the vessel using the retainable percentage in Tables 10, 11, and 30 to 50 CFR part 679. The intent of this discussion paper is to provide the Council with information about how the MRA regulations could be modified to reflect current practices, to give an overview of industry proposed regulatory changes, and to provide possible regulatory changes that could be assessed. After reviewing the discussion paper and listening to public testimony, the Council’s task is to determine whether to move forward by developing a purpose and need statement and alternatives for analysis regarding MRAs.
- Tribal consultation was offered for this action item in March 2024.
- D3 Research priorities – set 5-year priorities
- The SSC/Council are determining their top 10 list of research priorities following a more extensive public input period (August-November) and input from the Plan Teams (November-January).
- Tribal consultation was offered for this action item in February and March 2024.
- D4 Sablefish study for IRA funding– discuss parameters for a potential analysis (T) (SSC only)
- The SSC will have a short workshop (~2.5 hours) to scope a bio-economic analysis of sablefish that a contractor or post-doc could perform using IRA funding. We will receive short presentations on biological and economic data availability and the current state of sablefish modeling (AFSC staff) and some options available for an extended analysis (Dan Holland, NOAA). The SSC will make recommendations for the scope of an IRA-funded sablefish bio-economic analysis.
- Tribal consultation was offered for this action item in March 2024.
Highlighted Upcoming Agenda Items
Tribal consultation will be offered for action items prior to each of the Council meetings.
-
June 2024 Council Meeting
- North Pacific Research Board report
- Council Coordination Committee update
-
Climate Scenarios Workshop, June 5-6
- Crab - BSAI harvest specifications and plan team report
- Crab - unobserved fishing mortality workgroup
- Observer Program - review Fisheries Monitoring and Advisory Committee report
- Observer Program - review discussion paper for Observer Availability
- Small Sablefish Release - initial review
- Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish - program review
- Pot cod limited access privilege program discussion paper review
- American Fisheries Act program report review
- Crab - Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands program report review
- Bristol Bay Red King Crab closure areas final action
-
October 2024 Council Meeting
- Election of officers
- Alaska Fisheries Science Center report
- BSAI Groundfish: proposed specifications, plan team reports
- GOA Groundfish: proposed specifications, plan team reports
- GOA Rockfish Spatial Management: Discussion paper
- BSAI Crab stocks: ABC/OFL specifications, plan team report
- 2025 Observer ADP: review, PCFMAC report
- Crew data collection: Initial review
- Chum salmon bycatch: Draft Environmental Impact Statement presentation and action, as necessary
- Area 4 vessel use caps: Final Action
- IFQ Program Review: Review Report
- BS FEP CCTF Final Report: Review
- Report from Climate Scenarios Workshop: Review
Resources
|
|
Contacts
-
Amilee Wilson, Tribal Relations Coordinator for the Alaska Regional Office, amilee.wilson@noaa.gov (can assist with requests for consultation, information on regulations, and NOAA Fisheries tribal engagement policy, in addition please contact Amilee with feedback or questions on this newsletter)
-
Maggie Mooney-Seus, Communications Program Manager for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), marjorie.mooney-seus@noaa.gov (can assist with questions on collaborative research efforts)
-
Kate Haapala, Rural Fishing Community and Tribal Liaison for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, kate.haapala@noaa.gov (can assist with questions regarding Council actions and process)
NOAA Fisheries Tribal Resources
- NOAA Fisheries Tribal Consultation
-
Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments
-
NOAA Tribal Resources & Updates: On July 12, 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen its relationship between NOAA and Indigenous peoples by releasing its updated Tribal Consultation Handbook, Revised NOAA Administrative Order, and Indigenous Knowledge Guidance. Updated resources are available here.
Updates
NOAA Fisheries Vacant Positions
Upcoming Jobs at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region:
- The Alaska Region has been frequently posting new job opportunities. Please check USAJobs for updates (Use search query with the keyword: “NOAA” and location: “Alaska” for NOAA jobs in Alaska).
-
Current Openings (NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region)
Co-Management Update
- NMFS AKR Protected Resources Division (PRD), AFSC Marine Mammal Lab, and the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island (ACSPI) have been working together formally since 2000 under a co-management agreement established under Section 119 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In January 2024 we began planning our field collaboration on marine debris removal, population assessment, subsistence sampling, tagging seals to examine the duration of on-shore visits and foraging trips. In addition, the Pribilof Island School District is restarting Bering Sea Days, which is a week-long event bringing contemporary Bering Sea Science into the classroom. NMFS staff have long participated in Bering Sea Days and we are scheduling timing for the event. AKR PRD and ACSPI are also working on a joint presentation to the 2024 NOAA Enterprise Data Management Workshop highlighting the implementation of the Indigenous Sentinels Network.
Habitat Update
-
Eskay Creek Revitalization Project: NOAA Fisheries is a technical advisor on the BC-based mine proposal, Eskay Creek Mine, which would place a mine in the Unuk River watershed. British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office is holding project review meetings for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) subgroups this upcoming March including those on Heritage Resources, Soils & Terrain, Vegetation & Ecosystems, Wildlife & Wildlife Habitat, Noise, Air Quality, and Greenhouse Gases. Our Habitat Conservation Division comments have focused on the risk of tailings dam failure on Unuk River salmon habitat. Project information is available here.
Upcoming Events, Publications, and Announcements
-
The Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate Change Task Force Meeting: On March 1 & 2, the Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate Change Task Force conducted a hybrid meeting at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Building 4, Seattle, WA. For more information, click here.
-
Climate Scenario Workshop, June 5-6: The Council is hosting a Climate Scenario Workshop in Kodiak, Alaska, June 5-6. The workshop intends to explore ideas for improving climate resiliency and readiness of all federally managed fisheries. In-person and remote participation will be available.
-
Draft Alaska Salmon Research Task Force DRAFT Report 2023: The Task Force is seeking comments on existing knowledge, research gaps, and applied research that is needed to better understand the increased variability and declining salmon returns in some regions of Alaska. We greatly value your input in the development of this DRAFT report. Comments on Existing Knowledge, Research Gaps, and Applied Research Needs can be given via this form through March 15, 2024. The next Task Force meeting will be held on March 27, 2024 (virtual & open to the public) where they will report on progress toward the DRAFT Report. Read more. View agenda.
-
Humpback Whale Recovery Plan: The NMFS Humpback Whale Recovery Planning Team is making progress in developing an updated Recovery Plan for the ESA-listed Distinct Population Segments of humpback whales in the North Pacific. We are planning a tribal coordination meeting to share details, seek additional resources, and solicit feedback. We are aiming to hold this the first week in May and will be coordinating with tribes in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California.
-
Northern Bering Sea NETS Project: NOAA Fisheries announced that it has decided not to move forward with the development of the Northern Bering Sea Effects of Trawling Study (NETS) project this year. AFSC will be reaching out to Alaska Native Tribes/Corporations and organizations in the coming weeks to set up discussions about NOAA’s science agenda and explore opportunities for collaboration in the northern Bering Sea. If you have ideas or questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact Maggie Mooney-Seus at marjorie.mooney-seus@noaa.gov.
-
NOAA Fisheries Equity & Environmental Justice Town Halls: On March 5, 2024, AKRO Regional Administrator, Jon Kurland, and AFSC Director, Bob Foy, hosted a Town Hall teleconferences for small charter boat and recreational fish stakeholders regarding the development of an Alaska Implementation Plan for the national NOAA Fisheries Equity & Environmental Justice (EEJ) Strategy. The goal was to discover how NOAA Fisheries can better serve the needs of historically underserved communities. Additional Town Hall meetings are planned for March 13 & 27 for underserved fishing communities. Missed the NOAA Fisheries EEJ Town Halls? No problem! Visit our Alaska Equity and Environmental Justice Implementation Plan website for more information.
-
AOA Spatial Planning Workshop: NOAA Fisheries, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and the State of Alaska are hosting a 1.5 day spatial planning workshop on March 26 & 27 in Juneau, AK to discuss the ongoing Aquaculture Opportunity Area (AOA) identification process in Alaska state waters. We want to hear your perspective and hope you’ll join the discussion! For more information and Registration link. For general questions, please contact Alicia Bishop (alicia.bishop@noaa.gov). Travel Needs: We have limited travel funds to assist with airfare, accommodations, and incidentals. Please contact Teresa Fairchild (TFairchild@psmfc.org) for travel assistance.
- Please visit our new March/April NMFS Events Calendar for a snapshot of upcoming events.
Grants
-
Alaska Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program: The National Marine Fisheries Service is soliciting competitive applications for the fiscal year 2024 Alaska Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program. Projects are being solicited to improve education and training on marine resource issues throughout the Alaska geographic region and increase scientific education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents. Projects must be conducted within Alaska. Applications are due March 18, 2024.
-
Alaska Indigenous Engagement Program Grants: This program offers grants to non-Federal entities to support collaboration with Indigenous Knowledge holders to develop bi-directional and parallel knowledge pathways to support climate-informed studies and ecosystem policies regionally and internationally. The Alaska Fisheries Science Center is seeking proposals to:
-
FY24 Species Recovery Grants to Tribes: The FY24 Species Recovery Grants was awarded to the Native Village of Kotzebue Tribe. Summaries for grants awarded are found here. The FY25 Notice of Funding Opportunity will open in early August of 2024 on grants.gov. All federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply. These grants support tribally-led management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities that have direct conservation benefits for threatened and endangered species. Feel free to visit our FAQ webpage.
-
Alaska Region Federal Funding website: The Alaska Region has put together a website to include federal funding opportunities related to fisheries and mariculture. The website is updated regularly and lists all programs and funding that the Alaska Region supports as well as other opportunities that may be of interest to those living in Alaska. The grants office is constantly working on listing available opportunities and welcomes any feedback on the site. Visit: fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska-grants, and any feedback or questions about grants or upcoming announcements can be sent to akr.grants@noaa.gov.
Educational Opportunities
-
-
Hollings Preparation Program (HPP) (due mid March): The HPP will prepare undergraduates to be competitive applicants for the full NOAA Hollings Scholarship in their sophomore year of college. HPP scholars will be paired with NOAA mentors primarily on the West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska, for four to six weeks during the summer of 2023. Apply by sending a cover letter and resume to: hollingsprep.wcr@noaa.gov by March 14, 2023.
-
Graduate Programs at University of Alaska Fairbanks
|
|
|
|
|
