The Pacific Fishery Management Council kicks off their first of five meetings spread throughout the year starting with the council and its advisory bodies meeting March 7-13, 2017 in Vancouver, Washington. Their salmon technical team is responsible for the stock forecast with the preseason report link below.

http://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017_Preseason_Report_I_03MAR17_final.pdf

Off their website:
“The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 with jurisdiction over the 317,690 square mile exclusive economic zone off Washington, Oregon and California…
The Council process is a bottom-up process, emphasizing public participation and involvement in fisheries management. Public input is encouraged and appreciated. Management measures developed by the Council are recommended to the Secretary of Commerce through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).”

Need to research;

It appears like PFMC is in the business of extracting our state wild but especially hatchery produced salmon for ocean fleets for the sake of US Commerce. If so to what extent and detriment to the salmon returning to their natal waters. Already have read some reports concerning this. Need more info.

Since our state legislature is looking to increase license fees on the backs of our state individuals and their families to support hatchery production, how much are these ocean fleets with direct salmon take or salmon by catch contributing to hatchery production costs? Not only in the PFMC council’s jurisdiction but up north in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) jurisdiction as well with NPFMC admitting ground fish fisheries catching 5 species of salmon but with their greatest concern being Chinook salmon.

Do all PFMC meetings share similarly traits as their #2 meeting-- the grand finale of the NOF process?

Are PFMC meetings as open to the public as they could be?

Comments? Answers? Suggestions to add to the list? thanks