| Summary | Implemented by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (federal) which shares jurisdiction of these fisheries with the California Fish and Wildlife (state). Last updated May 2014. First implemented 1982. |
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| Project | SESMAD |
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| Subtype | Formal Governance System |
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| Sector | Fisheries (Stock-specific) |
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| Begin Date | 1982 |
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| Explanation | Implemented by the PFMC |
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| End Date | Current |
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| Explanation | |
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| Governance Scale | State-based policy |
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| Explanation | PFMC oversees activities in California, Oregon, and Washington. |
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| Governance System Description | The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan describes how the Council develops decisions for management of the groundfish fishery. In some cases, it also contains specific, fixed fishery management designations. The plan has been amended several times. More than 90 species of bottom-dwelling marine finfish are included in the federal Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (GFMP). Species and species groups managed under the GFMP include all rockfishes (about 60 species), sablefish, thornyheads, lingcod, Dover sole and other flatfishes (not including halibut), Pacific whiting, and some sharks and skates. Since the FMP began, these species have been managed under the joint jurisdiction of the state and the federal government. The management plan is implemented by the Council, CDFW, and NMFS. |
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| Explanation | |
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| Governance Trigger | slow continuous change |
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| Explanation | Fisheries were in decline, and Magnuson Stevens Act required fisheries to be managed by council with FMPs. |
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| Type Of Formal Governance | Management plan |
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| Explanation | |
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| Governance Knowledge Use | ["Scientific knowledge"] |
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| Explanation | |
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| Centralization | Somewhat centralized (3) |
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| Explanation | The Pacific Council is regional (includes Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho), while NMFS is regional-focused it is a federal agency, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is a state based agency. |
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| Distance To Markets | Less than 10km (1) |
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| Explanation | Local: less than 10km |
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| Horizontal Coordination | Both formal and informal |
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| Explanation | While mostly formal, informal meetings occur frequently. |
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| Metric Diversity | Low: One metric for success (1) |
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| Explanation | While the MSA specifies success of management plans to focus on 4 areas: prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, increase long-term economic and social benefits, and ensure a safe and sustainable supply of seafood, the Council writes that all sectors of the groundfish fishery are currently constrained by the need to rebuild groundfish species that have been declared overfished. Therefore there is an emphasis on rebuilding overfished stocks as a metric for success. |
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| Social Ecological Fit | Low (1) |
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| Explanation | The governance specifies nearshore vs offshore stocks and recognizes various habitat types and depths with associated species. The Rockfish Conservation Area fluctuates according to physical changes in the Sanctuary. Essential fish habitats are determined by ecological and physical features. |
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| Governance System Spatial Extent | 822813 |
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| Explanation | PFMC has jurisdiction over the 317,690 square mile exclusive economic zone off Washington, Oregon and California |
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