Feds Fish for Sardine Comeback with New West Coast Rules
Published Date: 3/12/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Pacific Fishery Management Council wants to update the rules for managing Pacific sardines off the West Coast to help their numbers bounce back. This change affects fishermen and communities relying on sardine fishing and aims to keep the fishery healthy and sustainable. Public comments are open until May 12, 2025, so everyone has a chance to weigh in before any money or fishing limits change.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Directed commercial fishery prohibited below 150,000 mt
The CPS Fishery Management Plan already prohibits a directed commercial Pacific sardine fishery when the age 1+ biomass is below 150,000 mt. That means if the stock is under 150,000 mt, directed commercial sardine fishing is not allowed.
Tight ACL if sardine biomass ≤50,000 mt
If the Pacific sardine age 1+ biomass is 50,000 metric tons (mt) or less in a fishing year, the annual catch limit (ACL) for that year would be set at 2,200 mt or the calculated acceptable biological catch (ABC), whichever is less. If you fish for sardines commercially, that limit could restrict how much you can legally harvest when the stock is at or below this threshold.
ACL equals 5% of biomass during rebuilding (<150,000 mt)
If Pacific sardine age 1+ biomass is greater than 50,000 mt but less than the rebuilding target of 150,000 mt in a fishing year, the ACL would be set at 5% of that year’s age 1+ biomass or the calculated ABC, whichever is less. If you fish for sardines, the amount you can harvest would be tied to the measured stock size each year under this rule.
Amendment aims to stabilize bait, minor, incidental fisheries
The Council’s preferred alternative is expected to provide stability for live bait, minor directed, and incidental fisheries at low sardine biomass levels, while allowing ACLs to increase if the stock grows. If you rely on sardines for bait or incidental catch, the amendment is meant to help keep those activities available at low stock levels.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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