The National Marine Fisheries Service published the final rule for the Seabird Avoidance Program on November 18th. The rule will be effective starting December 18, 2015. Link
The start of the commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed and the commercial rock crab season has been closed in California from Santa Barbara north to the Oregon border due to high level of the neurotoxin domoic acid in crab. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will work with the California Department of Public Health and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to continue to sample crab to determine when it is safe to reopen the fishery. Link
News, advisories, and closure information will be posted at the following site. Link
The California Fish and Game Commission is delaying the opening of the recreational Dungeness Crab Season and is closing the recreational rock crab season in oceans water north of Ventura County due to high level of domoic acid. The opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season, which is scheduled to open on November 15th, is also expected to be delayed. Link
News, advisories, and closure information will be posted at the following site. Link
The California Fish and Game Commission will meet on Thursday, November 5th to discuss recommendation delaying the start of the crab season due to high levels of domoic acid in rock and Dungeness crabs. Link
The Best Estimate Report (BER) is being updated to use the new database structure of the PacFIN System. It is anticipated that the new report will become active on October 26, 2015. Once the new report is active the legacy BER will no longer be updated. Historical reports will still be available through the legacy system.
To find the report go to the “DATA” menu and select “APEX Reporting System.” In the report navigation tree look for the QSM Best Estimate Reports Folder and select QSM001. This is currently password protected, but we anticipate removing the password protection on Monday the 26th.
There will be subtle difference between the estimates returned by the new BER and the legacy BER due to clean-up and alteration of background code. For example, the algorithm used to define sablefish landings has been updated to reflect management and data collection changes. We have been monitoring differences between the reports and will continue to do so behind the scenes. The changes in the report represent best estimates, and methods will continue to be revised as the hard data reveals better methods to update earlier estimates.