Navigating the Council Process

Getting Started | Accessing Meetings | Public Comment | Meeting Materials | MREP

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is committed to an accessible and transparent public process. We have developed a variety of multimedia resources to make it easier for the public to participate and provide input. Our staff are always available at meetings and at support@npfmc.org if you have questions.

Getting Started

Navigating the Council process

If you’re new to the Council process, our “Navigating the Council Process” page and Frequently Asked Questions page provide information on how the Council process works and how you can get involved. Our “Who we Are” page provides an introduction to the people and groups involved in the Council process.

Upcoming meetings

Our “Current or Next Council Meeting” page is a good starting point for more information on meeting dates and locations, how to join meetings in person or virtually, and links to the meeting eAgenda (what will be discussed), schedule (approximately when items will be discussed), and pre-meeting documents. The Current or Next Meeting Page also provides more information on what to expect, whether you are attending remotely or in person.

eAgenda

The Council is paperless! Our electronic or eAgenda is the virtual home for all pre- and post-meeting information and materials, including the Council’s four annual meetings, Committee meetings, Plan Team meetings, and other meetings and documents that contribute to the science and management process. You can submit your written comments through the eAgenda, and sign up for public testimony (see below).

Newsletters

The Council has published a newsletter following every meeting since 1977. Newsletters provide a summary of the issues discussed by the Council, including outcomes and next steps, and are searchable back to 2017. Earlier newsletters from 1977-2016 are accessible through past Council meeting eAgendas.

Library

In addition to meeting materials, the Council maintains an extensive library of other resources including an acronym glossary, links to Fishery Management Plans and amendment summaries, Council meeting Summaries, and Council correspondence.

How to join our meetings

The Council provides the public with in-person and virtual access to Council, Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory Panel (AP), Plan Team, and Committee meetings. Some meetings are virtual-only. Occasionally the Council will hold closed meeting sessions (for example, to discuss personnel issues), which will be indicated on the meeting agenda.

Joining via Zoom: Meetings are broadcast using Zoom. Links to meetings are provided in the meeting eAgenda. You can choose to download the Zoom application or access meetings using an internet browser. Zoom also provides a phone number option to call in for audio only. If you intend to give testimony remotely, you must either connect to the meeting via Zoom, or call in to the provided phone number.

Youtube video streams: The Council livestreams Council, SSC, and AP meetings as a lower-bandwidth alternative to Zoom. Past Council and SSC meetings are archived on the Council’s Youtube channels, going back to early 2020. To help you navigate the recording, time stamps and searchable transcripts are available (note these are auto-generated, so transcription may include inaccuracies; please refer to audio recordings for exact wording). A “How to Effectively Search Archives“ tutorial is also available on Youtube. Please note, Youtube streams are listen-only. You must join meetings via Zoom or phone to provide testimony.

You can sign up for text alerts during meetings by texting “NPFMC” to 1-833-237-1598, for updates on the timing of agenda items at Council, SSC, and AP meetings. To stop notifications, text “STOP”. To unstop notifications, text “UNSTOP”.

A schedule of upcoming meetings is available through the Council meeting calendar. The Council’s 3-Meeting Outlook is updated during and following every Council meeting, and provides information on the anticipated timing and status of upcoming agenda topics.

You can also subscribe to receive an eAgenda and Newsletter as soon as they’re available, by adding your email to our mailing list located at the bottom of our homepage or directly via this link.

How to provide comments and testimony

The public can provide written comments and oral testimony on Council, SSC, and AP meeting agenda items. You can submit written comments and/or sign up to testify through the eAgenda. You can also view comments submitted by others and see a list of testifiers. More detailed information can be found in our Public Comment Policy and Frequently Asked Questions.

Written comments can be submitted prior to each Council meeting. The opening date for public comment (typically 3-4 weeks prior to the meeting, depending when the first meeting materials are posted for public review) is announced on the Current or Next Meeting page, and typically closes at 12pm AK time the Friday before the meeting.

Signup for oral testimony at Council meetings will open for all agenda items when the meeting begins.You must sign up before the presentations on staff and advisory group reports are completed for the agenda item on which you would like to testify; after that, the opportunity to sign up closes.

Time limits: In the SSC the time limit is generally 5 minutes per person, and in the Council and AP, a person representing themselves or a company generally has 3 minutes, while a person or persons representing an organization or association generally has 6 minutes to provide their testimony. There will be an onscreen visual to show when the time limit is approaching.
Introductions: The timer will not begin until the testifier has had an opportunity to introduce themselves and their affiliation.
Materials: Testifiers may include digital visual aids if they attach them with their signup.

The public can also comment on Committee and Plan Team meetings. The timing and process are at the discretion of the meeting Chair, and will be announced on the eAgenda or at the beginning of the meeting.

We also offer a How to Sign Up and View Public Testimony Signups tutorial via Youtube.

How to navigate Council meeting materials

A list of the documents available to review prior to the meeting is provided before each Council meeting, and is available through the Current or Next Meeting Page as well as the eAgenda. This document helps the Council and public prepare for meetings by providing a list of briefing documents being prepared by staff, and anticipated dates for when documents will be posted to the eAgenda.

You can access meeting resources, including background documents and presentations, using the searchable Council eAgenda. Pre-meeting materials are posted to the eAgenda prior to SSC, AP and Council meetings. After the meetings are concluded, the eAgenda is updated with final meeting materials (e.g., meeting summaries that include the voting record, newsletters, links to archived recordings) and serves as the final public record of the meeting.

All eAgendas include links to the following materials:

Action memos provide a brief overview of each agenda item, including the decision point or next steps before the Council.
Staff presentations are usually Powerpoint slides posted as PDFs
Analytical documents are prepared by Council and NMFS staff and provide detailed information and considerations to support the Council’s management recommendations. The type of analytical document (e.g., report, discussion paper, analysis) depends on where the Council is in their deliberations.
Council motions on each agenda item are posted in near-real time during meetings
SSC meeting reports (which include a summary of the SSC’s discussion and recommendations on each agenda item) and AP reports (which including the AP’s motions and rationale) are posted during the meeting.
Council meeting summaries and the newsletters are posted after each meeting and include motions and votes, and a discussion of the Council’s action on each agenda item. In combination with the eAgenda, Schedule, and YouTube recordings, these materials offer a complete overview and record of the Council meeting.

How to search for archived meeting materials

If you’re interested in the history of a particular issue or agenda item, past Council newsletters and eAgendas are a great start, and are searchable by keyword. Archived materials from past meetings, as well as other supporting documents such as Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports, are available on the Council website going back to 1976. A “How to Effectively Search Website and YouTube Archives“ tutorial is also available on Youtube.

Since 2020, the Council has also archived Council meeting recordings on its YouTube page. Audio recordings of these meetings from 1976-present are available for download via Box.net. AP meetings are broadcast live on YouTube to provide real-time public access. However, because the AP is an advisory body, recordings of AP meetings—as well as other plan team and committee meetings—are temporary and are not retained or made available after the meeting concludes.

Marine Resource Education Program (MREP)

Interested in learning more about federal fisheries management and how to participate effectively in the Council process? The Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) offers free workshops designed to help fishermen, fishing communities, and other participants in the Council process better understand fisheries science, management, and policy processes.

Learn more about upcoming workshops and opportunities here: Marine Resource Education Program (MREP)