At this meeting, the SSC reviewed the models and output being used for the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-year review summary report, which is under preparation for Council review later this year, and the Council supported the SSC’s recommendations for improvements. The SSC received reports on progress with assessing EFH component 1, descriptions and maps… Read More →
Essential Fish Habitat Review
EFH 5-year review The Council and SSC reviewed the work plan for the 2022 Essential Fish Habitat 5-year review. The document described work to date and plans for completing the 5-year review. The report again laid out the Agency priorities for EFH review including EFH descriptions and maps, fishing effects, non-fishing effects, EFH conservation and… Read More →
Species Distribution Models for EFH
The SSC received a report from Jodi Pirtle (NMFS AKR) and Ned Laman (AFSC) on the development of new and revised species distribution models that may provide information to support descriptions and mapping of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) in the Council’s FMPs. The discussion paper and presentation reviewed analyses under development to provide information to… Read More →
EFH Amendments
The Council took final action in April to modify the Council’s BSAI Groundfish, GOA Groundfish, BSAI King and Tanner Crab, Salmon, and Arctic FMPs to update descriptions and maps of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH), and to update recommendations for non-fishing activities that may affect EFH. The Council reviewed an Environmental Assessment (EA) that examined the… Read More →
EFH Effects
EFH Fishing Effects Methods The Council reviewed and approved a proposed method to evaluate the effects of fishing on Essential Fish Habitat for BSAI and GOA Groundfish and BSAI crabs, developed by a subcommittee of the SSC. The proposal presented a three-tiered approach to evaluating the effects of commercial fishing on EFH using the outputs… Read More →
