The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) is one of eight regional councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1976 (which has been renamed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act) to oversee management of the nation's fisheries.

With jurisdiction over the million square mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Alaska, the Council has primary responsibility for groundfish management in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), including cod, pollock, flatfish, mackerel, sablefish, and rockfish species harvested mainly by trawlers, hook and line longliners and pot fishermen.

The Council also makes allocative and limited entry decisions for halibut, though the U.S. - Canada International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is responsible for conservation of halibut. Other large Alaska fisheries such as salmon, crab and herring are managed primarily by the State of Alaska.


In the News

Upcoming Committee and Other Related Meetings

Public comment via email now accepted for upcoming meetings at: npfmc.comments@noaa.gov
Comments must be for an item on the agenda, must include the submitter's name and affiliation, and must be submitted before the stated deadline. PDF attachments will be accepted.

Items FOR the June meeting

Powerpoint about the Council process

 

Items FROM the March/April meeting

Newsletter 4/10/12

Items FOR the March/April meeting

Agenda: March 26 - April 3, Anchorage Hilton

 

Items of Interest

Final 2012-2013 Specifications for GOA and BSAI Groundfish 12/11
Final BiOp Independent Review 8/11
National SSC Workshop report