Regional Fishery Management Council Positions on Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization Issues Council Coordinating Committee (CCC) Working Paper May 24, 2017 CONTENTS Acronyms .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Current Positions ................................................................................................................................... 7 Stock Rebuilding .............................................................................................................................. 14 Rebuilding Requirements .................................................................................................................... 14 Consensus Position ........................................................................................................................ 14 Regional Perspectives .................................................................................................................... 14 Exceptions to Rebuilding Requirements ............................................................................................. 17 Consensus Position ........................................................................................................................ 17 Regional Perspectives .................................................................................................................... 17 Definition of Overfished ...................................................................................................................... 18 Consensus Position ........................................................................................................................ 18 Regional Perspectives .................................................................................................................... 18 Ending Overfishing ........................................................................................................................... 20 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 20 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 20 Annual Catch Limit Requirements and Exceptions ............................................................................. 22 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 23 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 23 Resources Available for Additional Mandates ................................................................................... 27 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 27 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 27 Transparency Requirements ............................................................................................................. 29 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 29 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 29 Climate Change & Regional Action Plans For Climate Science ............................................................ 32 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 32 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 32 Forage Fish ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 36 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 36 1 Catch Share Programs ...................................................................................................................... 39 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 39 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 39 NEPA ............................................................................................................................................... 42 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 42 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 42 Other Federal Statutes ..................................................................................................................... 45 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 45 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 45 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 45 Recreational Data ............................................................................................................................ 48 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 48 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 48 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 48 Commercial Data ............................................................................................................................. 53 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 53 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 53 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 53 Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) Authority .......................................................................................... 57 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 57 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 58 Data to Be Used In Stock Assessments .............................................................................................. 60 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 60 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 60 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 60 Deeming/Transmittal Process........................................................................................................... 63 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 63 Consensus Position ............................................................................................................................. 63 Regional Perspectives ......................................................................................................................... 64 COOPERATIVE RESEARCH ................................................................................................................