Dungeness Crab Task Force Meeting #14 – October 25-26, 2022 – Teleconference
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 9:00 AM
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 9:00 AM
Call-in Option: (669) 900-6833 | ID: 588 419 8568
Meeting materials available at: www.opc.ca.gov/2009/04/dungeness-crab-task-force/
(scroll down to “DCTF Meeting #14 – October 25-26 – Virtual”)
Zoom support information is available here.
Meeting Goals
- Receive updates relevant to the Dungeness crab industry, follow up on previous California Dungeness Crab Task Force (DCTF) recommendations, and ensure all Members have access to information that may inform DCTF deliberations during this meeting.
- Identify and address DCTF administrative items, including introducing new Members, confirming the updated Charter, Executive Committee membership, etc.
- Discuss high-priority topics, including, but not limited to, the lost gear recovery program, entanglements and the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP) (i.e., predetermined season opening dates, line marking, spring fishing options), and fishing with a sort box.
- Identify recommendations to be forwarded via a report to the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and the Fish and Game Commission.
Agenda*
Tuesday, October 25, 2021 9:00am – 4:00pm
1. Welcome, introductions, and agenda review.
2. Public comment on non-agenda items.
3. Review and confirm updated Charter and 2021-23 DCTF Work Plan administration and operations.
Administrative Vote: Consideration and possible adoption of updated Charter, including updated Executive Committee Membership.
4. Receive updates and discuss California Dungeness crab fishery topics including, but not limited to, California’s preseason quality and domoic acid testing, 2021-22 season landings, bi-weekly reporting requirements, progress on previous DCTF recommendations, the Dungeness crab account, evisceration order updates, etc.
ACTION: Consideration and possible recommendations related to CDFW updates, which may include, but will not be limited to, requests for information, or other management measure recommendations.
5. Reflections on and discussion of the Trap Gear Retrieval Program and its implementation.
ACTION: Consideration and possible adoption of recommendations related to improvements/modifications to the Trap Gear Retrieval Program.
6. Presentation on the status of the RAMP, Conservation Plan development, and other entanglement-related updates in the California Dungeness crab fishery.
a. Updates on the Executive Committee’s discussions regarding predetermined commercial Dungeness crab fishery season opener dates.
ACTION: Consideration and possible adoption of recommendations related to the development and identification of a framework for predetermined commercial Dungeness crab fishery season opener dates.
b. Updates on the state’s efforts to implement marking of gear to better identify the original source of marine life entanglements (i.e., state and fishery)
c. DCTF discussion on other marine life entanglement issues, including, but not limited to, the Conservation Plan, fishing options when risk is elevated, new fishing gear, exploration of new management options to mitigate entanglements, long-lining, industry-led monitoring surveys, zonal management, regulations in other states, etc.
7. Review agenda topics for Day 2
8. Adjourn
Wednesday , October 26, 2021 9:00am- 3:00pm
9. Welcome and recap of Day 1.
10. Public comment on non-agenda items.
11. Discussion about the use of a sort box and continuous sorting of Dungeness crab standard fishing practice and whether or not current regulations are flexible enough to legally accommodate those practices.
ACTION: Consideration and possible adoption of recommendations related to the legal use of a sort box as standard fishing practice.
12. Revisit discussions from Day 1, including, but not limited to, marine life entanglement issues, the Conservation Plan, fishing options when risk is elevated, alternative gear, exploration of new management options to mitigate entanglements, industry-led monitoring surveys, zonal management, regulations in other states, etc.
ACTION: Consideration and possible adoption of recommendations related to marine life entanglements in the Dungeness crab fishery and related management and monitoring processes including, but not limited recommendations related to the RAMP, Conservation Plan, etc.
ACTION: Consideration and possible recommendations regarding gear marking protocols.
ACTION: Consideration and possible recommendations related to fishing options when risk is elevated and/or new management options to mitigate entanglements, including but not limited to long-lining, new gear types, zonal management, etc.
13. Review next steps and confirm topics for future discussion by the DCTF and/or the Executive Committee
Administrative Vote: Consideration and possible confirmation of priority items for the Executive Committee’s consideration.
14. Adjourn
*Agenda items and related action items may be taken out of order at the discretion of the DCTF Administrative Team. Every effort will be made to address all items on the agenda. However, the DCTF may postpone certain discussions or actions due to time limitations or the need to revisit topics with their constituents before moving an item forward.
Public Participation and Comment: Members of the public will be invited to provide comment following each agenda item. Additional information about providing public comment is available online. To request an item to be added to a future meeting agenda, please review the guidelines online.
Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to info@dungenesscrabtaskforce.com or 805-845-9852. Any person who has a disability and requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this DCTF meeting should contact Rachelle Fisher (rachelle@strategicearth.com or 805-845-9852) no later than five days prior to the meeting.
For more information about the DCTF, please visit the DCTF website. A meeting summary will be posted on the DCTF webpage following the meeting. To receive updates about the DCTF’s activities, including when summaries are available, please sign up for the DCTF email list.