This webpage was updated on April 23, 2020

Recreational Red Abalone Management Strategies Integration


The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) uses partnerships, policy and funding to advance science-based solutions to safeguard marine life, habitats and livelihoods in California. OPC has partnered with Tribes and Tribal communities, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California Fish and Game Commission (FGC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and representatives from the recreational red abalone fishing community to support integration of proposed recreational red abalone management strategies.

Following a scientific peer review of two management strategies under consideration for the Recreational Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan (FMP) in 2018, the FGC made the following recommendations at its December 2018 meeting: (1) address peer review recommendations to integrate the two proposed management strategies; (2) develop a de minimis (i.e., managed/restricted access) fishery option; and (3) develop a more comprehensive process and timeline to engage and consult with stakeholders.

To accomplish this, a working meeting is being held to establish a Project Team and initiate its charge. The Project Team is open to all interested members of the public, including Tribes and Tribal communities, members of the abalone fishing community, scientists, resource managers, and others. Over the next six months, the Project Team will provide advice and guidance intended to assist CDFW and FGC as they consider final options for a Recreational Red Abalone FMP for the North Coast. Please see below for details on upcoming Project Team in-person meetings and/or webinars, as well as information from previous Project Team meetings.

Administrative Team Report

The final Administrative Team report (April 17, 2020) is available here.

The April 17, 2020 report incorporates feedback from the Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee (MRC) based on discussion during the March 17, 2020 MRC meeting.

The draft Administrative Team report (February 14, 2020) is available here.

The Administrative Team, consisting of a Tribal representative, OPC, CDFW, FGC, TNC, and fishing industry representatives, developed a report to respond to the December 2018 Fish and Game Commission motion and to summarize the management strategy integration process. The report is intended to capture and summarize Project Team discussions and guidance from May 2019-December 2019, including guidance related to the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) results, the Exceptional Circumstances Strawman proposal, De Minimis Strawman proposal, etc.

Project Team Meetings

Tribes and Tribal communities, stakeholders, and interested members of the public are invited to participate in the sixth and final of a series of Project Team meetings to guide the development of the Recreational Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the North Coast.

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team Meeting #6: Develop & Confirm Guidance for the Northern California Recreational Red Abalone Management Strategy: December 19, 2019: Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials: 

Management strategy evaluation: Recreational Red Abalone Management Strategy Integration (Final report, January 6, 2020)

December 19, 2019 Key Meeting Highlights

High-Priority Meeting Materials:

Background Materials:

Presentations:

Webinar Recording: RedAbaloneFMP_ProjectTeam_12192019.mp3 (158 MB)

 

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team Meeting #5: Review Management Strategy Evaluation Results & Develop Recommendations for Draft De Minimis Fishery: November 21, 2019: Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials: 

High-Priority Meeting Materials

  • Agenda (here)
  • Exceptional Circumstances Strawman Proposal (here)
  • High-level Summary of Results from the Two-zone Management Strategy Evaluation (here)
  • Revised Strawman De Minimis Fishery Proposal (here)

Background Materials

  • Updated Project Team work plan (here)
  • Glossary of key terms (here)
  • Next steps for modelers from August 27/September 19, 2019 Project Team meeting (here)
  • De minimis fishery ideas and concepts received from the public (listed under “Project Team Proposals” below)

PowerPoint Presentations + Webinar: September 19, 2019 Project Team Meeting:

 

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team: Meeting #4: Revised Management Strategy & Continued Discussion on De Minimis Fishery: September 19, 2019: Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials:

PowerPoint Presentations + Webinar: September 19, 2019 Project Team Meeting:

September 19, 2019, Project Team Meeting: Key Themes Summary

 

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team: Meeting #3: Discussion of Draft Management Strategies: Tuesday, August 27, 2019: Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials:

High-Priority Meeting Materials

Background Materials

  • Draft de minimis fishery proposals (here)
  • Key Themes Summary from July 18 Project Team meeting (webinar) (here)
  • Updated, Project Team work plan (here)
  • De minimis fishery ideas and concepts received from the public (listed under “Project Team Proposals” below)

PowerPoint Presentations

August 27, 2019 Project Team Meeting: Key Themes Summary

 

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team: Meeting (Webinar) #2: Update on Work Plan and Discussion of Data Streams and De Minimis Fishery Design Options: July 18, 2019 Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials:

July 18, 2019 Project Team Meeting: Key Themes Summary

 

Recreational Red Abalone FMP Project Team Meeting #1: Review and Discuss Management Strategies and Brainstorm on Managed/Restricted Access Fishery Options: May 22, 2019 Meeting Agenda + Meeting Materials:

May 22, 2019 Project Team Meeting: Key Themes Summary

 

Project Team Meetings + Webinars: Draft Schedule

  • May 22, 2019 (in-person in Santa Rosa)
  • July 18, 2019 (webinar)
  • August 27, 2019 (in-person in Santa Rosa)
  • September 19, 2019 (webinar)
  • November 21, 2019 (in-person in Santa Rosa)
  • December 19, 2019 (webinar)

The FGC Marine Resources Committee is planning to meet on November 5, 2019, and the FGC is planning to meet on December 11-12, 2019.

Project Team Proposals 

Proposals and ideas related to the red abalone FMP process for the Project Team’s consideration, including proposals for a de minimis/restricted/managed access fishery, etc. All proposals must be received no later than the July 2019 Project Team meeting to be considered by the Project Team. Please submit proposals to hello@strategicearth.com. All proposals will be made publicly available.

Proposals received from Project Team members and interested members of the public:

Red Abalone

Photo: Derek Stein

Additional Resources

 

OPC & Strategic Earth Grant Agreement: Red Abalone Proposed Management Strategies Integration, Project Team
Support

To support this process, OPC entered into a grant agreement with Strategic Earth to provide neutral facilitation support of the Project Team process to inform integration of the red abalone management strategies. Strategic Earth will develop meeting summaries and other related deliverables per the grant agreement, which will be posted publicly on this OPC red abalone project webpage. Supporting information regarding approval of this grant agreement may be found in the Executive Director’s report (page 4 and page 11) for the May 23, 2019, OPC meeting.

Timeline: May 2019 – March 2020

Grant Amount: Up to $79,081

Grantee: Strategic Earth



Categories: Aquaculture