Terms of Reference

Regional Advisory Meeting

Pacific Scientific Advice Review Committee (PSARC) Groundfish Subcommittee Review

June 16-17, 2008

Bedford Institute of Oceanography,

Nanaimo, BC

Chairperson: Gary Logan

Background

Pre-COSEWIC and post-COSEWIC PSARC reviews

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has agreed that peer-reviews of pertinent science inputs into species status reports developed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) will be conducted by DFO Science. Pre-COSEWIC reviews are deemed necessary when DFO has relevant holdings of information on an aquatic species. Peer-reviews of Recovery Potential Assessments (RPAs) for aquatic species designated by COSEWIC as either threatened or endangered are also required as part of DFO’s post-COSEWIC assessment in support of socio-economic analyses and the consultation process, developing recovery plans and listing decisions under SARA. A new framework for developing RPAs can be found at the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Revised Protocol for Conducting Recovery Potential Assessments.

The Pacific Scientific Advice Review Committee (PSARC) will undertake a pre-COSEWIC review of working papers for darkblotched and yellowmouth rockfish. Bids for these two species have been let to develop COSEWIC Status Reports this year. PSARC will also review an RPA for Canary rockfish based on a DFO status assessment reviewed by PSARC in 2007.

Sablefish management advice

In May 2007, the PSARC Groundfish Subcommittee reviewed a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) methodology for sablefish in British Columbia. The methodology was approved and represents a fishery decision-making framework to guide choices for meeting conservation/sustainability objectives. The framework requires the application of reference points, harvest rules and compliance with the precautionary approach. In June 2007, PSARC will review the application of the MSE framework to assess and advise of the consequences of future fishery impacts including 2008.

Objectives

1. Pre-COSEWIC review of darkblotched rockfish

2. Pre-COSEWIC review of yellowmouth rockfish

3. Canary rockfish RPA Science Advisory Report

4. Sablefish advice for management in 2008-09

Products

• CSAS Proceedings Document summarizing the discussion

• CSAS Research Document (darkblotched rockfish)

• CSAS Research Document (yellowmouth rockfish)

• CSAS Science Advisory Report (Canary rockfish)

• CSAS Science Advisory Report (sablefish)

Participation

Participants (approx. 25) will include internal DFO representatives and invites from academia, First Nations, NGO’s and industry.