the U.S. Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Terms of Reference for STAR Panels (SSC

2006), but as in previous years, the Panel attempted to adhere to the spirit of the Canada-U.S. Treaty on Pacific Hake / Whiting. As was the case in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 the Panel included a member from Canada and the stock assessment team also included Canadian participants (see List of Participants). The revised stock assessments and the STAR Panel review will be forwarded to the Pacific Fishery Management Council and its advisory groups, and to Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) managers and the PSARC (Pacific Scientific Advice Review Committee) Groundfish Sub-committee. All members of the stock assessment team (STAT) – Drs. Thomas Helser, Ian Stewart, Owen Hamel, Alan Sinclair, Chris Grandin, and Steve Martell – attended and actively participated in the meeting. Public comment was entertained throughout the four-day meeting, which was held at the Hotel Deca in Seattle. The STAR Panel members were able to receive all draft assessments and supporting materials via an ftp site two weeks prior to the meeting, and this was sufficient time to adequately prepare for the review of the three assessments. The Panel convened at 08:30 on Monday February 11th. Stacey Miller (US National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS) welcomed the group and then Dr. Elizabeth Clarke (NMFS) briefl