1 Agenda Item C.2 Situation Summary

STOCK ASSESSMENT REVIEW PANEL TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR 2007 Full assessments for Pacific sardine and Pacific mackerel typically occur every third year, necessitating a three-year cycle for the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Stock Assessment Review (STAR) process. If entirely new, structurally changed or significantly revised assessments are developed in a full assessment, a STAR Panel must be convened to review the assessment prior to its use for setting harvest guidelines. Full stock assessment reports are developed and distributed following each STAR Panel review. Updated assessments are conducted during interim years and involve a less formal review process. The next CPS STAR Panel process is due to be completed in 2007. The last CPS STAR Panel convened in June 2004 to review full assessments for both Pacific mackerel and Pacific sardine. For 2007, full assessments for these two species are planned to be reviewed by two separate STAR Panels. These STAR Panels are scheduled for May 1-3, 2007 for Pacific mackerel and September 19-21, 2007 for Pacific sardine. To help guide and coordinate stock assessment authors and reviewers, the final draft of the revised Terms of Reference for a Coastal Pelagic Species Stock Assessment Review Process (Agenda Item C.2.a