SCIENTIFIC AND STATISTICAL COMMITTEE REPORT ON STOCK ASSESSMENT PLANNING FOR 2011-2012 GROUNDFISH FISHERY DECISION MAKING

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) considered whether a full assessment should be conducted for bronzespotted or greenspotted rockfish. The SSC was provided with a summary of the available data and potential analysis methods for these two species. An assessment of either species will provide information which should be useful for management. However, noting that more data, in particular survey data, are available for greenspotted rockfish and that currently available data indicate changes in fishery length-compositions between the 1980s and 2000s, the SSC recommends that a full assessment of greenspotted rockfish be conducted in 2009. The SSC identified chairs for each of the six STAR Panels that will take place during 2009, including that for Pacific whiting. Whether a Pacific Council-sponsored Pacific whiting STAR Panel will be needed is currently unclear. The SSC recommends that the assessment of greenspotted rockfish be reviewed at the April 27-May 1 STAR Panel and that the assessment of cabezon be reviewed at the July 27-31 STAR Panel. These changes are needed to avoid conflicts of interest for STAR Panel chairs, and may lead to changes to where each STAR Panel will take place. The SSC emphasizes that STAR Panels involve a large workload, in particular because of th