Modernizing Public Fisheries Meetings with a Centralized Agenda Platform
In Brief
A web-based system for managing and documenting public fisheries meetings
The North Pacific and Pacific Fisheries Management Councils oversee fisheries policy across Alaska and the US West Coast, running public meetings where testimony, scientific input, and council actions shape regulatory decisions. For years, staff collected comments through email, assembled meeting materials manually, and managed records across disconnected systems.
Resource Data, working with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), developed a web-based Agenda Management System that centralizes public comments, speaker sign-ups, agenda preparation, and document management. Since its initial launch in 2013, the platform has continued to evolve, improving reliability and adapting to changing needs.
Today, staff spend less time preparing materials, meetings run reliably, and decades of council records are searchable and accessible in one place.
Key Takeaways
Reliability, Automation, and Transparency
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Automated public comment management reduces workload
Email-based comment collection and manual document assembly were replaced with a centralized workflow. Staff can collect, review, and organize public comments directly within the system.
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Live meeting tools for managing public testimony
Participants can register to speak on agenda items through the application. During meetings, staff manage the speaker queue and display current and upcoming speakers.
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Centralized archive of council records
Meeting materials, public comments, and supporting documents are stored in a single searchable archive covering decades of council activity.
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Public access to meeting materials and records
Members of the public can submit comments, access meeting materials, and download council packages from a single location, improving transparency and access.
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Shared platform supporting multiple organizations
The system’s multi-tenant architecture allows multiple agencies to operate within the same platform while maintaining separate data environments.
Meet Our Client
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC)
The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) is an interstate compact agency that supports fisheries management across the U.S. West Coast and Alaska. The commission works closely with regional councils, including the North Pacific and Pacific Fisheries Management Councils, which were established under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, as well as state agencies to coordinate research, data collection, and regulatory processes.
Public council meetings are central to this work. During these meetings, agencies review policy proposals, receive public testimony, and document decisions that shape commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries. Because these decisions directly influence regional fisheries policy, the meeting process must remain organized, transparent, and well documented.
The Challenge
Manual meeting preparation under increasing participation demands
Public fisheries meetings require structured agendas, organized supporting documents, and a formal record of testimony and council decisions. For years, these responsibilities relied on manual processes. Public comments arrived through email, documents were stored across disconnected folders, and staff assembled meeting materials by hand before each session.
Preparing meeting packages required significant administrative effort and increased the risk of delays or errors. As participation expanded and more stakeholders joined meetings remotely, the systems supporting these sessions became indispensable for operations. When infrastructure problems occurred during live meetings, disruptions could halt testimony and create confusion for staff and participants.
The Solution
One system to run and document public fisheries meetings
Resource Data developed a web-based Agenda Management System that consolidates the tools required to prepare and run public fisheries meetings. The platform allows staff to create meeting agendas, collect and review public comments, manage speaker registrations, and organize supporting documents within one application. Submissions are tied to specific agenda items, allowing staff to prepare materials for council review more efficiently.
The system also serves as the long-term archive for council activity. Meeting materials, public comments, and attachments are indexed and searchable across decades of records. Because the application is used during both meeting preparation and live sessions, it functions not only as an administrative tool but also as part of the infrastructure supporting public decision-making.
Our Approach
Long-Term Collaboration and System Development
The Agenda Management System was first developed in 2013 to modernize how council meetings were organized and documented. As councils increasingly relied on the system, Resource Data expanded its capabilities. A searchable archive was created containing meeting records dating back to 1976. The platform was also adapted to support multiple organizations operating within a shared environment while maintaining separate data structures.
In 2025, the system was migrated to a dedicated Microsoft Azure environment to improve reliability during live meetings. This transition strengthened operational stability and ensured consistent performance during public sessions.
Features
Built around how councils run their meetings
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Agenda Management for Meeting Preparation
Staff create and manage meeting agendas through a structured interface that links agenda items, attachments, and public comments. The system maintains a clear record of updates and revisions.
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Public Comment Submission for Efficient Review
Members of the public submit comments through an online form associated with specific agenda items. Submissions are stored in the system and reviewed by staff before inclusion in official meeting materials.
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Speaker Registration Real-Time Queue Visibility
Participants can register to provide testimony on agenda items. During meetings, staff manage the speaker queue and display speaker names and affiliations in real time. The system tracks participation as testimony is delivered.
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Automated Meeting Packages for Consistent Materials
Staff can generate downloadable meeting packages that include agendas, attachments, and public comments. This ensures participants receive consistent materials.
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Document Search for Fast Access to Records
Meeting materials and comments are indexed across decades of council activity. Full-text search allows staff to locate past decisions and supporting documents quickly.
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Multi-Organization Architecture for Shared Agency Use
The system supports multiple organizations within the same platform while maintaining separation of meeting data and configurations for each group.
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Azure Cloud Hosting for Reliable Live Performance
The application operates within a dedicated Microsoft Azure environment managed by Resource Data. This environment provides improved stability during live meetings and supports ongoing system expansion.
What started as a tool for collecting public comments has evolved into a platform that supports how these councils run their meetings.
- Rick Bush, Service Area Lead, Resource Data
Results
Meetings that are easier to manage and easier to access
Meeting preparation now runs through a structured system that organizes agendas, comments, and supporting materials in a single place. Staff work from a consistent source of information rather than assembling documents across multiple systems, and the workflow itself helps document the process for future meetings.
The platform also improves continuity for staff responsible for meeting coordination. Because meeting preparation happens within the system, new team members can more easily step into the role and maintain established processes.
For the public, participation follows a predictable process and meeting materials are available through a single point of access. Over time, the system has also strengthened the council’s institutional record by preserving decisions, testimony, and supporting documents in a searchable archive.
What's Next
Preparing for the next phase of public participation
As participation in public fisheries governance continues to grow, the Agenda Management System will continue evolving. Planned improvements include refinements to live meeting management tools and exploration of AI-assisted search capabilities to help staff and the public navigate decades of archived records more efficiently.
Because the platform operates in a cloud environment, these enhancements can be introduced without disrupting ongoing council operations while preserving the accessibility and integrity of the public record.
