June 12, 2019 — The US Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) will meet next week to discuss setting allowable biological catch (ABC) limits for Kona crab in Hawaii as well as bigeye tuna catch limits for longliners.
According to a release from the council ahead of its three-day meeting in Honolulu, which begins June 22, members of its scientific and statistical committee (SSC) will hear reports in order to help them make recommendations on the ABC for Kona crab. A recently produced stock assessment on the species gives catch projections until 2026 and will help the committee recommend the ABC for the 2020 to 2023 period.