May 29, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:
From new approaches to estimate noncommercial catch to analyses of fishing activity around Johnston Atoll, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will take up several high-interest agenda items at its June 2–4, 2026, meeting in Honolulu.
The SSC will review recent scientific findings, ecosystem trends and fisheries performance data that could shape future management decisions for fisheries across Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
Agenda Highlights
American Samoa Bottomfish Stock Assessment Update
One of the meeting’s major agenda items will be the review of the 2026 stock assessment update for American Samoa bottomfish management unit species. The updated assessment incorporates nearly six decades of catch history and advanced age-structured modeling approaches to evaluate the status of key deepwater snapper species. The review panel concluded that the assessed bottomfish stocks are not overfished and are not experiencing overfishing, while also identifying several future research priorities aimed at improving species-specific assessments and refining management approaches.
A stock assessment update applies the same scientific methods as the previous benchmark assessment, but adds newer fishery data to evaluate current stock conditions rather than rebuilding the assessment from scratch or introducing major methodological changes.
The SSC discussion will focus not only on stock status, but also on how evolving assessment methods — including next-generation fisheries modeling tools — could improve management of data-limited fisheries across the Pacific.
Johnston Atoll Spillover and Reopening Effects Evaluation
SSC members will discuss a new Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center analysis examining whether long-term fishing closures around Johnston Atoll produced measurable spillover benefits to nearby fishing grounds. The committee will also review whether the brief 2025 reopening of portions of the marine national monument resulted in immediate catch-rate changes for the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery.
Using 20 years of fishery logbook data and species-specific statistical models, researchers found that the effects varied by species and by spatial scale, highlighting the complexity of evaluating large marine protected areas and highly migratory pelagic species.
The discussion is expected to provide insight into how large-scale ocean closures and reopening scenarios may influence fisheries, catch rates and future management strategies in the Pacific.
SSC Special Projects Working Groups
The SSC will hear updates from two special projects working groups made up of subsets of members. The Social Valuation WG developed a scoring framework to quantify socio-cultural values of regional fisheries. The Climate Change WG will identify data gaps and uncertainties in how management unit species may respond to changing ocean conditions, which can inform future research priorities.
Measuring Noncommercial Fisheries Catch
The meeting will include presentations on efforts to better estimate noncommercial fisheries in Hawai‘i. A second year of a mail survey is underway to ask Hawai‘i fishermen about their noncommercial uku (green jobfish) catch. Preliminary results from the first year will be presented, along with work comparing methods to estimate uku commercial to noncommercial catch ratios.
The SSC will also hear about a novel method to estimate noncommercial deep-seven bottomfish catch in the main Hawaiian Islands. The current annual catch limit is based on commercial catch, with input on noncommercial catch from the Hawai‘i Marine Recreational Fishing Survey. The new approach uses the Bottomfish Vessel Registry to examine the proportion of bottomfish catch by fishers with and without commercial marine licenses and provide a correction factor to current survey estimates.
The SSC will discuss how these approaches could be used in future stock assessments and their potential effects on acceptable biological catch and annual catch limits for the uku and main Hawaiian Islands deep-seven bottomfish fisheries.
2025 Annual SAFE Reports
The SSC will also review key points from the 2025 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Reports for both archipelagic and pelagic fisheries. These annual reports provide a region-wide snapshot of fishery performance, ecosystem conditions and fishery trends, helping managers evaluate changing catch rates, fishing participation and broader environmental influences affecting Pacific fisheries. Overall, the report emphasizes the importance of strong data collection, adaptive management and market stability in supporting resilient fisheries.
Science Priorities and Research Updates
In addition to fishery-specific agenda items, the SSC will discuss regional science and research priorities under changing budget conditions, and a next-generation stock assessment platform known as the Fisheries Integrated Modeling System. The SSC will also hear several new research updates, including a Hawai‘i shark tagging project, pelagic false killer whale abundance estimates, Hawaiian green sea turtle nesting genetics and billfish vulnerability in longline fisheries.
How to Join
In-Person: Council Office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI
Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/160SSCMtg, Event password: SSC160mtg
Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/160th-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeting
The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet June 9-11, 2026, at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center, Utulei, AS, www.wpcouncil.org/event/207th-council-meeting.
Scientific and Statistical Committee: James Lynch (chair); Debra Cabrera (University of Guam); Frank Camacho (University of Guam); Courtney Carothers (University of Alaska Fairbanks); Milani Chaloupka (University of Queensland); Cathy Dichmont (Cathy Dichmont Consulting); Erik Franklin (University of Hawai‘i); Shelton Harley (Fisheries Consultant); Jason Helyer (Hawai‘i Div. of Aquatic Resources); Ray Hilborn (University of Washington); Alister Hunt (Finology); Dave Itano (Fisheries Consultant); Keena Leon Guerrero (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Div. of Fish & Wildlife); Domingo Ochavillo (American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources); Graham Pilling (The Pacific Community); Jim Roberts (Anemone Consulting); Justin Suca (University of Hawai‘i); Robin Waples (University of Washington); Charles Littnan (ex-officio) (National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center).
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Secretary of Commerce appointees from nominees selected by American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam and Hawai‘i governors: Roger Dang, Fresh Island Fish Co. (Hawai‘i) (vice chair); Edgar Feliciano, Feli Fisheries Inc. (American Samoa); Pete Itibus, Saipan Fishermen’s Association (CNMI); Frank Perez, AC Sales and Service, (Guam); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); Jesse Rosario, fisherman (Guam); Will Sword, American Samoa Power Authority (American Samoa) (vice chair); and Gene Weaver, Tasi to Table (CNMI). Designated state officials: Ryan Kanaka‘ole, Hawai‘i Dept. of Land & Natural Resources; Sylvan Igisomar, CNMI Dept. of Lands & Natural Resources (vice chair); Nathan Ilaoa, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources (chair); and Chelsa Muña, Guam Dept. of Agriculture (vice chair). Designated federal officials (voting): Sarah Malloy, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (nonvoting): Jeremy Raynal, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; RADM Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District; Rachel Ryan, U.S. State Dept.; and Barry Thom, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.