September 21, 2022 — Like strong fishing regulations, successful closed areas should rely on solid science.
But scientists for the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council are questioning the information supporting a proposed monument expansion in remote waters.
The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee last week heard a presentation by Bob Richmond, University of Hawai‘i professor and coauthor on the proposal to expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Richmond provided information related to the scientific merits of the proposed expansion.
However, SSC members noted in their discussion the overwhelming lack of data to support theorized benefits and an analytical framework to assemble data in the proposal evaluation.