Saving Seafood

American Samoa loses fishing rights decision in Ninth Circuit

April 2, 2021 — The American Samoa government was dealt a setback Friday last week when the Ninth Circuit Court reversed a decision that blocks large fishing vessels from fishing in a zone around their territory.

In 2016, the government of American Samoa claimed in a federal lawsuit the United States shrank a prohibited fishing zone around the South Pacific territory that was meant specifically for local fishers. The zone changed from 50 nautical miles to 12.

Boats larger than 50 feet were blocked from fishing and meant to avoid gear conflicts and competition between large fishing operations and local vessels.

American Samoa, through its status as an unorganized sovereign territory, is allowed a special right to maintain its traditions, culture and control of its lands and waters under a treaty signed in 1900 between several island chiefs and the U.S government.

But in 2016, the U.S. government said there was only one small vessel in the territory that was fishing in the waters — something the American Samoa government denied in its federal complaint filed in the District of Hawaii.

Read the full story at Marianas Variety

Video Highlights Importance of Fishing in American Samoa

March 24, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is proud to release We Fish! American Samoa. We collaborated with local fishermen and fishing communities to tell the story of recreational and non-commercial fishing in American Samoa. The video offers a lens into Samoan culture, and gives a glimpse into the different types of fishing methods common in the territory. Interviews with local fishermen help stress the importance of these activities in daily life.

“It is an expected part of life that we rely on the ocean and on the land for food and for provisions of families’ livelihood,” says Sili Satatua from the Village of Fagasa on Tutuila Island, American Samoa.

We Fish! American Samoa reveals the traditional Samoan practice of sharing within the community, and the need to act as stewards of local marine resources. It highlights the importance of non-commercial and recreational fishing—both in American Samoa and across the Pacific Islands region. It is a resource for food, an outlet for fun and education, and a way to perpetuate cultural family practices and the conservation of marine resources for future generations.

Watch the video here

Summary of Action Items for the 185th Council Meeting

February 26, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

  1. Wire Leader Regulatory Amendment in Hawaiʻi Longline Fisheries (Initial Action)
  2. US Catch Limits for North Pacific Striped Marlin (Final Action)
  3. Environmental Assessment for the Guam Bottomfish Stock Rebuilding Plan (Final Action)
  4. Update to the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep-Seven Bottomfish Annual Catch Limits (Initial Action)

The 185th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will convene March 23-25, 2021, by web conference (Webex) with host sites at the following locations:

  • Tedi of Samoa Building Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa
  • Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Drive, Hagatña, Guam
  • BRI Building Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St. Garapan, Saipan, CNMI

The Webex link is https://tinyurl.com/185CouncilMtg (if prompted, enter event number: 177 669 9488; password: CM185mtg).

The Council will consider and may take action on the issues summarized below (click here for a copy), including any public comments on them. Written public comments on final action items should be received by the Council’s executive director by 5 p.m. (HST), Friday, March 19, 2021, by postal mail, fax or email as indicated below.

Instructions for connecting to the Webex and providing oral public comments during the meeting will be posted on the Council website at http://www.wpcouncil.org/event/185th-council-meeting-virtual.

Mail: Ms. Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813

FAX: (808) 522-8226
E-mail: info@wpcouncil.org

1. Wire Leader Regulatory Amendment in Hawaiʻi Longline Fisheries (Initial Action)

Most vessels in the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery use steel trace wire leaders in the terminal portion of the branchline between the hook and the weighted swivel to reduce the risk of crew injuries resulting from the flyback of weighted branchlines. Wire leaders also make it difficult to remove the terminal portion of the branch line from sharks or other protected species that cannot be brought on board. Longer trailing gear left on sharks and sea turtles have been shown to reduce post-hooking survivorship. Monofilament nylon leaders may facilitate early release of sharks and improve post-hooking survivorship if they sever the line and escape.

In an effort to reduce impacts to ESA-listed oceanic whitetip sharks and other protected species, the Hawaii Longline Association (HLA) announced at the 184th Council meeting in December 2020 that their member vessels will voluntarily eliminate the use of wire leaders by July 1, 2021, and use monofilament nylon leaders or other similar materials in its place. HLA also announced that it will focus on crew safety and work with vessel owners, captains and crew to utilize best practices, including deploying flyback prevention devices and branchline weight configurations and materials that would minimize flyback. In addition, HLA committed to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Council to lead captain and crew training on how to properly implement handling protocols.

The Council commended HLA’s comprehensive initiative to further reduce interactions and post-hooking mortality of oceanic whitetip sharks, leatherback turtles and other protected species while also addressing associated crew safety issues. The Council subsequently directed staff to prepare a regulatory amendment to the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosytem Plan (FEP) to evaluate options to prohibit the use of wire leaders in the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery for Council action at the March 2021 meeting.

At its 185th meeting, the Council will review alternatives evaluating the impacts of regulating leader material in the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery, consider taking initial action and may select a preliminary preferred alternative for further analysis.

2. US Catch Limits for North Pacific Striped Marlin (Final Action)

The North Pacific striped marlin stock is overfished, experiencing overfishing and subject to an interim rebuilding plan by an international commission, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), but with no specified catch limits. The Council will consider recommendations in response to the stock status, taking into account the relative impacts of U.S. vessels, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. At its 184th meeting, the Council took initial action recommending a catch limit for U.S. vessels proportional to a total North Pacific stock-wide catch limit to end overfishing.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) developed catch-scenario projections that would end overfishing and rebuild the stock based on Council FEP and WCPFC criteria. These projections were used to develop and analyze the following alternatives for Council consideration: 1) no action, while considering U.S. impacts under the status quo, 2) annual catch limit (ACL) of 313 metric tons (mt) that corresponds to a 13.4% reduction from 2013-2017 U.S. landings, 3) ACL of 237 mt that corresponds to a 34.4% reduction from 2013-2017 U.S. landings, and 4) ACL of 457 mt, consistent with previous Council action and WCPFC criteria. These catch limits are for U.S. vessels operating in the WCPFC Convention Area and north of the equator. The Council will also consider timing of the implementation of an ACL, whether it should be applicable for fishing year 2021 or 2022.

At its 185th meeting, the Council may take final action to recommend a preferred alternative for an ACL for North Pacific striped marlin that may proportionally reduce the relative impacts of U.S. vessels and move towards ending overfishing. The Council will consider timing of implementing catch limits and if limits may be applicable for specific years (e.g., until an updated stock assessment is available or within a WCPFC rebuilding plan timeline).

3. Environmental Assessment for the Guam Bottomfish Stock Rebuilding Plan (Final Action)

At the its 184th meeting in December 2020, the Council received the options to address the overfishing bottomfish stock condition in Guam based on the 2019 Benchmark Stock Assessment (Langseth et al., 2019). The Council selected 31,000 pounds as its prelimary preferred alternative that mitigates the short-term impacts to the fishery by allowing moderate levels of take while achieving the rebuilding of the stock within the longest timeframe allowed (10 years or Tmax). Since then, working with the Action Team, Council staff received an updated biomass projection from PIFSC that is consistent with the National Standards 1 (NS1) definition of Tmax. The new information substantially changed the rebuilding timeframes of the options provided in December 2020. It extended the rebuilding timeframe for the 27,000-pound ACL from four to eight years and the 31,000-pound ACL from six to 19 years. This was due to the recreated catch data to fill in the 2020 and 2021 period to do the biomass projection starting in 2022. The high catch of 37,000 pounds in 2019 increased the three-year average catch, which was further adjusted to be consistent with the catch data used in the assessment. This makes the 31,000-pound alternative no longer compliant with the NS1 guideline to rebuild within 10 years. Council staff will present the draft amendment document with an environmental analysis.

At its 185th meeting, the Council will review the new information, reconsider its preliminary preferred alternative and will consider final action to provide NMFS with rebuilding recommendations and management measures.

4. Update to the Main Hawaiian Island Deep-Seven Bottomfish Annual Catch Limits (Initial Action)

PIFSC released the update to the main Hawaiian Islands deep-seven bottomfish stock assessment with catch and effort data updated to 2018 and fishery-independent survey data up to 2020. The stock remains healthy with the biomass reference point indicating it’s not overfished and the fishery is sustainable, with the harvest reference point indicating the fishery is not experiencing overfishing. The assessment provided alternative catch levels at different risks of overfishing from 2021 to 2025 to inform the specification of new ACLs. The Science and Statistical Committee and the Council at their March 2021 meetings will consider the new information to determine if a change in the acceptable biological catch and ACL is warranted.

The current ACL (fishing years 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21) was specified at 40% risk of overfishing, accounting for the assessment information, uncertainty characterization, stock status, productivity and susceptibility of the species in the complex and the social, economic, ecological and management uncertainties. The catch associated with this risk of overfishing is 492,000 pounds.

The catch in fishing year 2019-2020 was 161,825 pounds, which is 33% of the ACL. The catch in 2019-20 is lower than the catch in 2018-19, which is probably due to COVID-19. The stock assessment update simply added recent data and did not change the parameters covered in the Risk of Overfishing Analysis. The 40% risk of overfishing in the updated assessment resulted in an ACL of 496,000 pounds, or 4,000 pounds higher than the current ACL.

Given that the information used in the assessment update did not change the scores in the four dimensions of the scientific and management uncertainties, the stock status remained the same and the average catch is far below the ACL, at its 185th meeting, the Council may consider rolling over the current ACL of 492,000 pounds. Keeping the current ACL is more conservative, with the risk of overfishing being less than 1% lower than a 40% risk of overfishing.

WPRFMC 2021 Public Meetings Notice

February 25, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council announces the following public meetings on fisheries management in offshore waters of Hawai‘i (HI), American Samoa (AS), Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA). Unless otherwise noted, the meetings will be held by web conference. Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19; check the Council website for updates. All times listed are local island times. For more information on the virtual meeting connection and complete agendas, click on the meeting title, or go to www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars, email info@wpcouncil.org or call (808) 522-8220.

Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Plan Team
March 3 – 4 (W – Th) 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: Oceanic whitetip shark report; Wire leader amendment and seabird mitigation measures for the HI longline fishery; and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits.

Non-Commercial Fisheries Advisory Committee
March 10 (W) 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: Council action items; Noncommercial data collection efforts and reporting; and Executive order and legislation potential impacts.

AS Archipelago FEP Advisory Panel (AP)
March 10 (W) 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (SST)
Major agenda items: AS bottomfish management options; Catchit Logit implementation; AS Large Vessel Prohibited Area status; AP plans; and AS fishery issues and activities.

Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
March 11 (Th) 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: Council action items; Mariana Archipelago green sea turtle population status; 2021 HI small-boat survey; Bigeye tuna management in Western and Central Pacific longline fisheries workshop.

Mariana Archipelago FEP-Guam AP
March 11 (Th) 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (ChST)
Major agenda items: Guam bottomfish stock rebuilding plan; Catchit Logit implementation; AP plans; and Guam fishery issues and activities.

HI Archipelago FEP AP
March 12 (F) 9 a.m. to noon (HST)
Major agenda items: Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) deep-seven bottomfish annual catch limit (ACL) specification; Wire leader amendment and seabird mitigation measures for the HI longline fishery; North Pacific striped marlin catch limits; HI reef fish life history research report; and AP plans.

Mariana Archipelago FEP-CNMI AP
March 13 (Sat) 9 a.m. to noon (ChST)
Major agenda items: Guam bottomfish update; Catchit Logit implementation; AP plans; and CNMI fishery issues and activities.

139th Scientific & Statistical Committee
Direct link to meeting: https://tinyurl.com/139SSCMtg. If prompted, password SSC139mtg.
March 16 – 18 (T – Th) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: MHI deep-seven bottomfish acceptable biological catch update (action item); Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan impact analysis (action item); Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Pelagic & International Standing Committee
March 22 (M) 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Executive & Budget Standing Committee
March 22 (M) 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: Financial and administrative matters; Coral critical habitat working group; and Council family changes.

185th Council Meeting
Direct link to meeting: https://tinyurl.com/185CouncilMtg.
If prompted, password CM185mtg.
Host sites: Tedi of Samoa Bldg., Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, AS
BRI Bldg., Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, CNMI
Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Drive, Hagatña, Guam
March 23 – 25 (T – Th) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)
Major agenda items: MHI deep-seven bottomfish ACL update (action item); Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan environmental assessment (action item); Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Written comments on final action items on the 185th Council meeting agenda received by March 19, 2021, will be distributed to Council members prior to meeting. Direct comments to Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director, WPRFMC, and mail to 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, fax to (808) 522-8226 or email to info@wpcouncil.org. Written comments on all other agenda items may be submitted for the record by email throughout the duration of the meeting.

Proposal To Protect Pacific Corals Exempts Military Training Areas

February 18, 2021 — A National Marine Fisheries Service proposal to designate 230 square miles of critical habitat for seven threatened coral species in the Pacific Ocean is getting mixed reviews from environmental advocates due to an exemption for military training areas.

The unprecedented initiative would be a milestone for groups fighting to preserve the coral species, which are threatened by warming seas and ocean acidification fueled by climate change. But critics say the military should have to adhere to the same rules and called for more public hearings before a decision is made.

The designated critical habitats are located in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. Pacific islands.

“The proposal does not accurately reflect the cumulative impacts of the proposed federal activities that will take place in the area that may affect the survival of these coral species,” Guam Sen. Sabina Flores Perez said in her public testimony on the proposal.

Read the full story at the Honolulu Civil Beat

Scientists Set Acceptable Biological Catch for American Samoa Bottomfish, Recommend Rebuilding Plans for American Samoa and Guam Bottomfish

December 2, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded its two-day virtual meeting today. Key outcomes addressed the American Samoa and Guam bottomfish fisheries and measures to mitigate incidental interactions of the Hawai‘i longline fishery with protected species.

American Samoa Bottomfish

To address overfishing in the American Samoa bottomfish fishery, the SSC recommended a phased-in acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 5,000 pounds in fishing year 2021 and 2000 pounds in fishing year 2022. This option provides a gradual reduction in the ABC and allows limited access to offshore banks to access culturally important deep-water snappers.

To rebuild the overfished American Samoa bottomfish stock within the next 10 years per the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the SSC supports an annual catch limit (ACL) of 1,500 pounds. An in-season accountability measure will be implemented to track the catch relative to the ACL. Federal waters will close to bottomfishing when the ACL is projected to be reached.

SSC members discussed the practicality of enforcing fishing regulations between territorial and federal waters. The distribution of bottomfish using a habitat proxy showed 85% is found in territorial waters. The reduction of catch through this federal action only constitutes a minute portion of the total catch, but a significant proportion of the deep-water bottomfish species found on the offshore banks.

The SSC expressed concerns regarding the data-limited nature of these fisheries that hampers their accurate representation and the ability to properly manage them. The COVID-19 pandemic affected implementing the data collection programs. The SSC noted that if there is no new data to support the new benchmark assessment aside from changing the modeling approach, then the fishery may still end up with the same stock status.

The SSC reiterated its recommendation that the next benchmark bottomfish stock assessment in 2023 analyze the deep-water complex separately from the shallow-water complex. The SSC also recommended that the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center conduct a data workshop with the American Samoa bottomfish fishermen, local fishery agency and other interested parties to discuss the data and model assumptions that will be used in the next assessment.

To rebuild the overfished Guam bottomfish stock, the SSC supports either an ACL of 27,000 pounds, rebuilding the stock in four years, or an ACL of 31,000 pounds, rebuilding in six years. Both options include an in-season accountability measure and mitigate short-term impacts to the fishery by allowing moderate catch levels, while still rebuilding the stock within 10 years.

The SSC also supported an experimental fishing permit application submitted by the Hawaii Longline Association to test tori line efficacy without the use of blue-dyed bait when fishing north of 23 °N. Field trials of tori lines conducted in 2019 indicate albatrosses are at least 2 times less likely to interact with longline gear or bait when the bird scaring lines are used in conjunction with the required blue-dyed bait. Data from the Hawaiʻi longline fishery have shown that blue-dyed bait is less effective than side-setting, another seabird mitigation measure required in the fishery.

The permit would allow additional at-sea trials by providing an exemption to the existing seabird mitigation measures under the Council’s Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan requiring the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery use blue-dyed bait when stern-setting in this region. The study will inform the Council’s discussion on modifying seabird mitigation measures in the longline fishery.

Recommendations made by the SSC on these and other matters will be considered by the Council when it meets Dec. 2-4, 2020, virtually with host sites at BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); and Tedi of Samoa Building, Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa. Instructions on connecting to the web conference, agendas and briefing documents are posted at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars. Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19; check the Council website for updates.

Rep. Amata Hails $4.4 Million Federal Support For Fishing Workforce And Economy

November 27, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Congresswomen Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa):

Wednesday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata welcomed the announcement by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.4 million grant to American Samoa to support commercial fishing workforce development and economic diversification efforts. The EDA grant, to be located in a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Opportunity Zone, will create 50 jobs and generate $2 million in private investment.

“Jobs and development is always great news,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Commercial fishing is the backbone of our economy, and fishing has always fed the Samoan people. This creative project is a real credit to the opportunity zone legislation. Thank you to Secretary Ross and Assistant Secretary Gartzke for directing this important investment right where it’s needed most.”

“The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring underserved communities grow through strategic investment and innovative workforce development,” said Secretary of Commerce Ross. “This project will provide American Samoa with a fleet of commercial fishing vessels to be used for worker training and as business incubators. The project’s location in an Opportunity Zone will drive additional investment to the islands.”

Read the full release here

Scientists to Set Acceptable Biological Catch for American Samoa Bottomfish and Consider Rebuilding Plan Options

November 25, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Scientists from throughout the Pacific will meet Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, 2020, to discuss fishery management issues and make management recommendations for fisheries in the Western Pacific Region. The meeting of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will be held virtually and is open to the public. The full agenda, background documents and instructions for connecting to the meeting and providing oral public comments are available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/138th-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeting. Among the agenda items are the following:

American Samoa Bottomfish

The SSC will set the acceptable biological catch for the American Samoa bottomfish fishery for fishing years 2021-2022. The best scientific information available for fishery management decisions is the 2019 stock assessment from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) with catch projections to 2025. Based on this information, the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is estimated to be 20,800 pounds and the overfishing limit in 2022 is 5,000 pounds. A panel of fishermen, fishery scientists and managers evaluated the scientific uncertainties associated with the assessment and quantified a risk level for the SSC to consider.

The 2019 benchmark stock assessment found the American Samoa bottomfish fishery to be overfished and subject to overfishing. The Council, in consultation with its SSC, must develop and implement within two years a plan that would rebuild the overfished stock within 10 years. At the same time, the Council must immediately end overfishing. The current projection from NMFS shows the stock could rebuild within 10 years with an annual catch limit ranging between 0 to 1,500 pounds. NMFS has issued a final rule to implement an interim catch limit of 13,000 pounds that would reduce overfishing and allow biomass to increase while minimizing socio-economic impacts to fishing communities. At the end of the 2020 interim measure, NMFS will review the performance of the fishery and could extend the measure for an additional period not to exceed 186 days in 2021.

The SSC may provide scientific advice on potential options that could simultaneously rebuild the bottomfish stock and end overfishing.

Guam Bottomfish

The NMFS 2019 stock assessment found the Guam bottomfish stock to be overfished, but not experiencing overfishing. At its March 2020 meeting, the Council voted to specify the annual catch limit for the bottomfish fishery at 27,000 pounds for fishing years 2020 to 2023. This annual catch level would allow the biomass to rebuild to MSY within four years (2024). However, there are no accountability measures in place that would guarantee that the catch would be kept below this level. The SSC is scheduled to discuss the rebuilding plan options and may provide advice to the Council.

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks

The Council’s Oceanic Whitetip Shark Working Group met and recommended research priorities and identified improvements needed to reduce fishery impacts on the species. Incidental catches of oceanic whitetip sharks have declined since international non-retention measures were enacted throughout the Pacific. According to projections, the stock should recover if catches remain 10-20% below 2016 levels. U.S. impacts on the population are expected to remain low relative to foreign fisheries, with U.S. longline fisheries impacting 1.2% of spawning potential by 2031. Based on the working group’s findings, the SSC may have recommendations on observer coverage and improved handling of released sharks, such as reducing trailing gear.

North Pacific Striped Marlin

Based on a Council recommendation to phase in catch reductions for striped marlin, the SSC will review and may recommend catch and/or effort levels for North Pacific striped marlin and allocations for international catch limits. The stock has been internationally overfished per a 2019 NMFS stock assessment presented at the June 2020 Council meeting. The Council is required to address, within one year, relative impacts of domestic fisheries and international overfishing per the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. U.S. Pacific fisheries, including the Hawaiʻi longline fishery, landed approximately 22% of reported North Pacific striped marlin catch from 2013 to 2017.

Recommendations made by the SSC on these and other matters will be considered by the Council when it meets Dec. 2-4, 2020, virtually with host sites at BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); and Tedi of Samoa Building, Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa. Instructions on connecting to the web conference, agendas and briefing documents will be posted at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars. Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19; check the Council website for updates.

Regional fisheries council to host education series

November 16, 2020 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will be hosting a series of meetings on fisheries management in offshore waters of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and pacific remote island areas.

Unless noted otherwise, meetings for regional stakeholders will be held online. Check the council website for updates.

• American Samoa: Nov. 18, 5 to 7:30 p.m. (SST)

Major agenda items: American Samoa Bottomfish annual catch limits for 2020-2021 and stock rebuilding plan; Reasonable and prudent measures and/or reasonable and prudent alternatives for the American Samoa longline fisheries; advisory panel plans; and American Samoa fishery issues and activities.

• Mariana Archipelago – Guam: Nov. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (ChST)

Major agenda items: Guam bottomfish stock rebuilding plan; advisory panel plans; and Guam fishery issues and activities.

Read the full story at the The Guam Daily Post

Summary of Action Items for the 184th WPRFMC Meeting

November 16, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

  1. Specification of Annual Catch Limit and Accountability Measures for the American Samoa Bottomfish Fishery for Fishing Years 2021-2022 (Initial Action)
  2. Options for the American Samoa Bottomfish Stock Rebuilding Plan (Initial Action)
  3. Options for the Guam Bottomfish Stock Rebuilding Plan (Initial Action)
  4. Reasonable and Prudent Measures and/or Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives for the Hawaii and American Samoa Longline Fisheries (Initial Action)
  5. Potential Catch Limits for North Pacific Striped Marlin (Initial Action)

The 184th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will convene December 2-4, 2020, by web conference (Webex) with host sites at the following locations:

  • Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Drive, Hagatna, Guam
  • BRI Building Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St. Garapan, Saipan, MP
  • Tedi of Samoa Building Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa

The Webex link is https://tinyurl.com/184CouncilMtg (if prompted, password is CM184mtg).

The Council will consider and may take action on the issues summarized below (click here for a copy), including any public comments on them. Written public comments on all agenda items may be submitted for the record by email throughout the duration of the meeting to the email below.

Instructions for connecting to the Webex and providing oral public comments during the meeting will be posted on the Council website at www.wpcouncil.org/event/184th-council-meeting.

  • Mail: Kitty M. Simonds
    Executive Director
    WPRFMC
    1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400
    Honolulu, HI 96813
  • FAX: (808) 522-8226
  • E-mail: info@wpcouncil.org

Read the full release here