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Council Advances Fishing Access, Reviews Key Regulations

September 16, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council today advanced actions on fishing access in Pacific marine national monuments and reviews of Hawai‘i longline and American Samoa bottomfish regulations. The Council deferred action on fishing regulations for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary (NMS), and Hawai‘i and American Samoa longline sea turtle measures, until Wednesday to allow additional discussion.

A recurring theme was that removing a monument-based prohibition or an individual regulatory requirement does not remove the broader suite of federal fishery regulations. Fisheries remain subject to applicable requirements for permits, reporting, catch limits, gear, monitoring and protected species.

The actions follow Presidential Proclamation 11035, “Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific,” and Executive Order 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.”

Fishing in Marine National Monuments and the Sanctuary
The Council discussed next steps for managing fisheries in the NWHI once monument-based commercial fishing prohibitions are removed, including how existing Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), monument and sanctuary requirements would work together. Members discussed the existing federal fishery regulations, potential costs and administrative needs of reopening fisheries, and the information needed to support sustainable management.

“Operating costs are a major consideration,” explained Council staff Mark Mitsuyasu. “We’re looking at who currently has the vessels, experience and capacity to participate, as well as costs such as crew, fuel and ice.” He added that about 80% of the historically fishable NWHI bottomfish area is in federal waters.

“This area is so large,” said Eric Kingma, Council member and Hawaii Longline Association executive director. “There are areas of the NWHI the Hawai‘i longline fleet would not go to — it’s just too far. There are more scientifically based approaches to manage the area while meeting protection objectives, conservation objectives, as well as supporting people’s livelihoods and Hawai‘i’s food security.”

The Council also discussed a request from NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for the Council to consider fishing regulations for the Papahānaumokuākea NMS.

Members expressed frustration that Office of National Marine Sanctuaries staff did not participate in the meeting and was unavailable to answer questions about the agency’s request. Council Vice Chair Will Sword called their absence “very disconcerting.” NMFS Regional Administrator Sarah Malloy said the agency could address some questions but might be unable to answer detailed questions about sanctuary policies and processes.

Around Muliāva (Rose Atoll), overlapping monument and American Samoa Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) regulations have created confusion over which restrictions apply. The Council clarified that large vessels with American Samoa longline limited-entry permits would be allowed to fish from 12 to 50 nautical miles once NMFS removes monument-based commercial fishing prohibitions under Proclamation 11035. The Council endorsed NMFS regulatory housekeeping to make that access clear in federal regulations.

Council Chair Nathan Ilaoa noted that conditions have changed substantially since the LVPA was established in 2002, when more than 20 larger longline vessels and more than 40 smaller alia longline vessels were operating. In 2025, only six American Samoa-owned larger longline vessels were active, and no alia longline vessels have operated since 2020.

“We’re talking about a small local fleet, the South Pacific albacore stock is healthy and existing protections remain in place,” Ilaoa said. “If conditions change again, we can take additional action.”

The clarification applies only to large vessels in the American Samoa longline limited-entry program. Waters within 12 nautical miles of Muliāva remain closed to fishing.

For the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, the Council will work with the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office to review existing MSA regulations and consider whether future management changes are necessary or appropriate for the conservation and long-term health and stability of Northern Island fisheries and monument resources.

Hawai‘i Swordfish Retention Limit
The Council reviewed the Hawai‘i deep-set longline swordfish retention limit for final action at its December 2026 meeting. Current rules cap unobserved deep-set trips at 25 swordfish with circle hooks and 10 with other hook types, while observed trips have no limit. The analysis will also examine sea turtle interactions in relation to swordfish catch rates and seasonality.

The limit was originally intended to discourage vessels switching from deep-set tuna to shallow-set swordfish fishing. Regulations prohibit at-sea gear switching, require vessels to declare their fishing method before departure and mandate circle hooks; the fleet is also moving toward electronic monitoring. Any change to the retention limit would leave other permitting, reporting, monitoring and protected species requirements in place.

During discussion, Kingma suggested looking more closely at the relatively few trips that approached or exceeded the 25-swordfish limit to see whether sea turtle interaction rates differed. He also recommended examining seasonal catch patterns, particularly during April and May when deep-set swordfish catches can increase.

The Council also recommended single-species annual catch limits for nine assessed American Samoa bottomfish management unit species for fishing years 2027–2030, based on analyses that account for scientific and management uncertainty. Together, the nine ACLs total 50,200 pounds per fishing year. All recent catches are well below these limits. Final action is planned for the December Council meeting.

The 208th Council meeting continues through Sept. 17, 2026.

How to Join
📍 In Person: (Host Sites)
Council Office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii
Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Drive, Hagatna, Guam
BRI Building Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St. Garapan, Saipan, CNMI
💻 Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/208CouncilMtg, Event password: CM208mtg
📜 Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/208th-council-meeting

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); Eric Kingma, Hawaii Longline Association (Hawai‘i); Frank Perez, AC Sales and Service, (Guam); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); Jesse Rosario, fisherman (Guam); and Will Sword, American Samoa Power Authority (American Samoa) (vice chair). 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): RADM Wayne Arguin Jr., U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District; Jeremy Raynal, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Rachel Ryan, U.S. State Dept.; and Barry Thom, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Lawsuits challenge deep-sea mining in Marianas, American Samoa

September 14, 2026 — Conservation and community groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the Trump administration’s plan to kickstart deep-sea mining off the coasts of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. The first lawsuit was specific to the Trump administration’s attempt to launch deep-sea mining off the coast of American Samoa.

Meanwhile, CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds wants territories to get a 50% cut of revenues from any deep-sea mining leases.

Tuesday’s lawsuit is the second filed by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, on behalf of parties Our Common Wealth 670, PåganWatch, Conservation Council for Hawai’i and Center for Biological Diversity. The first lawsuit was specific to the Trump administration’s attempt to launch deep-sea mining off the coast of American Samoa.

The mining leases were advanced by the Marine Minerals Administration in July and August, first for the seabed of American Samoa and then for the Marianas Islands. A lease sale is planned for Dec. 16 for the Marianas and for American Samoa in November.

Read the full article at Samoa News

NOAA sends Saildrones on mission to track El Niño

September 9, 2026 — A quartet of uncrewed surface vehicles are navigating 1,500 miles to the center of a historic El Niño gathering strength in the eastern Pacific, on a four-month mission to collect data on the warm-water impulse altering global weather patterns.

Two orange Saildrone Explorer 23′ USVs sailed Aug. 21 from Honolulu, carrying meteorological and oceanographic sensors and rendezvousing with two other Saildrones on a 6,000-mile round-trip mission for NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) according to a summary from the agency.

“A monumental El Niño is knocking at the door,” said Michael McPhaden, former PMEL senior scientist now working with NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES). “We’re going to take a closer look.”

The USVs will steer courses through the Tropical Pacific Observing System, a multi-national array of data-collecting moored surface buoys that provide continuous, real-time hourly tracking of surface winds, air temperature, humidity, and upper-ocean temperature down to 1,640’. Argo floats collect ocean profiles down to 1.24 miles every 10 days.

Distributed throughout the array are drifting buoys measuring sea surface temperature and currents. Overhead, satellites track the drifters and capture surface observations across wide areas.

Read the full article at Workboat

Western Pacific Scientists to Review Fishing Rules and Bottomfish Catch

September 5, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Where can large fishing vessels operate around American Samoa? How much bottomfish can be sustainably caught there in the coming years? What science will guide the future of fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands?

These are some of the questions the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will discuss Sept. 8–10, 2026, in Honolulu. The public can attend in person or online to hear how scientists review the information behind upcoming Council decisions affecting fisheries in Hawai‘i and American Samoa.

Agenda Highlights
Fishing Rules in American Samoa and the NWHI
The SSC will review possible changes to the American Samoa Large Vessel Prohibited Area around Rose Atoll and existing fishing rules in the NWHI.

For American Samoa, the discussion will focus on whether and how fishing access for larger vessels should change around Rose Atoll. The LVPA was established to reduce competition between large longline vessels and smaller-scale alia vessels. For the NWHI, the SSC will look at whether existing bottomfish and pelagic fishing rules still make sense today and what additional information may be needed. The committee may recommend options or identify science needed before the Council acts.

American Samoa Bottomfish Catch
The SSC will consider an acceptable biological catch (ABC) for American Samoa bottomfish for 2027–2030. A 2026 stock assessment update found that the fishery is not overfished and is not experiencing overfishing. The ABC is the SSC’s science-based recommendation for how much can be caught sustainably, accounting for scientific uncertainty. The Council then considers management uncertainty and other factors when setting the annual catch limit, which may be lower than the ABC.

Main Hawaiian Islands Deep-Seven Bottomfish
The SSC will also help set up the independent scientific review of an updated main Hawaiian Islands deep-seven bottomfish stock assessment expected later this year. The committee will review the terms of reference for the Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review and may nominate scientists to serve on the review panel. This process helps ensure the science used in future fishery decisions is sound and thoroughly reviewed.

What Science Is Needed for Upcoming Management Decisions?
The SSC will also identify research, monitoring and analysis needed to meet Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements and address emerging fishery management needs and priorities.

These include future management of areas recently reopened to commercial fishing, as well as developing pelagic fishery actions identified under the federal Executive Order on “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” Potential changes aimed at reducing regulatory burdens on domestic fishing include revisions to sea turtle measures in the Hawai‘i shallow-set and American Samoa longline fisheries and to the swordfish retention limit in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery.

The SSC will also rank regional research priorities to help focus future scientific work on the questions that matter most for fishery management.

How to Join
In-Person: Council Office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI
Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/161SSCMtg, Event password: SSC161mtg
Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/161st-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeting

The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet virtually Sept. 15-17, 2026, with host sites in Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI. More information is available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/208th-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).

Marine debris team completes latest Papahanaumokuakea cleanup mission

September 1, 2026 — A marine debris cleanup crew has returned to Honolulu after another mission to protect the fragile ecosystems of Papahanaumokuakea.

The Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project completed its second mission of 2026 on Friday after a 21-day expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The team removed 48,680 pounds of ghost nets and other plastic marine debris from Lalo, Kamokuokamohoaliʻi, Kamole and Kapou.

The mission was temporarily paused Aug. 19 as Hurricane Lala moved through the region.

Read the full article at Hawaii News Now

A Winter at Sea Reveals Seasonal Habits of Whales, Dolphins, and Seabirds in Hawaiʻi

August 21, 2026 — The Hawaiian archipelago is teeming with marine life, and winter brings some of the most exciting activity of the year. It’s a season when many whale and seabird species travel to the islands. Migratory baleen whales such as humpback and minke whales are only found in Hawai‘i in the winter, when they seek warmer waters to breed. Others—including various types of dolphins—rely on this marine ecosystem year-round, but scientists have yet to uncover the details of their wintertime habits.

To close that gap, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center launched a survey in late January 2026. Scientists spent 2 months monitoring these species around the main Hawaiian islands aboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette. The mission, called the Winter Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey, is only the second of its kind.

Six years after the first winter survey, researchers returned to better understand where, when, and how many whales and dolphins use this habitat. The data from these surveys feed into stock assessments, helping us track the status of these species and make informed conservation decisions. This work is especially important for high-priority species like false killer whales, including an endangered population that lives around the main Hawaiian islands.

Winter conditions at sea can be rough, with higher swells and lots of white caps. This makes animals harder to see. But NOAA scientists are experienced with scientific methods that rise to the challenge. During the survey, eagle-eyed visual observers spied more than 200 groups of whales and dolphins, even in difficult conditions. They documented humpback mothers with their calves, bottlenose dolphins riding the ship’s bow, and pantropical spotted dolphins leaping high into the air. Cutting-edge passive acoustic technology helped detect other whales and dolphins that could be heard but not seen.

In these photos, take a look behind the scenes of the survey and find out which species spend their winters in Hawaiʻi.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Nonprofit sues over U.S. push to auction areas of water around American Samoa for potential mining

August 20, 2026 — A legal environmental group sued the U.S. government on Tuesday to halt the Trump administration’s plans announced last month to auction off sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining.

Earthjustice filed the lawsuit against the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on behalf of two groups: Fa‘asao Amerika Samoa and Conservation Council for Hawai‘i.

The legal nonprofit is requesting that a judge order the National Marine Fisheries Service to stop moving forward with its plans and to comply with the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.

“The United States has never opened its waters to deep-sea mining. Until now,” the lawsuit stated.

It noted that the U.S. plans to sell leases with the intention of allowing mining across 33 million acres of seabed off American Samoa that is rich in minerals including nickel, cobalt and manganese that are used to build batteries, electronics and other products.

Read the full article at NBC News