Papahanaumokuakea Archives

Council Advances Sea Turtle Actions, Finalizes Fishing Recommendations

September 18, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council yesterday called on federal agencies to move forward with long-awaited green sea turtle status reviews in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and American Samoa — an important step in addressing Pacific Island requests for the restoration of traditional cultural harvest.

“Populations of green sea turtles in the territories are listed as endangered under the ESA,” said CNMI Council member Sylvan Igisomar. “However, an international body of sea turtle experts [IUCN] has determined that they are of least concern — essentially saying they are no longer threatened. We’re looking forward to working with this Administration to address our requests.”

The Council requested the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expedite reviews of the green sea turtle distinct population segments associated with the three U.S. Pacific territories. NMFS Regional Administrator Sarah Malloy said a status review is needed to determine whether a population meets the criteria for downlisting or delisting.

The Council will ask the secretaries of Commerce, the Interior and State to consider renegotiating or withdrawing from the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC). Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds said the convention remains an obstacle to addressing cultural harvest.

“This Convention undermines U.S. law, which is the ESA, because it prevents us from actually allowing a cultural harvest,” Simonds said. “It’s either renegotiating and adding the exemption for cultural harvest, or leave the Convention.”

Longline Sea Turtle Measures
After discussing sea turtle measures affecting the Hawai‘i shallow-set and American Samoa longline fisheries earlier in the meeting, the Council finalized recommendations to evaluate potential regulatory changes. Existing regulations remain in place while alternatives are developed and analyzed.

For the Hawai‘i shallow-set fishery, the Council will prepare an amendment for action in December with final action in March 2027. The analysis will include economic impacts from existing trip limits and the effect of a crew training program begun in 2024 on the condition of loggerhead and leatherback turtles released from fishing gear.

Hawai‘i Council member Eric Kingma said the shallow-set fishery has undergone extensive management changes over the years and supplies about half of the U.S. swordfish production.

“It is worth continuing to review the measures if the science shows there would be little impact,” Kingma said.

The Council also requested timely NMFS analyses needed for the action, including any ESA consultation, and coordination with scientists updating North Pacific loggerhead and Western Pacific leatherback population assessments.

For the American Samoa longline fishery, the Council approved a similar review, with initial action planned for December and final action in March. The review will include consulting with fishermen on the operational impacts of sea turtle measures established under the Council’s Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan Amendment 5.

The Council requested the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center use available observer data to evaluate the effects of Amendment 5 on turtle interactions and target and nontarget catch, including silky and oceanic whitetip sharks.

Papahānaumokuākea Actions Finalized
The Council also finalized recommendations on fishing in Papahānaumokuākea.

For bottomfish, the Council will work with NMFS, its Scientific & Statistical Committee and fishermen to develop an experimental fishing permit to collect information needed to support sustainable fisheries in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and National Marine Sanctuary.

The Council will continue to review existing Magnuson-Stevens Act regulations to determine whether changes to management measures are needed.

In response to NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries request for fishing regulations, the Council concluded existing federal fishery regulations meet the purposes and policies of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the sanctuary’s goals and objectives. These include limited-access programs, gear restrictions, catch limits, protected species mitigation measures and prohibited-area management. Therefore, additional sanctuary-specific fishing regulations are unnecessary.

Council advances fishing access discussions in Pacific marine monuments

September 16, 2026 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council advanced discussions Tuesday on potential fishing access in Pacific marine national monuments, while deferring action on several proposed fishing regulations as additional discussion will take place.

The council deferred action on fishing regulations for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Sanctuary, as well as Hawaii and American Samoa longline sea turtle measures, until Wednesday, Sept. 16.

During the meeting, a key point discussed was that removing a monument-based fishing prohibition or an individual regulatory requirement would not eliminate other federal fishery regulations. Fisheries would still be subject to applicable requirements involving permits, reporting, catch limits, fishing gear, monitoring and protected species.

Read the full article at Island News Council

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.

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

Pacific monuments reopening push fights over fishing, culture

April 16, 2026 — A renewed push to reopen the U.S. Pacific Marine National Monuments to commercial fishing is setting up another round of tension among fishing access, conservation priorities, and cultural protections in some of the most remote waters in the world.

Earlier this month, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) recommended allowing commercial fishing across all four Pacific monuments– Papahānaumokuākea, Pacific Islands Heritage, Marianas Trench, and Rose Atoll– areas that together span roughly 3.1 million square kilometers of protected ocean, according to Mongabay.

Wespac framed the move as a return to balance. The recommendation, the council said, is “about restoring sustainable fishing.” But the proposal has drawn criticism from conservation groups and Native Hawaiian advocates, who argue the monuments were established to safeguard ecosystems and cultural connections that extend far beyond commercial interests.

“I am sad that with all these restrictions in our areas, we are slowly losing some of our culture,” Wespac council member Pedro Itibus said in a press release.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

Council recommends opening US Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing

April 15, 2026 — A U.S. fishing regulator recently recommended allowing commercial fishing across all four of the country’s Pacific marine national monuments.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) said the move is “about restoring sustainable fishing.” Conservationists and native peoples, however, say it will damage some of Earth’s most pristine ocean ecosystems.

The monuments — Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench, and Papahānaumokuākea — cover 3.1 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles) of coral atolls, deep-sea trenches and remote islands.

Read the full article at Mongabay

Council to reopen monument waters to commercial fishing

March 27, 2026 — After hearing roughly 70 public comments, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC) has taken final action to restore commercial fishing access across several U.S. Pacific marine national monuments– marking a significant shift for fleets that have operated under long-standing closures.

The Council voted at its 206^th meeting to recommend reopening portions of the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marinas Trench, and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments to federally managed commercial fisheries.

“This is not about removing monument protections – it’s about restoring sustainable fishing in limited areas under fishery regulations the Council has developed over decades,” said Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds. “Those regulations were built to balance access and conservation, and that remains the Council’s guiding principle under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Fishing Prohibitions Unfair: Council Pushes for Analysis of Fishing in Marine Monuments

December 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council today took another step toward restoring sustainable commercial fishing in waters within several Pacific marine national monuments, considered pristine when they were established. The Council directed its staff to continue analyzing existing regulations in the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments (MNMs), with a final recommendation planned for consideration at its March 2026 meeting.

Recent presidential directives have instructed federal agencies to identify ways to reduce regulatory burdens and expand opportunities for commercial fishing in monument waters. In response, the Council is preparing a range of options aimed at returning commercial fishing to these areas under sustainable management.

“Prior to the establishment of the monument in 2009, we stewarded our own waters. With the monument, only the feds are in charge and no one else has a say,” said Council member Nathan Ilaoa, director of American Samoa’s Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. “This initiative before the Council provides an opportunity to talk about how the people want to manage their resources rather, than being told what to do by the feds,” he said. The Council also supported a recommendation to ask the president not to use the Antiquities Act to manage fisheries in federal waters.

Ilaoa said monument fishing prohibitions undermine the people’s ability to fish and provide food for the community. “Pacific Island people are unfairly required to bear the burden of the country’s environmental guilt, and the monuments represent a large inequality in how our peoples are treated,” he said.

Council members wrestled with potential enhanced management measures and stressed the need for additional data. Council Chair Will Sword said, “If you don’t go fishing, you can’t get the data.” Council member Gene Weaver added, “The Council’s existing regulations provide more than adequate protection, and we can learn from the fishing that occurs to determine if anything more is needed.” Members emphasized that if commercial fishing is restored, it must be done the right way: under existing federal fishery management authority, with strong monitoring and clear performance measures.

An important part of the Council’s fishery management decision-making process is the opportunity for community members to provide their input on issues discussed. During the public comment period, commenters were split: several supported reopening monument waters, especially the Marianas Trench, if done cautiously under enhanced regulations (gear and catch limits, protected-species measures, strong monitoring) and paired with baseline studies and adaptive management to support local livelihoods and food security. Others urged no action and keeping existing protections, particularly for Rose Atoll and Papahānaumokuākea, citing the areas’ sacred cultural importance, concerns about inadequate consultation and legal authority, and potential ecological harm.

The Council acknowledged letters to NOAA from the governors of American Samoa and the CNMI supporting fishing. However, one member expressed disappointment with the governor of Hawaiʻi’s letter to NOAA to keep fishing prohibitions in the Papahānaumokuākea and Pacific Islands Heritage MNMs. He argued that locally based, well-managed fisheries are integral to Hawaiʻi’s food security and economic fabric, and noted that the state’s longline fisheries represent its largest agricultural product. He urged greater consideration of Hawaiʻi’s fishermen in any decisions affecting these waters.

By the numbers:

Wild-caught pelagic fisheries in the Western Pacific generated around $108 million in revenue in 2024, including about $105 million from the Hawaiʻi longline fishery (2024 Council Stock Assessment and Fisheries Evaluation report).
Hawaiʻi’s seafood consumption is among the highest in the United States, estimated at more than twice the national average. Once local catch is transformed into value-added products like poke, its economic contribution grows even further.
For context across primary production in Hawaiʻi, USDA reports 2024 values of ~$53 million for coffee and ~$42 million for macadamia nuts.

The Council also recommended the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) provide funding to the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center to implement cooperative research that partners with commercial fishers to collect baseline information in monument waters.

The Council also endorsed Scientific and Statistical Committee research priorities, including:

Collecting catch/bycatch data suitable for model-based evaluation of policy impacts
Assessing foreign fishing impacts versus domestic fishing near U.S. waters
Tagging/telemetry and other low-impact research to evaluate species movement
Assessing monument-related fishery impacts on markets
Co-designing research with fishing and indigenous communities, as appropriate

Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds said research funding is needed to keep fisheries sustainable and protected. “While it is NMFS’s job to do research, funds are not available because the administration has to deal with other pressing issues,” said Simonds. “Organizations that helped the government establish the monuments have an obligation to help make this happen.”

What’s next

Council staff will complete the requested analyses and draft Fishery Ecosystem Plan amendment alternatives for review ahead of the March meeting, where the Council is expected to take further action on restoring access and finalizing a durable management path forward.

NMFS is expected to share Executive Order 14276 public comments with the Council by early January 2026, followed by January discussions with NMFS on comment summaries and prioritizing next steps, consistent with NOAA guidance from Eugenio Piñeiro Soler.

2026–2029 CNMI Bottomfish Catch Limits

The Council recommended setting the annual catch limit (ACL) for the CNMI bottomfish fishery at 72,000 pounds and the annual catch target (ACT) at 66,000 pounds for 2026–2029. These specifications are based on the results of the NMFS 2025 stock assessment update, along with application of the Council’s P* and SEEM analyses to account for scientific and management uncertainty. The ACT was set below the ACL to provide a management buffer that helps prevent the fishery from exceeding the ACL, ensuring catches remain within sustainable limits.

How to Join the Council Meeting

The Council meeting continues virtually tomorrow, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hawai‘i time with an Endangered Species Act review for the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery, vessel electronic monitoring and more. The agenda includes scheduled public comment periods.

Online: https://tinyurl.com/205CouncilMtg, Event password: CM205mtg

Get the full agenda & documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/205th-council-meeting-virtual-2

Wespac Looks To Expand Commercial Access To Hawaiʻi’s Papahānaumokuākea

December 16, 2025 –Local fishery managers, moving in step with the Trump administration, want to eventually reopen large protected swaths of the Pacific to potentially all sorts of U.S. commercial fishing — not just the deep-sea tuna and swordfish sought by longline boats but nearshore lobsters and corals as well.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, commonly known as Wespac, will consider on Tuesday options drafted by its staff to lift the commercial bans in several marine national monuments, including Hawaiʻi’s Papahānaumokuākea.

Some of the options that the influential group will consider endorsing would allow commercial fishing to resume in Northwestern Hawaiian waters as close as 3 miles from shore.

The move comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s order last April asking fishery officials to explore reopening the monuments to commercial fishing.

Wespac has for years opposed commercial fishing bans in the Pacific. A brewing legal battle leaves it unclear whether Wespac, backed by the Honolulu-based longline industry and other seafood interests, will ultimately prevail.

Kitty Simonds, Wespac’s longtime executive director, told Civil Beat on Monday that the group considers it a priority to resume bottomfishing and trolling in Papahānaumokuākea’s waters that extend 50 miles out from shore, and to restart longline fishing in the waters 50 to 200 miles out from shore.

“We haven’t changed what we’d like to see from the time of (establishing) the monument, right?” Simonds said. “We made our arguments.”

Read the full article at Civil Beats

SSC to Review Marine Monuments, Monitoring and False Killer Whale Science at Meeting This Week

December 9, 2025 — This week’s Dec. 9–11, 2025, virtual meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will bring together experts to review current research on Pacific fisheries, protected species and ocean management, and to translate that science into advice for future Council decisions.

Highlights include:

Commercial Fishing Regulations in the Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll and Marianas Trench Marine National Monuments: In response to Executive Order 14276 and subsequent Council direction, the SSC will provide scientific advice on the feasibility of lifting existing fishing restrictions and evaluate potential impacts to marine resources in the monuments. The SSC may also identify additional management measures and research needs to be considered before and after any resumption of commercial fishing activities.

The SSC will review the current state of knowledge on large open-ocean marine protected areas in the Western Pacific Region, drawing on recent peer-reviewed studies. This synthesis of scientific results, benefits, limitations and trade-offs of large, closed areas is intended to inform the Council’s consideration of future management options for the marine national monuments and identify priority research gaps.

Electronic Monitoring: The SSC will hear an update on the rollout of electronic monitoring in the Hawai‘i and American Samoa longline fisheries, including outcomes from the first workshop on vessel monitoring plans (VMPs) and implementation timelines. Members will have the opportunity to weigh in on issues affecting vessel operators and the use of data for fishery monitoring and other applicable law. The discussion will continue with a finalized VMP template for potential endorsement in March.

SSC Special Projects Working Group Reports: The SSC Protected Species Working Group will provide an update on alternative ways to assess how commercial fisheries may affect species such as false killer whales, oceanic whitetip sharks, and leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles. The discussion will focus on different approaches and data needs, with a final report expected in March.

The committee will also hear an initial status update on the multi-species stock assessment strategies process for bottomfish, as National Marine Fisheries Service scientists work with fishermen, managers and partners to apply the new framework for grouping species and using indicator species in future stock assessments.

False Killer Whale Abundance Estimates: The SSC will discuss the latest scientific study on the abundance estimates of endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale population. Members will discuss the implications of the findings for fishery management and identify priority research and monitoring needs.

How to Join Virtual Meeting

Online: https://tinyurl.com/158SSCMtg, Event password: SSC158mtg

Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/158th-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeting-virtual

The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet virtually Dec. 16-17, 2025, www.wpcouncil.org/event/205th-council-meeting-virtual-2.