Scientific and Statistical Committee Archives

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).

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.

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Meet August 11-13, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA

July 21, 2026 — The following was released by the The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet Tuesday, August 11 – Thursday, August 13, 2026 at The Westin Philadelphia. The meeting is open to the public and will also be accessible via webinar. Meeting materials, webinar information, and public comment instructions are available on the August 2026 Council Meeting Page.

Major agenda items include:

Surfclam and Ocean Quahog: Adopt 2027-2028 specifications.
Butterfish: Adopt 2027-2029 specifications and consider alternative trip limits and other measures intended to increase quota utilization.
Monkfish and Skates: Review feedback received during the Spring 2026 listening sessions on potential fishery improvements.
Chub Mackerel: Review 2027 specifications and consider revisions if needed.
Northeast Fisheries Science Center Surveys: Receive an update on recent fishery-independent surveys and the Regional Industry Based Trawl Survey.
Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan: Receive a presentation from NOAA Fisheries on the scoping process for potential future modifications to the plan.
Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish: Review 2027 specifications and consider revisions, if needed.
Scup Winter I Framework (final action): Review alternatives and take final action.
Business Session: Receive committee, agency, and liaison reports; approve an appointment to the Scientific and Statistical Committee; and provide an opportunity for general public comment.

The Council welcomes public comment from in-person and remote participants. Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are available on the meeting page.

Questions? Contact Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5261.

SSC Reviews Science Priorities as NOAA Funding Tightens

March 19, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

At its meeting yesterday, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council reviewed a preliminary National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) risk/value matrix intended to align science and management priorities under reduced funding and staffing, while continuing to meet Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) mandates.

The regional fishery management councils and associated science centers and regional offices are asked to identify fisheries that may require a narrower science and management focus. Considerations are to be given to operational or management changes and actions needed to implement them. The matrix is intended to guide resource allocation for fiscal year 2027 and beyond for future survey, assessment and analysis cycles. In the Western Pacific, Council and NMFS staffs are developing a regional application of the framework, with a final proposal expected at the June Council meeting.

SSC members noted differences between the Council and NMFS on where certain fisheries fall within the matrix, reflecting differing views of risk and value as well as ambiguity in the guidelines.

“The current matrix is still insufficient to support prioritization of funding for species-specific stock assessments,” said SSC member Shelton Harley.

Members said that criteria for cultural value and ecosystem importance are not captured for fisheries such as Hawai‘i Kona crab, deepsea shrimp and precious corals. Comparing each fishery’s data collection and analytical needs would improve the framework. Although Western Pacific fisheries like bottomfish and Kona crab are underutilized, their price per pound, contribution to island food security and cultural relevance make their overall value significant. NOAA’s current risk guidance also does not account for economic vulnerability.

Council obligations under the MSA remain unchanged despite any reduction in resources. Regional councils are responsible to manage fisheries for optimum yield and comply with the MSA’s National Standards, which include annual catch limits and accountability measures. Complete, transparent information, including funding, is needed to realistically align and prioritize management and science in this region. Applying the matrix could lead to management changes such as extending stock assessment or annual catch limit cycles, or reclassifying certain stocks as ecosystem component species.

The SSC formed two new working groups of members, Council staff and Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center staff – one to develop research priorities in light of budget constraints and help avoid interruptions in critical data streams, and another on “social valuation” to quantify the sociocultural and economic value of fisheries.

The SSC also reviewed the scientific basis for Guam’s draft territorial reef fish fishery management plan (FMP), following a request from the Guam Department of Agriculture for an independent evaluation of the data and assessment reports informing the plan. University of Guam Marine Laboratory researchers presented a weight-of-evidence approach using multiple datasets and methods to assess reef fish species. SSC members broadly supported the work as informative for the FMP and highlighted the importance of practical, enforceable measures, clear communication of uncertainty, and the use of local and fisher knowledge, especially for data-poor species.

Tomorrow, the SSC will finalize their recommendations to the Council for fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument and protected species issues, among others (https://tinyurl.com/159SSCMtg).

Request for Nominations: Scientific and Statistical Committee – Apply by Jan. 16

January 7, 2026 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Successful candidates will serve a three-year appointment beginning in March of 2026.

The SSC serves as the Council’s primary scientific/technical advisory body and provides independent scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch and rebuilding targets. The SSC also provides science advice and information on stock status, bycatch, habitat, social and economic impacts of management measures, and research priorities. SSC members are also expected to serve on various technical working groups and peer review panels as part of their SSC responsibilities.

The SSC typically meets 4-5 times per year, with meetings lasting from one to three days. Meetings may be held in-person or via webinar, and in-person meetings are usually held in the Mid-Atlantic region (e.g., Philadelphia, PA or Baltimore, MD). Eligible SSC members receive a daily stipend for meetings and are reimbursed for travel expenses.

Membership is composed of state and federal employees, academia, and independent experts with scientific and technical expertise in biology, statistics, stock assessments, economics, social science, and other relevant disciplines. Highly qualified candidates from all relevant fields are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants with expertise in stock assessments, survey design, fisheries ecology and life history, and recreational fisheries.

Individuals interested in applying for nomination to the SSC must submit a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume and a brief letter describing qualifications, relevant experience, and reason for interest in joining the SSC. Materials should be submitted by email to admin@mafmc.org by 5:00 P.M. on Friday, January 16, 2026. The Council’s Executive Committee will review all applications and recommend applicants for consideration and approval by the full Council.

Additional information about the SSC is available at https://www.mafmc.org/ssc. If you have any questions or need further information about the process, please contact Brandon Muffley at bmuffley@mafmc.org or 302-526-5260.

SSC Calls for Day One Monument Monitoring and Clearer False Killer Whale Analysis Ahead of Council Meeting

December 15, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Thursday the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council wrapped up a three-day virtual meeting, delivering scientific advice that will help shape decisions at the Council’s 205th meeting next week.

Marine National Monuments: “Day One” Monitoring if Fishing is Restored

A major SSC focus was what it would take to evaluate real-world outcomes if commercial fishing restrictions change in the Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments (MNM). The SSC stressed any restoration should be paired with immediate monitoring and research. Members said managers should not be forced to make future choices without the data needed to measure impacts.

Among the recommended priorities, the SSC cited the need for “tagging/telemetry and low-impact research approaches” to better understand how fish move in and around monument waters, and “co-designing research with fishing and indigenous communities, as appropriate.”

The Council will take up monument issues in multiple agenda items, including discussion on commercial fishing recommendations for the Pacific Islands Heritage MNM expansion area and potential options for Rose Atoll, the Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea. The Council will also hear an SSC report on marine protected area science as part of that discussion.

More Information and Analysis Needed on False Killer Whale Trends

The SSC cautioned that more information and analysis are needed to diagnose what is driving the estimated population trends for the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale population in an August 2025 paper. The estimated decline could reflect limits in the underlying data or the modeling approach and may not reflect the true population trend.

SSC members reiterated recommendations they made in 2023, when they reviewed a preliminary version of the analysis. They said a step-by-step sensitivity analysis is needed to show how methodological changes affected results, and that key demographic data are missing. The SSC noted those recommendations were not addressed in the published paper, and their concerns about the validity of the estimated abundance trends remain.

The August 2025 paper used new analytical methods that account for animal movement in the photo-identification data. The analysis estimated abundance increased in the first half of the time series (1999-2022) but also estimated a 3.5% annual decline over the last 10 years. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) researchers and collaborators who published the study cited possible drivers, including evidence of fishery interactions, based on dorsal fin and mouthline injuries. They also point to other threats like pollution and reduced genetic diversity.

The island-associated insular false killer whale was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2012. It is separate from the pelagic population, which is known to have incidental interactions with the Hawai‘i longline fishery.

Territorial Coral Reef Species Life History

The SSC reviewed results from a Council-supported project that used archived samples from PIFSC’s Life History Program to look at 12 coral reef species, about 2,200 samples, from Guam, the CNMI and American Samoa. Researchers used the samples to estimate age, growth and reproduction.

Members supported expanding life history work to more species and improving how samples are collected so scientists capture a wider range of sizes and seasons. The SSC noted market-based sampling can miss smaller and immature fish that can limit maturity estimates.

The SSC also recommended continued coordination with PIFSC and territorial agencies, along with training and quality-control steps to strengthen fishery-dependent life history datasets used in local management. Those steps include improved species and sex identification, and data-entry checks.

The SSC is the Council’s main scientific advisory group. Its recommendations will be presented during the Council meeting, alongside agency reports and public testimony. Council members consider that science as they debate and vote on initial and final actions and set future work priorities.

How to Join Council Meeting

The Council meeting will be held virtually Dec. 16–17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hawai‘i time. Major agenda items include commercial fishing actions tied to MNMs, 2026–2029 CNMI bottomfish catch limits, an ESA review for the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery, vessel electronic monitoring and more. The agenda includes scheduled public comment periods, including a block for non-agenda items at the end of the first day. A summary of action items is available at: https://tinyurl.com/205CouncilMtgActions.

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

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

Scientists Deliberate Impacts of Monument Pelagic Fishing Prohibitions

December 9, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

On the first day of its 158th meeting, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council reviewed the best available science on the potential benefits and costs of restoring commercial fishing in U.S. Pacific marine national monuments.

A presentation by SSC member Ray Hilborn, University of Washington professor, examined the limited data available from within existing monument closures, new information from recent re-openings and economic performance of U.S. longline vessels before and after closures. The analysis compared widely promoted claims that large marine protected areas (MPAs) increase biodiversity, create healthier ecosystems and support sustainable fisheries with empirical evidence from the Pacific.

The presentation highlighted that:

There is very little direct fishery or ecosystem data from inside the closed areas, with most insights coming from catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) near monument boundaries, acoustic data from drifting fish aggregating devices and economic studies.
For the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, modeled increases in tuna abundance through spillover were modest (on the order of a few percent), and may not translate into large fishery gains.
In U.S. monument waters, where historical fishing pressure was relatively low, large ecological responses to closure are not expected, and recent studies have found no measurable increase in tuna biomass density inside open-ocean MPAs and, in some cases, substantial reductions in bigeye CPUE linked to the loss of historically productive grounds.
Closures of marine national monuments create an illusion of “protection” while leaving non-fishing threats ignored.

Hilborn’s talk also outlined potential SSC platforms for discussion, including that well-regulated U.S. fisheries under the Magnuson–Stevens Act (MSA) are unlikely to pose an abatable threat to pelagic stocks that can be solved through large open-ocean MPAs alone, and that management frameworks such as the MSA and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission already provide tools to achieve conservation goals while considering human and community impacts.

Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association, provided public comment following the SSC discussion. He noted that existing monument area closures “exclude U.S. vessels from U.S. waters and leave us very constrained in where we can fish.” Citing declining bigeye catch rates, Kingma emphasized that “we need to be able to find and follow the fish – that’s the most important part.”

“We’re not looking for more fish, but to have the opportunity to fish more efficiently away from competitors,” Kingma said.

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Friday, May 5, 2023 – Groundfish and Other Issues

April 28, 2023 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to groundfish, National Standard Guideline revisions, and other topics. The public is invited to listen live. Here are the details.

WHEN: Friday, May 5, 2023

START TIME: 9:30 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to join the meeting through this webinar. The Remote Participation Guide is posted here.

CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 930-5321. The access code is 916-377-054. Your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA: The SSC will meet to discuss:

The challenges the SSC has faced when applying acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules for Northeast multispecies (groundfish) stocks;
Progress made on scoping a model for enhanced use of the SSC’s sociocultural and economic expertise in the SSC and Council process;
An update on plans for the eighth meeting of the Council Coordination Committee’s Scientific Coordination Subcommittee; and
Other business, including: (1) an update on the SSC’s 2023 work plan; and (2) an upcoming opportunity for the SSC to comment on NOAA Fisheries’ soon-to-be-published advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to update Guidelines for National Standards 4, 8, and 9.

COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Address comments to Council Chair Eric Reid or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org. Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS: All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC May 5, 2023 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492, ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Tuesday, June 8, 2021 – Groundfish and Council Research Priorities

June 1, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet by webinar to discuss issues related to groundfish and the Council’s updated list of research priorities. The public is invited to listen live. Here are the details.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 8, 2021

START TIME: 9:00 a.m.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION: Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

CALL-IN OPTION: To listen by telephone, dial +1 (562) 247-8422. The access code is 272-665-980. Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.

AGENDA: The SSC will meet to:

Discuss possible next steps for modifying groundfish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules in response to findings in the report titled Evaluation of Alternative Control Rules for New England Groundfish;
Comment on the Council’s 2021-2025 Research Priorities; and
Consider other business as necessary.

COMMENTS: The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021. Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org. Additional information is available in the meeting notice.

MATERIALS: All documents for this meeting will be posted on the SSC June 8, 2021 meeting webpage.

QUESTIONS: Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 101, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

Salmon Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee to hold online meeting June 4, 2021

May 12, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee’s (SSC’s) Salmon Subcommittee will meet to review the SSC’s role in reviewing salmon forecast methodologies and other analyses informing Pacific Council decisions as specified in the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan and in Council Operating Procedure 15. The SSC Salmon Subcommittee may also discuss how best scientific information available determinations for salmon decision-making might be structured. The online meeting will be held Friday, June 4, 2021 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Please see the meeting notice on the Pacific Council’s website for additional details.

For further information:

Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.

SSC’s Economics and Groundfish Subcommittees to hold online meeting May 26, 2021

April 28, 2021 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee’s (SSC) Economics and Groundfish Subcommittees will hold a meeting to review a new Quota Share Owners’ Cost Survey to inform decisions on the west coast limited entry trawl catch shares program and to do some initial planning on an upcoming review of the limited entry fixed gear sablefish program. The online meeting will be held Wednesday, May 26, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, and it will be open to the public.

Please see the meeting notice on the Pacific Council’s website for additional details.

For further information:

Please contact Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer John DeVore at 503-820-2413; toll-free 1-866-806-7204.