April 1, 2025 — While more fleets across the country move to electronic monitoring, the costs continue to be a concern. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is the latest Council to document the burden on fishermen and seek help.
Last week’s Council meeting discussions focused on electronic monitoring in longline fisheries in Hawaii and American Samoa regarding cost allocation, funding strategies and economic viability.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) confirmed it will cover $4 million in upfront EM program costs, separate from the estimated $2.4 million in annual expenses and in contrast to the $7 million spent annually on the human observer program. While NMFS said it will fund server replacements and data storage, the fishing industry could be responsible for replacing EM systems at $10,000 per vessel every three years.
Council members and staff were not satisfied.
American Samoa Vice Chair Archie Soliai questioned whether NMFS would commit to cost-sharing beyond three years, while Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds urged NMFS to seek funding from NOAA Headquarters, arguing that federally mandated monitoring costs should not fall on the industry.
“If the federal government requires monitoring under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, it needs to pay for it, regardless of whether the Council initiates its implementation,” Simonds said in a statement. “We have been suggesting EM since 2002.”