Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Archives

Kitty Simonds receives outstanding contribution to Pacific Coast Fisheries Award

October 5, 2026 — The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) recognized Kitty M. Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, with its Outstanding Contribution to Pacific Coast Fisheries Award during the Commission’s 79th Annual Meeting in Kona, Hawaiʻi.

David Sakoda of the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources presented the award during the meeting’s awards luncheon.

“Her career has had a lasting influence not only in the Western Pacific, but nationally and internationally,” Sakoda said. “We are pleased to recognize Kitty today for her exceptional service, leadership and commitment to the people and marine resources of the Pacific.”

Simonds has served as executive director of the Western Pacific Council since 1983, leading the development and implementation of fisheries management strategies across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Pacific Islands. Under her direction, the Council pioneered regulations on fishing gear including drift gill nets and bottom trawls, as well as the first satellite-based fishery vessel monitoring system in the United States. She also helped transform the Hawaiʻi longline fishery through onboard observer coverage and gear changes that reduced interactions with and mortality of sea turtles, seabirds and sharks. The Council developed the nation’s first Coral Reef Fishery Ecosystem Plan and advanced the integration of local and traditional ecological knowledge into modern fisheries management.

Read the full article at Samoa News

Guam fishers spend more time trolling, land 53% less fish in 2025

October 5, 2026 — Guam’s boat fishers spent more time trolling in 2025 and still landed 53% less fish, a drop the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has yet to explain with certainty.

The council’s Status of the Fisheries 2025 report puts the estimated pelagic catch at 326,979 pounds, less than half the average of 700,109 pounds over the past decade. Trolling hours rose 7.4% to 41,518. Active trolling vessels climbed to 466 from 447. Catch rates dropped across most species.

“Fishers had to spend more time and effort to catch the same amount of pelagic fish than in previous years,” the council said in a statement to The Guam Daily Post. Staff at the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, or DAWR, believe changing ocean conditions, including possible lingering effects of the 2023 and 2024 El Niño, may have altered fish movement. Even so, the council said, “the data do not point to a single cause.”

Read the full article at The Guam Daily Post

Kitty Simonds Receives Outstanding Contribution to Pacific Coast Fisheries Award

September 30, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) yesterday recognized Kitty M. Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, with its Outstanding Contribution to Pacific Coast Fisheries Award during the Commission’s 79th Annual Meeting in Kona, Hawaiʻi.

David Sakoda of the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources presented the award during the meeting’s awards luncheon.

“For Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands, fisheries are not simply an industry. They are food security, cultural heritage, jobs and the ability of our communities to have a voice in decisions affecting our waters,” Simonds said when accepting the award. “We can protect our marine resources without sacrificing the American fisheries that put food on our tables. That requires sound science, meaningful conservation and — most importantly — a seat at the table for the communities that depend on these resources.”

PSMFC established the award program in 1987 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the conservation, development and management of marine fishery resources. Past recipients include the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who received the award in 2005, and fisheries scientist Dayton L. “Lee” Alverson of Washington, who was recognized in 1999 for his contributions to fisheries management and research.

The recognition comes as Simonds approaches another milestone. Jan. 3, 2027, will mark her 50th anniversary as a staff member of the Western Pacific Council. A native of Maui, Simonds joined the Council in its early years after working on the staff of U.S. Sen. Hiram L. Fong in Washington, D.C., and Honolulu.

The 79th PSMFC Annual Meeting is being held Sept. 27–30 in Kona and is the Commission’s first annual meeting in Hawaiʻi since the state joined PSMFC as a member in 2024. The Commission is also a nonvoting member of the Council. PSMFC’s annual meeting provides a forum for its six member states — Alaska, California, Hawaiʻi, Idaho, Oregon and Washington — and federal and regional partners to share information and discuss fisheries management issues. This year’s agenda includes Hawaiʻi and Pacific fisheries, federal fisheries science and management updates, fisheries data and technology, electronic monitoring, habitat conservation and other regional priorities.

About the Council
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council develops fishery management measures for federal waters surrounding Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas, working to support sustainable fisheries through science-based management and stakeholder participation.

WPRFMC to develop experimental fishing permit to collect information on commercial fishing in Papahānaumokuākea

September 28, 2026 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) is developing an experimental fishing permit (EFP) for bottom fishing in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to gather information supporting sustainable fishing efforts in the region.

The move is the latest of the council’s efforts to enable commercial fishing in several Pacific national marine monuments and sanctuaries, as directed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Since taking office for a second term in January 2025, Trump has pushed to reopen several large swaths of ocean that were closed to commercial fishing activity; in April 2025, he issued a proclamation to allow commercial fishing within Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

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.

Federal Fisheries Leaders Highlight Support for Western Pacific Fishing Communities

September 17, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The second day of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council meeting focused on strengthening fishing communities and expanding access to federal seafood programs.

NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler emphasized the importance of regional knowledge and fishing communities in federal fisheries management. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience as a commercial fisherman, fishing captain and fisheries manager in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, he said those closest to the fisheries understand their regions best and that NOAA’s role is to support them.

“Your ocean is your treasure. I come from an island too and know that once a fishing community disappears or vanishes, the culture goes away, and we really don’t want that,” Piñeiro Soler said. He added that the administration wants to strengthen fishing communities and their ties to the ocean, and that this is a time to collaborate and provide the science.

Council members raised regional priorities including the viability of American Samoa’s longline and tuna industries, South Pacific albacore allocations, competition from seafood imports and foreign fleets, and opportunities to expand tuna fisheries and quota flexibility in the CNMI.

Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds asked for NOAA’s support in moving quickly on Pacific monument fishing prohibitions and the separate sanctuary process, noting that accelerated fishery management amendments could require additional resources.

Piñeiro Soler pointed to the Administration’s forthcoming America First Seafood Strategy and efforts to strengthen domestic markets, processing capacity and the competitiveness of U.S. fisheries.

New USDA Office Opens Doors for Pacific Fisheries
The Council heard from Mike Illenberg of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Office of Seafood, established earlier this year to expand access to USDA programs for fishermen, seafood processors and aquaculture producers.

Illenberg said USDA is reviewing programs designed for agriculture to identify opportunities and barriers for seafood producers. Council members highlighted the need for better connections between Western Pacific fishing communities and local USDA offices and greater support for domestic seafood markets, including American Samoa’s U.S.-caught South Pacific albacore.

The Council recommended that the USDA Office of Seafood coordinate with the American Samoa Fisheries Task Force and explore adding U.S.-caught South Pacific albacore to the USDA Foods List through the Commodity Procurement Program. The Council also requested a Western Pacific fisheries webinar to increase awareness of the Office of Seafood, explain available USDA programs and identify opportunities for collaboration.

The Council will provide information on regional fisheries, including annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation reports, to local USDA Farm Service Agency and Rural Development offices to improve their familiarity with fisheries in Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific territories.

Workshop Highlights Gaps in Fishery Disaster Relief
Council members discussed findings from the U.S. Pacific Islands Fishing Resilience & Recovery Workshop, held Sept. 11–12, 2026, in Guam with 32 regional participants and representatives from Alaska, Pacific states and NOAA.

Workshop participants identified priorities including better defined disaster-response roles, stronger baseline fisheries data and rapid damage assessments, improved communication with fishermen and federal programs that account for the scale and characteristics of Pacific Island fisheries.

Since January 2026, four severe storms have affected the Western Pacific region, from the Mariana Islands to Hawaiʻi, with some communities still recovering from power outages and disruptions to water service.

Participants highlighted a significant disparity in federal fishery disaster relief. Since 1994, almost $2.1 billion has been appropriated nationally and 138 fishery disaster determinations have been made, while the Pacific Islands have received $1 million from a single successful determination, following the 2009 American Samoa tsunami. The median time to disburse funds for approved requests has been 3.4 years.

How to Join – The 208th Council meeting concludes Thursday, September 17.
📍 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.

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

HAWAII: Experimental fishing eyed as Northwestern Hawaiian Islands reopen

September 16, 2026 — Commercial fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands could resume under an experimental approach as federal fishery managers consider how to regulate fishing in waters largely closed to the industry since 2010.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will meet Sept. 15-17 to consider regulations for the reopened Northwestern Hawaiian Islands fishery, along with potential changes affecting Hawai‘i and American Samoa longline fleets, according to two Council releases published by Saving Seafood.

Ahead of the meeting, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee recommended a deliberate approach to reopening the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands bottomfish fishery. Before its closure, the area accounted for about half of Hawai‘i’s bottomfish management unit species landings.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

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 scientists chart research needs for reopened fisheries

September 15, 2026 — The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded its three-day meeting Thursday.

For the American Samoa longline fishery, the SSC said if the Council decides to change existing turtle-related gear requirements, the Council should ask the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) to use observer data to evaluate potential effects on turtle interactions and on target and nontarget catch, particularly silky and oceanic whitetip sharks.

Members highlighted that environmental changes and other basin-wide factors can also influence turtle interaction rates, complicating comparisons of fishery performance before and after gear regulations were implemented.

Read the full article at Samoa News