Saving Seafood

Local fish vendors share struggles with pricing, imports, and regulations

October 6, 2025 — AT a public meeting at the Crowne Plaza on Oct. 4, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council heard directly from fishing vendors about the challenges they face.

A release from the WPRFMC called the event a “community consultation” and said it was aimed at “strengthening connections with fish vendors and exploring ways to improve markets, pricing, and seafood safety.”

Alex Min of WPRFMC said the organization wanted to hear about a wide range of issues impacting fishing vendors, who he described as “key points of contact” for fisheries.

“You’re seeing a lot of different fish coming to you and through you,” he said. “We think that’s a really important thing to record and make sure your voices are heard.”

Arnel Obando, a resident, said one thing affecting fishermen — and therefore fishing vendors — is the prohibition on monofilament fishing nets. On Saipan, it is illegal to fish with a tekken (gill net) or chenchulu (drag net).

Read the full article at Marianas Variety 

Mariana Islands Community  Consultation – Round 2 Navigating Change:  Estorian Peskadot Marianas

September 26, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Continuing to build on conversations from the February 2025 meetings, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group (PIFG) will host the 2nd in a series of community consultation meetings across the Mariana Islands in early October. These meetings will provide a space for local fishers and community members to share experiences, cultural knowledge and concerns about fisheries.

EVERYONE WELCOME!

We invite fishing families and the public to participate in these vital discussions. Your voice matters as we work together to navigate changes and enhance the fishing community’s future. This is a chance for fishers and community members to speak directly about what they are seeing in the water and to help shape solutions for the future.

(Council community consultation effort overview-GUAM)

Meeting Schedule: 

● Inalahan, GU

Date: October 1, 2025 (Wednesday)

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Inalahan Community Center, 719 San Jose Street

Main Discussion Topics: Shark Depredation, Shifting Seasons, and Preserving Fishing Traditions

● Malesso, GU

Date: October 2, 2025 (Thursday)

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Malesso Senior Citizen’s Center, 462 Chalan Kanton Tasi

Main Discussion Topics: Shark Depredation, Shifting Seasons, and Preserving Fishing Traditions

● Sinajaña, GU

Date: October 3, 2025 (Friday)

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Sinajaña Community Center, 117A E Chalan Gumayuus

Main Discussion Topics: Shark Depredation, Shifting Seasons, and Preserving Fishing Traditions

(Council community consultation effort overview-CNMI)

● Saipan, CNMI

Date: October 4, 2025 (Saturday)

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, Azucena Room, Coral Tree Ave, Garapan

Main Discussion Topics: Market, Price, and Seafood Safety Improvements

● Rota, CNMI

Date: October 7, 2025 (Tuesday)

Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Mayor of Rota Conference Hall, San Francisco de Borja Hwy, Tatachong

Main Discussion Topics: Environmental Changes, Barriers to Fishing, Cultural Practices, and Opportunities for Youth, Aquaculture, and Local Management Solutions

● Tinian, CNMI

Date: October 8, 2025 (Wednesday)

Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (ChST)

Location: Tinian Western Lodge, Marpo Heights

Main Discussion Topics: Environmental Changes, Barriers to Fishing, Cultural Practices, and Opportunities for Youth, Aquaculture, and Local Management Solutions

For more information, please contact Felix Reyes-GU (felix.reyes@wpcouncil.org), Angela Dela Cruz-CNMI (angela.delacruz@wpcouncil.org) or Alex Min (alex.cannon.min@gmail.com, www.fishtoday.org/pacific-islands-voices). See flyers below and please help spread the word!

About the Council

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to manage fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Council is responsible for developing and implementing fishery management plans for waters surrounding Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI and U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas. The Council works to promote sustainable fisheries, protect marine ecosystems and support the livelihoods of fishing communities through science-based decision-making and stakeholder engagement.

Western Pacific Council Pushes for Tougher Standards on Seafood Imports

September 23, 2025 — Western Pacific fishery managers are pressing federal regulators to crack down on seafood imports that don’t meet US standards for protecting marine mammals. 

At its meeting last week, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council urged NOAA to strengthen newly finalized Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions, which were published earlier this month in the Federal Register. The Council called for stricter benchmarks when reviewing foreign fisheries and requested a transparent process that allows for public and stakeholder input. 

The import rules, first authorized in 1972 but only now being fully enforced, are meant to block seafood products from countries that fail to meet US requirements for reducing marine mammal bycatch, according to the Council. For the first time, NOAA has issued Comparability Findings that will ban imports from certain nations and fisheries starting Jan. 1, 2026 — affecting roughly 15% of U.S. seafood imports. 

Read the full article at SeafoodNews.com

NOAA advisory council endorses Pacific monument fishing

September 22, 2025 — President Donald Trump’s push to roll back commercial fishing restrictions in marine national monuments advanced this week when a NOAA advisory council recommended permitting fishing in four Pacific ocean monuments.

The decision by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to move toward scraping the prohibitions on commercial fishing would align policy with Trump’s April 17 executive order requiring the Commerce and Interior departments to “review all existing marine monuments and provide recommendations to the President of any that should be opened to commercial fishing.”

The council directed its staff to “prepare an analysis of management options to implement” the executive order to be presented at the council’s next meeting in December.

Read the full article at E&E News

WPRFMC votes to reopen fishing in parts of marine monuments after Trump order

September 19, 2025 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) has decided to move forward with allowing commercial fishing within marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean.

In a press release, the council said it is reopening the four marine national monuments in its management area – the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Mariana Trench, and Papahānaumokuākea Marine national monuments. U.S. President Donald Trump directed much of those areas to reopen to fishing in a sweeping proclamation issued in April 2025 designed to benefit the U.S. seafood industry.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource 

WP Council Urges Stronger Standards for Marine Mammal Protection in Seafood Imports

September 19, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council yesterday called on NOAA to strengthen its new Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions, which were published in the Federal Register on Sept. 2, 2025. The Council urged NOAA to apply more rigorous standards when determining whether foreign fisheries meet U.S. requirements for protecting marine mammals and reducing bycatch, and to create a clear process for public and stakeholder input.

The MMPA Import Provisions, first enacted in 1972 but never fully implemented, are designed to prevent seafood imports from countries that do not have measures comparable to U.S. standards for reducing the incidental capture, injury or death of marine mammals.

For the first time, NOAA’s Comparability Findings identified specific nations and fisheries that will be prohibited from exporting seafood to the United States beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The findings affect approximately 15% of all U.S. seafood imports. However, the restrictions do not apply to tuna longline fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific, which are of particular concern to the Council. To better understand the scope and impact of the rule, the Council also requested that NMFS evaluate the amount of tuna imports into the United States that are affected by the Comparability Findings Report.

During public comment, Eric Kingma of the Hawaii Longline Association voiced frustration with the findings that did not bar other Western and Central Pacific fisheries, citing strict requirements the Hawai‘i longline fishery faces. “You’re telling me that foreign distant-water longline fisheries operating around Hawai‘i, in the same proximity and same fishing grounds as us, are removing hooks from false killer whales without causing serious injury? To me, that is absolutely inaccurate.”

Deep-Sea Mining in the Western Pacific

University of Hawai‘i professor Jeff Drazen presented a comprehensive review of deep-sea mining that highlighted current technologies, potential ecological impacts on fish at different levels in the water column, and the significant data limitations and uncertainties that remain. There is renewed interest in extracting minerals needed for battery production in both the Clarion Clipperton Zone southeast of Hawai‘i and in U.S. waters off American Samoa.

Hawai‘i Council member Matt Ramsey emphasized the importance of distinguishing between the different mining technologies being considered. Traditional “tractoring” methods involve large machines moving across the ocean floor, creating sediment plumes and discharges, while companies such as Impossible Metals are developing robotic arms designed to pluck individual mineral nodules from the seafloor.

“This Council banned bottom trawling in 1983, recognizing the harm,” Ramsey said. “You can see how bottom trawling and the tractoring method are similar, but Impossible Metals is a different conversation. The technology and the resulting regulations may be different.”

The Council directed staff to continue monitoring developments in American Samoa and to work with its advisory groups to provide information and analysis on potential impacts to fisheries and marine resources. The Council also invited NOAA to present an overview of proposed commercial recovery permit applications in the Clarion Clipperton Zone at its next meeting.

2026–2029 CNMI Bottomfish Catch Limits

The Council took initial action to set 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 fishing years 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.

Fishing council recommends rolling back fishing prohibitions in Pacific Ocean

September 18, 2025 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council wants to undo fishing protections in the Pacific Ocean, which opponents say will hurt ocean ecosystems.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April to review regulations in U.S. marine monuments in an effort to promote domestic fishing.

As part of that review, WESPAC was asked to make recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on what to do within Pacific monuments.

On Tuesday the council voted to endorse a July letter it drafted recommending the allowance of commercial fishing in three Pacific monuments — the Mariana Trench, Rose Atoll and Pāpahānaumokuākea marine national monuments.

The council also voted separately to repeal fishing prohibitions in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, formerly known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.

Read the full article at Hawaii Public Radio

Federal regulators vote in favor of President Trump’s push for commercial fishing in marine monuments

September 17, 2025 — On Tuesday, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted to advance President Donald Trump’s executive order to allow commercial fishing inside the Papahanaumokuakea and Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments.

The decision came after dozens of Native Hawaiians, fishers, and scientists voiced opposition, including former Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director William Aila Jr.

“Great disappointment. It just means that extractive, industrial fishing takes precedent over the sacredness of Papahanaumokuakea,” Aila said. “This area has been pristine for many, many years, and the fisheries have regained their vitality. So, we would prefer to keep those areas closed off to fishing because that is our insurance policy for future generations.”

The council also voted to set limits on fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which encompasses 490,000 square miles southwest of Hawaii.

Read the full article at Hawaii News Now

Council Responds to President Trump’s Mandates, Recommends Opening Monuments to Commercial Fishing

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

After a long day of discussion and public comments, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, at its 204th meeting today, agreed to move forward allowing commercial fishing within the four marine national monuments in the U.S. Pacific.

 With a Proclamation and Executive Order from President Trump for guidance, the Council deliberated on the impacts of commercial fishing within the boundaries of the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments.

 “The Council is responding to the Proclamation through the Council process of the MSA. It is transparent and people have the opportunity to voice their opinions,” said Hawai‘i Council member Matt Ramsey. “If the Council takes no action, others might make the decision for us. I appreciate the opportunity to shape and reform those commercial fishing regulations.”

 The Council directed staff to prepare an analysis of management options to implement Presidential Proclamation 10918, “Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific.” The analysis, to be presented at the Council’s December meeting, will ensure sustainable harvest of fishery resources while conserving protected species and monument resources.

 During the public comment period, Joe Hamby, representing the U.S. purse seine industry, explained that the United States needs to do more to identify the origins of imported fish, especially from China, to buyers in local markets. “U.S. consumers are unknowingly supporting the highly subsidized and forced-labor Chinese fish industry,” Hamby said.

 Council Chairman Will Sword said, “U.S. fishermen need to fish in our healthy U.S. waters. The bottomline is eating our own fish.”

 Manuel Duenas, Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association, commented that in our region “there are no ‘commercial’ fishers. We are community-based fishers. The boats are owned by local families and fish for the benefit of the community.”

 Strong opposition to removing commercial fishing prohibitions came from multiple members of academia, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group. Concerns expressed were that commercial fishing would endanger protected species, ignore cultural values and harm the ecosystem.

 Kanoe Morishige, Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, said, “Papahānaumokuākea is not a realm for extraction,” and that “commercial extraction conflicts with what binds Hawaiians to the seascape.”

 There are multiple opportunities for public comment through the Council process. Anyone interested can provide comments via email: info@wpcouncil.org and learn more at the Council’s website: www.wpcouncil.org.

Council to Decide on Fishing in the Monuments and Seafood Policy at Upcoming Meeting

September 12, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

At its 204th meeting next week, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will decide whether to recommend lifting commercial fishing prohibitions in parts of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. 

On April 17, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Proclamation 10918, “Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific.” The Proclamation recognized that well-managed commercial fishing would not threaten the monument’s scientific and historic resources. The Secretary of Commerce was directed to remove the prohibitions on commercial fishing barring U.S. fishermen from sustainably harvesting valuable species in these waters for more than a decade.

 Fishing regulations for the Hawai‘i longline fleet have been in place since 1991 under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council may consider additional regulations to reopen access from 50 to 200 nautical miles around Wake, Johnston and Jarvis Islands — waters where U.S. fishermen harvested bottomfish, pelagic species and crustaceans before the 2014 prohibitions. Members will also review their request to the Secretary of Commerce to allow commercial fishing in Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench Islands Unit and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments.

The Governors of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and American Samoa have asked the President to restore fishing access to the monuments in their areas. 

 The Council meeting provides the public an opportunity to weigh in on how the United States balances conservation with responsible, sustainable fishing access.

In addition to monument fishing access, the Council will discuss a wide range of issues affecting Pacific fisheries — from local catch limits and community concerns to climate adaptation, electronic monitoring and international negotiations that shape the future of seafood supply.

Community and Regional Fisheries at a Crossroads

Island communities will present their latest reports on the state of fisheries, highlighting economic pressures, infrastructure challenges and local initiatives. The Council will consider catch limits in 2026-2029 for CNMI bottomfish based on the latest scientific assessments, and hear concerns from Hawai‘i small-boat fishers about gear conflicts and shark depredation. 

Adapting to Changing Environments and Building Resilience

Through projects funded under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Council is helping Pacific fisheries prepare for a changing environment. Members will receive updates on scenario planning for longline and small-boat fisheries, regulatory reviews aimed at making management more flexible, and workshops exploring climate-driven impacts on protected species. Community engagement remains at the heart of these projects, ensuring that local voices guide adaptation strategies.

Modernizing Monitoring and Strengthening Accountability

As fisheries move toward electronic monitoring and new vessel management plans, the Council will evaluate progress in Hawai‘i and American Samoa longline fleets. These advances aim to improve transparency and data collection while reducing costs currently covered by NMFS through 2027, and improving monitoring of rare events like protected species interactions.

Global Fisheries, Local Impacts

International negotiations on tuna, shark and bycatch management have direct consequences for Pacific Island fisheries. The Council will hear outcomes from advisory bodies to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). 

 

Members will discuss import provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, yet to be implemented since Congress approved the Act in 1972. The provisions are intended to prevent imports of foreign fishery products that lack protections equivalent to the MMPA to reduce bycatch and protect marine mammals. New findings published Sept. 2, 2025, will be enforced starting Jan. 1, 2026, barring imports of seafood (such as tuna) from non-compliant nations. The Council will discuss whether the findings are adequate and where there are any impacts to local markets in the U.S. Pacific Islands.

Why Attend?

The Council’s decisions affect the livelihoods of fishers, the availability of fresh local seafood, the resilience of island communities and the health of Pacific ecosystems. By attending, the public can learn about proposed actions, provide input and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of fisheries in the region.

How to Join

 In-Person: Ala Moana Hotel, Garden Lanai (410 Atkinson St., Honolulu, HI)

 Online: Join remotely via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/204CouncilMtg, Event password: CM204mtg

 Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/204th-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: Will Sword, American Samoa Power Authority (American Samoa) (chair); Roger Dang, Fresh Island Fish Co. (Hawai‘i) (vice chair); Edgar Feliciano, Feli Fisheries Inc. (American Samoa); Pete Itibus, noncommercial fisher (CNMI); Frank Perez, AC Sales and Service, (Guam); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); Jesse Rosario, Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association (Guam); and Gene Weaver, Tasi to Table (CNMI). Designated state officials: Dawn Chang, 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; and Chelsa Muña, Guam Dept. of Agriculture. Designated federal officials (voting): Sarah Malloy, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (nonvoting): Jeremy Raynal, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; RADM Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District; and Rachel Ryan, U.S. State Dept.