Saving Seafood

WP Council to Consider Restoring Fishing in Pacific Marine Monuments

March 23, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will deliberate on two major actions at its 206th meeting next week allowing U.S. fishermen to fish in U.S. Pacific marine national monuments.

The first action concerns the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument expansion area around Wake and Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll. The Council will take final action on managing commercial fishing from 50-to-200 nm following Presidential Proclamation 10918 (April 17, 2025). The Proclamation directed the Secretary of Commerce to revise regulations to allow appropriately managed U.S. commercial fishing in those waters. U.S. longline and purse seine vessels would be allowed to fish in these areas following strict federal fishery requirements. These include permits, catch limits, gear restrictions, logbooks and observer coverage for monitoring catch and protected species interactions, and vessel monitoring systems for enforcing closed areas.

 The second action involves the Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll and Marianas Trench Marine National Monuments. Executive Order (EO) 14276 (April 17, 2025) directed federal agencies to review monument fishing restrictions and recommend changes to support sustainable U.S. seafood production, while maintaining conservation objectives. The Council will also consider recommendations restoring regulated commercial fishing access under existing Magnuson-Stevens Act authorities as requested by the EO.

In making its decisions, the Council will determine the impacts of the alternatives on the affected environment, and consider recommendations from industry and science advisory bodies, and comments from the public. The meeting is expected to draw broad interest because the decisions sit at the intersection of fishing access, seafood security and marine conservation. In Hawaiʻi, for example, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands fishery once provided nearly half of the bottomfish sold in the Hawaiʻi market before its closure in 2011. 

Why Attend?

The Council meeting provides the public an opportunity to learn about proposed fishery actions, hear reports from around the region and provide input on decisions affecting fishing communities, local seafood supply and marine resource management across the U.S. Pacific Islands. 

How to Join – March 24-26, 2026

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

 Online: Join remotely via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/206CouncilMtg, Event password: CM206mtg

 Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/206th-council-meeting

SSC Backs Reopening US Monument Waters to Strengthen American Fishing and Science

March 20, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommended reopening part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing, a move aimed at restoring access to U.S. waters for American fishermen who face competition from much larger foreign fleets while operating under some of the world’s toughest conservation rules.

Monument fishing prohibitions and other closures have blocked U.S. fleets from nearly half of the U.S. exclusive economic zone around the Pacific Islands, pushing them farther offshore into international waters. The gap in fleet size is significant. The Hawaiʻi fleet has 154 longliners, compared with 488 for Chinese Taipei, 434 for China and 303 for Japan.

The SSC agreed on reopening waters from 50 to 200 nautical miles around Wake and Jarvis Islands and Johnston Atoll, repealing commercial fishing prohibitions and allowing fishing under existing regulations. 

Members noted that the effectiveness of large ocean closures has been debated for years, and reopening the area could provide information to evaluate those closures. The SSC recommended that the Council request the National Marine Fisheries Service develop a research plan for prioritized electronic monitoring (EM) review and observer coverage of trips inside the monument expansion area. EM implementation will be incremental. By the beginning of 2027, the agency estimates that 50 to 100 of the 150 active vessels with Hawaiʻi limited-entry permits will be phased into the program. 

Pelagic fisheries in the region operate under a robust management framework and overfishing is not occurring on longline or purse seine target stocks. Those fisheries are managed under U.S. laws and international conservation measures that are widely regarded as the gold standard for sustainable fishing.

The SSC’s recommendation comes ahead of Council final action next week and follows management alternatives developed in response to Presidential Proclamation 10918, issued in April 2025. The proclamation directs the Secretary of Commerce to amend or repeal regulations that restrict commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (formerly the Pacific Remote Islands MNM) expansion area.

The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet March 24-26, 2026, at the Ala Moana Hotel, Hibiscus Ballroom in Honolulu. 

 

How to Join

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

 Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/206CouncilMtg, Event password: CM206mtg

 Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/206th-council-meeting

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).

Guam fishers get their say on federal rules that govern their waters

March 17, 2026 — With fishing communities on Guam already watching federal officials eye their waters for potential deep-sea mineral extraction, a regional fishery council is heading to three villages to ask a different but connected question: are the federal rules that govern where and how island fishers work even making sense?

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, partnering with consulting firms Lynker and The Parnin Group, will hold three public meetings on Guam in mid-March to hear directly from fishers and residents about which federal fishery regulations they find confusing, burdensome or simply unnecessary.

Sessions were set for Monday, March 16 at the Dededo Village Community Center, 319 Iglesia Circle; Tuesday, March 17 at the Sinajaña Village Community Center, 117A Chalan Guma Yu’os; and Wednesday, March 18 at the Malesso Village Senior Center, 440 Chalan Joseph A Cruz Ave. Each runs from 6 to 8 p.m., and refreshments will be provided. A fourth session was scheduled for Friday evening in Saipan.

Amy Vandehey, the council’s education and outreach coordinator, said the review targets specific federal regulations that have long drawn scrutiny, among them the Guam Large Vessel Bottomfish Prohibited Area, the structure of bottomfish annual catch limits, and the friction between federal and territorial management systems that fishers who work both inshore and offshore waters have to navigate.

Read the full article at the Marians Variety

SSC to Review Monument Fishing, False Killer Whale Science and Kona Crab Limits at March Meeting

March 16, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

From monument fishing regulations to false killer whale science and Hawai‘i fishery catch limits, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will take up several key issues at its March 17 to 19, 2026, meeting in Honolulu. The committee will review new scientific information, discuss changing management priorities and provide advice that will help shape upcoming Council decisions for fisheries in Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

 Agenda Highlights

Commercial Fishing Regulations in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument

One of the SSC’s action items is to review alternatives to reopen commercial fishing in federal waters 50 to 200 nautical miles around Wake Atoll, Johnston Atoll and Jarvis Island in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. Commercial fishing in those waters has been prohibited since 2014, but Presidential Proclamation 10918, issued in April 2025, directed NOAA to publish new rules to amend or repeal regulations restricting fishing in the monument’s expansion area. Prior to the closure, permitted and highly regulated fisheries in those waters included bottomfish, precious corals, crustaceans, pelagic species and coral reef fisheries. The SSC’s advice will help inform the Council’s recommendation on what regulatory approach should apply in the monument expansion area when it takes final action at its 206th meeting later in March.

 

Alignment of Science and Management Priorities

The SSC will review a Pacific Islands regional effort by the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service to better align science and management priorities at a time of reduced funding and limited capacity. Using a national risk-value matrix framework, the process is aimed at identifying which fisheries may require a narrower management or research focus, what operational changes may be needed and how those changes could be implemented while still meeting legal mandates. The SSC’s advice will help guide a proposal expected to come back to the Council in June.

 

The committee will also discuss whether to revise the Council’s reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSRA) Five-Year Research Priorities Plan to reflect changing federal priorities, including possible updates to research needs related to fishery development and efficiency, and Council Inflation Reduction Act-funded projects. 

 

MHI Insular False Killer Whale Abundance Estimates

The SSC will take a closer look at new science on the endangered main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) insular false killer whale population, including recent research that found a decline in abundance after accounting for sampling bias. The committee had previously asked for additional sensitivity analyses and more information on the demographic factors behind the reported population trend. At this meeting, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center staff will return with a presentation focused on those analyses and the supporting evidence.

 

Kona Crab Annual Catch Limits

The SSC will discuss catch limit options for the MHI Kona crab fishery for fishing years 2027 to 2030 as the current annual catch limit approaches its 2026 expiration. The committee will consider whether to maintain the existing acceptable biological catch of 30,802 pounds, along with associated accountability measures designed to prevent overfishing. That catch level was previously set using the best available stock assessment information and adjusted to account for scientific uncertainty. The SSC’s advice will help determine whether that level should be maintained or revised for the next specification period.

 

Electronic Monitoring Program Updates

The SSC will review updates to electronic monitoring (EM) for the Hawai‘i and American Samoa longline fisheries, including a revised vessel monitoring plan template developed with input from the fishing industry through a series of forums. Each vessel will have its unique plan outlining responsibilities, configurations, contingencies for malfunctions and contacts. The discussion will examine how EM can be implemented effectively to monitor fisheries while minimizing operational burden and addressing questions related to responsibilities at sea. A final vessel monitoring plan is expected to support mandatory implementation of EM by July 2026.

How to Join

 In-Person: Council Office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI

 Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/159SSCMtg, Event password: SSC159mtg

 Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/159th-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeting 

The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet March 24-26, 2026, at the Ala Moana Hotel, Hibiscus Ballroom in Honolulu, www.wpcouncil.org/event/206th-council-meeting. 

Reducing Red Tape in Federal Waters around the Mariana Islands: Reg Review Community Meetings

March 9, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, in partnership with Lynker and The Parnin Group, will host a series of public meetings across the Mariana Islands in mid-March. These meetings will provide space for local fishers and community members to share experiences, cultural knowledge and concerns about federal fishery regulations.

EVERYONE WELCOME!

We are asking fishing communities for their ideas on how to make local and federal fishing regulations work better together. Your feedback will help us remove confusing or unnecessary regulations while ensuring our ocean resources stay healthy for future generations. This is your chance to shape a simpler, coordinated management system that truly meets the needs of local fishers.

(Council Regulatory Review Project Overview)

Meeting Schedule: 

● Saipan, CNMI

Date: March 13, 2026 (Friday)

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

Location: Carolinian Utt, Beach Road, Garapan

● Dededo, GU

Date: March 16, 2026 (Monday)

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

Location: Dededo Village Community Center, 319 Iglesia Circle

● Sinajaña, GU

Date: March 17, 2026 (Tuesday)

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

Location: Sinajaña Village Community Center, 117A Chalan Guma Yu’os

● Malesso, GU

Date: March 18, 2026 (Wednesday)

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

Location: Malesso Village Senior Center, 440 Chalan Joseph A Cruz Ave

For more information, please contact Angela Dela Cruz-CNMI (angela.delacruz@wpcouncil.org), Felix Reyes-GU (felix.reyes@wpcouncil.org), or Brett Wiedoff (Brett.Wiedoff@parningroup.com). See flyers below and please help spread the word!

Fishermen and Scientists Unite to Tackle Shark Depredation in the Pacific Islands

February 20, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, in partnership with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group, hosted the region’s first shark depredation workshop Feb. 10–11, 2026, to address the issue and develop mitigation strategies for U.S. Pacific Island fisheries. Fifty-two participants from four countries and all three U.S. Pacific Island territories attended.

Shark depredation was repeatedly raised during the Council’s community consultation meetings held region-wide in 2025. Fishers described lost catch, damaged gear and safety concerns during bottomfishing and trolling—what many called a growing “tax” on their livelihoods. The issue was highlighted in Moloka‘i, Kaua‘i, Wai‘anae, Kona, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Manu‘a Islands, where fishers reported more frequent interactions both nearshore and offshore. Fishermen from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Hawai‘i shared firsthand accounts and the need for practical solutions.

Plenary presentations reviewed trends in shark interactions across the Pacific Islands, the effectiveness and limitations of commercially available deterrent technologies, and the complex regulatory landscape governing shark interactions. Breakout sessions and an evening forum brought fishermen, scientists, managers and technology developers together to identify cost-effective fishing adaptations, priority research gaps and governance challenges linked to environmental change.

Participants described depredation as an increasingly significant economic and operational burden, including longer trips to replace fish. In some fisheries, fishers reported losing up to 50% of their catch in certain instances, along with growing “operational fatigue” from repeated shark encounters.

Fishers also discussed on-the-water strategies to reduce depredation—moving spots frequently to avoid shark aggregation, avoiding chumming or cleaning fish on the grounds, and using high-speed electric reels to bring fish to the surface quickly. Technology discussions included magnetic and electrical devices, as well as chemical repellents, with participants weighing cost, durability and species-specific performance.

“We need to catch the fish; if it works, it works regardless of scientific backing,” said Hawai‘i fisherman Eddie Ebisui III, who volunteered to test deterrent options in real-world conditions.

American Samoa participant Vincent Tofilau said the workshop “provided a ground-breaking platform for scientists and fishermen” and laid the foundation for future regional collaboration.

Recommendations emphasized fishermen must be active partners in solutions and that improved data are needed to better understand the scale of depredation and its impacts on commercial, noncommercial and subsistence fisheries.

Key recommendations included:

  • Improve regionwide reporting and data collection on depredation events, including fish lost to sharks, number of hooked sharks and socio-economic costs, using simple and non-burdensome tools and building on existing surveys and programs.
  • Coordinate near-term, cooperative field testing of deterrent technologies with fishermen and share results across islands; evaluate cost, durability and species-specific performance and consider combinations of deterrents and adaptive fishing practices.
  • Expand localized research to better understand shark abundance and behavior by island areas and U.S. exclusive economic zones, and ensure assessments and management decisions reflect local conditions. This could expand capabilities for managing sharks in fisheries.
  • Improve clarity and consistency among federal, state and territorial regulations to allow harvest of shark species with healthy populations, and explore funding mechanisms (e.g., grants or subsidies) that can help fishermen adopt mitigation measures where regulations limit responses to depredation.

The Council will hear a report on workshop outcomes at its 206th meeting on March 24-26, 2026. Participants urged the agencies, universities and community organizations to identify a lead entity to champion this issue and to convene a follow-up workshop within 6–12 months to review progress and share results from on-the-water deterrent trials. Participants also recommended expanding future discussions to include additional stakeholders, such as shark tourism operators, alongside fishers, scientists and managers.

Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds pointed out the lack of funding through industry cooperative research and development programs such as the Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) grant program. “S-K funding comes from 30% of customs receipts on imported fish products, which generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year, but only about $10 million is available to fishermen through grants. That’s a drop in the bucket of the support the program was intended to provide.”

The S-K Act requires at least 60% of funds be used for direct industry assistance grants benefiting the fishing community.

Fishers, Scientists and Community Invited to Talk Shark Depredation

February 6, 2026 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

More and more Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa, and Mariana fishers are reporting the same frustrating story: sharks showing up on the grounds, taking fish off the line and biting into hard-earned catch. It’s not just lost fish — it’s lost time, lost fuel and lost opportunity, and it can make it harder to fish, support local livelihoods and feed our community.

To bring those experiences together with the latest information and practical tools, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and Pacific Islands Fisheries Group will host a community discussion and expert panel on shark depredation in Hawaiʻi waters and the Pacific. The public forum accompanies a two-day workshop on shark depredation and mitigation. Experts from all over the world, including scientists and shark deterrent manufacturers, are engaging with members of the fishing community and local agency staff to develop strategies to reduce the impact of shark depredation in U.S. Pacific Islands fisheries.
This forum is designed to be practical and fisher-focused. Participants will be able to share what they’re seeing on the water, hear from experts about current observations and impacts, and get clarity on existing regulations — including what fishers can and can’t do. The gathering will also highlight shark deterrent technologies and other ideas that may help reduce depredation and improve fishing success.
The event will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu. Input from fishers and community members will help shape next steps, including cooperative research priorities, outreach needs and future management considerations.
A summary of current research and research needs is available here and on our Hot Topics web page.
All fishers, scientists and community members are welcome! Event details are provided in the flyer below. For more information, please contact Mark Fitchett (mark.fitchett@wpcouncil.org) or Alex Min (pacificfisheries@gmail.com).

HAWAII: Tension persists as Hawaii cultural practice is still barred by federal law

February 5, 2026 — Hawaii’s formerly endangered green sea turtle population has rebounded in recent decades, with the species now a common sight along the state’s beaches. While the increased populations have benefited tourism, with visitors gathering on beaches to take photos of the animals, some Native Hawaiians are asking when they, too, will be allowed to benefit from the rising population by harvesting turtles for food.

“A lot of people, they think it’s a bad thing, you know, especially, like, the outsiders that not from here,” Native Hawaiian fisherman Miki Duvauchelle told SFGATE. “They come over here and you know, they just want to put all these laws, all these protections, and it’s like, ‘Hey, it’s a source of food, just like a fish.’”

Fifty-year-old Duvauchelle was born and raised on Molokai. The island has no large resorts, and its residents have a history of resisting development and overtourism. There’s no Costco or McDonald’s, and grocery stores are limited. Residents, he said, largely rely on subsistence living — hunting, fishing and gathering for their families.

“It was a blanket listing, so it didn’t consider at the time the importance of turtle use in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. It didn’t look at any of that cultural importance,” Asuka Ishizaki, the protected species coordinator for the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, told SFGATE. The council is one of eight regional councils managing federal waters, and it has long advocated for the cultural harvesting of Hawaii’s turtles while still prohibiting them from commercial fishing or sale.

Ishizaki said the endangered species listing lumped long-standing cultural practices with commercial exploitation, creating a tension that continues today.

“You going to get arrested and go to court, and no matter what you do, they going to find fault with you and put you in jail, charge a big fine, whatever, and that is something that we cannot control. This ban is part of their control,” Kelson “Mac” Poepoe, a 76-year-old Molokai resident, told SFGATE.

Read the full article at SFGATE

WPRFMC continues push to restore commercial fishing access in marine monuments

December 26, 2025 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) is continuing its push to restore commercial fishing in multiple marine national monuments, directing staff to analyze regulations and submit final recommendations ahead of the council’s March 2026 meeting.

“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,” American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources Director and Council Member Nathan Ilaoa said in a release.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource