Saving Seafood

Media Reports of Mercury in Fish Don’t Tell the Whole Story

November 8, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Recent media reports are wrongfully perpetuating the claims that eating tuna has negative health effects because of mercury.

What the media reports fail to disclose is the fact that tuna also contains selenium, a mineral with many health benefits that plays a key role in the body’s metabolism. Selenium is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by aging, pollution and lifestyle choices.

 Ocean fish, especially tuna, provide a rich source of nutrients essential for health, such as omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and vitamins. Selenium, in particular, is known to counteract mercury toxicity, making these fish safe to consume. 

 Dr. John Kaneko, a Seafood Safety Specialist in Honolulu, HI, penned an article in Spring 2024 to address this important topic called, “Seeing Through the Haze: Understanding Tuna, Mercury and Health.” He notes “it is the ratio of selenium to mercury that determines if a food is likely to promote or protect against mercury’s toxic effects.” Kaneko cites several recent studies, including a 2023 issue of Neurotoxicology, that emphasizes maternal fish consumption during pregnancy positively impacts child neurodevelopment, with benefits outweighing any mercury concerns.

 There has never been an incident of mercury poisoning linked to tuna consumption in the public. The well-documented health benefits of eating ocean fish, which include improved heart health and cognitive function, support regular seafood consumption as part of a balanced diet.

 We encourage consumers to continue enjoying seafood and remind the public to consider the evidence-based nutritional and health benefits of tuna and other ocean fish. Let’s focus on encouraging healthier diets and not allow myths to deter us from one of nature’s healthiest food sources.

Request for Proposals: Climate Change and Communities Program

October 29, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is soliciting services to support its Climate Change and Communities Program (CCCP). Contractors and services are required to carry out projects as supported through NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act funding. Contract services will support the Contractual Service Items below (See full Request for Proposals for additional details):

1. American Samoa CCCP coordinator to provide oversight and coordination of all Council CCCP projects and activities occurring in American Samoa in support of the four priority areas.

2. Mariana Islands CCCP coordinator to provide oversight and coordination of all Council CCCP projects and activities occurring in the Mariana Islands in support of the four priority areas.

3. Scenario Planning coordinator(s) and facilitator(s) for:

  • S. Pacific large vessel (Hawaii Longline and American Samoa Longline) fisheries;
  • American Samoa, Mariana Islands and Hawaii small-boat fisheries.

4. Contractor(s) to conduct regulatory reviews of the Council’s Fishery Ecosystem Plans (FEPs) and management regimes for U.S. Pacific Island fishery resources – American Samoa Archipelago FEP; Mariana Archipelago FEP; Hawaii Archipelago FEP; Pelagic FEP and Pacific Pelagic Remote Island Areas FEP.

5. Contractor(s) to review and update protected species-related fishery management processes to ensure flexibility and adaptability to climate impacts and ecosystem drivers. Contract services are sought to:

  • Incorporate climate effects and population trends in predicting and managing protected species interactions in U.S. Pacific pelagic fisheries – Hawai‘i longline (HILL) fishery case study;
  • Develop adaptive strategies and framework for managing climate change effects on protected species interactions in U.S. Pacific pelagic fisheries;
  • Develop plans for incorporating workshop outcomes into the management regime.

6. Community Engagement and Capacity-Building coordinator(s) to oversee efforts to engage Pacific Island communities to identify emerging impacts of climate change on fishing and underserved communities and to oversee capacity-building efforts as supported through the CCCP.

  • Coordinate and convene two rounds of public meetings per year throughout the Council’s jurisdiction to understand impacts and issues communities face resulting from changing climates.
  • Develop, coordinate and host pilot training/vocational program for Pacific Island underserved fishing communities to provide for new opportunities and build capacity in U.S. Pacific Island fisheries.

Interested persons or entities should submit one (1) proposal clearly identifying to which of the Contractual Service Items above they are applying. Proposals may target any single service item or combination thereof on a time and materials basis. Applicants shall include a timeline for completion of each service item project included in the proposal, with a maximum of two years to provide all contract deliverables. 

CONTRACT PERIOD: The contract is expected to begin in January 2025 and end in December 2026.

HOW TO APPLY: Proposal submissions should include the following items (maximum 10 pages; 8.5x11inch paper; 12 point font; single space): (a) Project Principal Name, Co-principals, Affiliation and Contact information (email address, phone, mailing address); (b) Statement clearly identifying which Contractual Service Item(s) is/are being applied for; (c) Statement addressing the qualifications and requirements as stated above and in the attached Appendices for Contractual Service Items 3-6; (d) Compensation rate on a time and materials basis, inclusive of all taxes and fees, for principals, co-principles and subcontractors; (e) list of sub-contractors and services to be provided; (f) travel matrix including cost for airfare, lodging, ground transportation and per diem; (g) a curriculum vitae or resume for project principals, co-principals and sub-contractors; and (h) list of other participants as appropriate.

Interested persons or entities should submit one (1) proposal clearly identifying to which of the six (6) Contractual Service Items above they are applying. Proposals may target any single service item or combination thereof on a time and materials basis. Applicants shall include a timeline for completion of each service item project included in the proposal, with a maximum of two years to provide all contract deliverables. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Proposals will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. November 22, 2024 (HST), or until a contractor is engaged, whichever occurs first. Proposals may be submitted by e-mail (attach materials in PDF) to info@wpcouncil.org or via regular mail to: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813. 

 

Territory not included in NOAA’s “Fisheries of the United States” annual report

October 8, 2024 — The director of the Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources, Taotasi Archie Soliai has written to the Deputy Ass’t Administrator for Regulatory Programs of NOAA, Samuel Rauch III on his concerns about American Samoa not being included in NOAA’s “Fisheries of the United States” Annual Report, pointing to “a longstanding pattern of marginalization for our community.”

DMWR director’s concerns comes on the heels of the 200th Meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council held in Honolulu, last month, where an Indigenous Committee to provide recommendations to federal authorities on cultural fishing rights and related issues was established.

Read the full article at Samoa News

Council forms Indigenous Committee for Pacific Islander fishing rights

October 4, 2024 — After wrapping up their 200th meeting, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) established an Indigenous Committee to recommend to federal authorities on cultural fishing rights and related issues.

WPRFMC represents fisheries in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Pacific Remote Islands and has authority over all fisheries in state and territorial waters. Their decisions are based on science and informed decisions by traditional knowledge and practices of the local users for the benefit of the island communities and the nation. WPRFMC was established by Congress in 1976 under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act as one of the eight regional fishery management councils.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Council Creates Indigenous Committee to Strengthen Traditional Voices in Pacific Fisheries

September 27, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Concluding its 200th meeting, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council established an Indigenous Committee to provide recommendations to federal authorities on cultural fishing rights and related issues.

Sub-panels for Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI will include members with expertise in traditional fishing practices and community ocean activities in their respective regions. The new committee will augment the Council’s Fishery Rights of Indigenous People Standing Committee, which was established in the mid-1980s.

Throughout its 48-year history, the Council has addressed indigenous issues and sought to modify the impact of federal fishery management on Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Chamorros and Carolinians, who have fished in the Western Pacific for centuries. 

With the growing emphasis on ecosystem-based management, traditional ecological knowledge, equity, and environmental justice, the Council created the new Indigenous Committee to ensure culturally relevant recommendations that include indigenous perspectives in the region’s decision-making process.

The Council requested a presentation on how the recognition process for indigenous peoples could work and the benefits an existing system now provides to Native American Tribes. Currently, the United States does not recognize the indigenous peoples of the Western Pacific Region—Kānaka Maoli, Samoans, CHamoru and Refaluwasch—in the same way it does federal Native American Tribes. This difference puts the Pacific groups at a disadvantage in federal relations.

The Endangered Species Act, for example, allows subsistence use of endangered species as a food source for Native American Tribes, but such exceptions were not considered for regional indigenous peoples when the U.S. entered international agreements to protect green sea turtles, a traditional food in the Pacific. Expanded recognition could address existing and future issues affecting Pacific Islanders.

National Marine Sanctuaries in the Pacific

The Council reviewed a NOAA status update on the proposed national marine sanctuaries in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and Pacific Remote Islands (PRI). Since March 2024, public hearings have been held across the Hawaiian islands on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the NWHI sanctuary, with no action yet reported on a draft EIS for the PRI sanctuary.

The Council expressed concerns over the process for establishing fishing regulations under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, section 304(a)(5), contending it fails to provide a clear rationale for why such regulations are necessary. The Council stressed the need for assessing potential threats to sanctuary resources—including fishing—before determining regulations to address those concerns.

The Council bid a fond farewell to Manny Dueñas from Guam whose 3-year term ended in August 2024. He was a Member of the Council for a total of 12 years, having previously served between 2003 and 2012, including as Chair from 2011-2012. Dueñas has led the Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association for nearly 40 years, and has been a passionate champion of his culture and fishing rights. During his tenure, the Council provided funds supporting projects for indigenous fishing practices throughout the Western Pacific Region. Seabird, sea turtle and oceanic whitetip shark bycatch mitigation measures were established for the Hawai‘i longline fishery. A major restructuring of managing fisheries was adopted by the Council–instead of species-based, four archipelago ecosystem plans were developed for American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam and Hawai‘i.

The Council’s 201st meeting will be held virtually Dec. 16-18, 2024. Major agenda items will include actions on the Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan, striped marlin stock sustainability, uku stock assessment and catch limits in Hawai‘i, longline vessel crew training and electronic monitoring. Information will be posted on our website at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars.

Council Receives Praise, Spars with NMFS on Policies

September 26, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Praise from a top federal administrator combined with an airing of interagency issues energized the second session of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s 200th meeting Tuesday.

 

Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), opened the session by complimenting the Council for its achievements.

 “This Council doesn’t get enough credit for leadership in the region and the example it has set nationally and internationally; things done here echo throughout the world,” said Rauch. 

 “To name a few,” Rauch continued, “the Council prohibited destructive gears, explosives, poisons; implemented measures on drift gillnets before the drift gillnet act; created areas where industry can thrive and at the same time reduce impacts to protected species; and crafted gear measures with industry that are models for the rest of the world—circle hooks, wire leaders and vessel monitoring systems (VMS).”

The Council welcomed Rauch’s comments, though much of the session focused on policy and procedural disagreements between the Council and NMFS.

 Council members expressed frustration with the proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listing of giant clams in the U.S. Pacific Territories. NMFS initiated a status review in 2017 in response to a petition to list 10 species of giant clams under the ESA, but published the proposed rule in July 2024, opening the proposal for a 90-day public comment period. NMFS presenter John Rippe said that for giant clams in general, quantitative data and survey data is very limited. 

Council member Sylvian Igisomar questioned if NMFS had considered unpopulated as well as populated areas when gathering information about the giant clams’ spatial distribution.

“I feel NMFS is just ramming this through the system,” said Igisomar, Secretary of the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources. “Some of these species shouldn’t have been [proposed]—just because you can’t access an area, doesn’t mean the clams are not there.”

The Council reiterated its request for NMFS to engage early with local agencies and communities, and to collaborate with the governments of American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI. The members emphasized the importance of working proactively with the U.S. Pacific Territories before considering ESA listings and critical habitat designations.

Council member Chelsa Muña questioned NMFS’s listing of giant clam species as endangered in regions like Guam and the CNMI where those species haven’t been present for many years. “We are working with Palau to reintroduce the species. It’s disconcerting to see the ones that don’t occur in the Marianas on the list since they’re not part of the natural habitat. You will be restricting our ability to repopulate the area,” Muña emphasized.

Members noted that from past experience with other ESA-listed species like turtles, once giant clams are listed, it is difficult to delist them later. Muña said, “If climate change is included as one of the threats, then there is nothing we can really do to change that impact.” 

Muña, director of the Guam Department of Agriculture, added this would affect attempts to recover the species, as is the case with several species of corals. “Outplantings require permits, and you can’t outplant corals that are endangered because you have to harvest,” she noted.

 Rippe explained that under the ESA, the United States is required to list species based on their status throughout their entire range, not just in certain areas. Though some giant clam species in question don’t occur in the Mariana Archipelago, they exist elsewhere in their range, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Philippines and Indonesia, which justifies the listing. 

 American Samoa Council member Archie Soliai added, “For the whole session we heard on ESA and Marine Mammal Protection Act issues, what sticks out the most is ‘restrict, control and prohibit.’ Giant clams are important to our culture, and this inhibits our food security.”

 The Council asked NMFS to extend the public comment period to allow more time for agency outreach to affected communities and for community members to comment. It also asked that NMFS work with governments of American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI to review data supporting proposed rules and their socioeconomic and cultural impacts.

 The Council sessions at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom will conclude Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Land Acknowledgement Highlights Indigenous Roots and Equity at Western Pacific Council’s 200th Meeting

September 25, 2024 — Themes of cultural recognition, indigenous legacies and ocean security sparked the opening of the 200th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council here Monday.

Chair Will Sword opened the historic session with a prayer in Samoan reminding members of their mission as servants entrusted with maximizing the use of spiritual gifts. “The Council’s acknowledgement of the place and people continues its commitment to incorporating indigenous knowledge into fisheries management for the region,” Sword added.

Shae Kamaka‘ala, Chair of the Council’s Indigenous Rights Committee, welcomed members in recognizing that the region encompassing the Council’s jurisdiction has indigenous, ancestral caretakers and pays respect to these longstanding cultural roots. Her remarks included a statement that “Hawai‘i remains an illegally occupied state of the United States government.”

“It is important for the Council to make a conscious effort to ensure equity in our work and recognize the existence and sovereignty of the indigenous people of the Western Pacific,” commented Kitty Simonds, Council Executive Director.

The Council welcomed Rear Admiral Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District 14, whose career includes service at the White House as Director of Maritime Security Policy, Arctic Region, on the President’s National Security Staff (NSS); advisor to the National Security Advisor, Homeland Security Advisor and the President. The Admiral said he appreciated the response the USCG has received from the people in the region and that he was favorably impressed by the Council’s work in protecting fisheries. 

Admiral Regan emphasized the USCG’s mission is to “protect those who serve on the sea, protect against threats emanating from the sea and protect the sea itself.” 

Captain Jennifer Conklin described the USCG’s “Operation Blue Pacific,” underscoring its role as a persistent presence of the U.S. government as a trusted partner in enhancing the safety, security and prosperity of the region.

  

During the meeting, Nate Ilaoa from American Samoa complained that the USCG’s response to American Samoa has not been sufficient. He said that the Deeds of Cession grants powers to the United States, but also requires protections. He requested the USCG to protect American Samoa from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and foreign incursions and said the territory’s citizens deserve better.

The Council recommended collaboration with USCG to develop a plan for providing assets and resources to the territory, while also making certification courses more accessible to its citizens.

 

Action Items

The Council approved a 493,000-pound annual catch limit (ACL) for the deep-seven bottomfish complex in the main Hawaiian Islands for fishing years 2024-2025 to 2026-2027. Catch limits are determined by subtracting the overfishing limit plus scientific uncertainty factors from the acceptable biological catch, then further adjusting for SEEM (Social, Economic, Ecological and Management) variables.

 

In 2019, the Guam bottomfish fishery was declared overfished, which required the Council to rebuild the stock, per the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council developed a rebuilding plan that set an ACL of 31,000 pounds, with in-season monitoring that would close the fishery if the limit is exceeded. A stock assessment update presented in June 2024 found that while Guam has not overfished, it also has not met the rebuilding threshold.

The Council recommended increasing the rebuilding plan ACL to 34,500 pounds, allowing for continued fishing while seeking to ensure the stock is rebuilt by 2031. This option would also apply a three-year catch-averaging formula that would result in reducing subsequent catch limits by the average amount overfished. 

The Council meeting will continue daily at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom through Wednesday September 25.

Pacific Island Voices Call for Balance in Conservation and Fisheries Management at AFS Annual Meeting

September 23, 2024 — The following was released by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council was well-represented at the 154th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), held Sept. 15-19, 2024 in Honolulu. The theme was “Conserving Fishes and Fishing Traditions through Knowledge Co-Production.”

Council members and advisors participated in a session on “Large Blue-Water Marine Protected Areas: Benefits and Costs,” which drew around 70 attendees. Dr. Ray Hilborn, a member of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), chaired the session and provided a talk evaluating impacts the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) has had on yellowfin and bigeye tuna stocks and resulting catch rates. Hilborn countered an October 2022 paper that claimed the 2016 expansion of PMNM had ‘spillover benefits’ for tuna fisheries, arguing that increased tuna catch rates were due to a pre-existing rise in tuna biomass, not the expansion. “Considering how little yellowfin tuna was caught in the Monument Expansion Area, it is just biologically impossible to attribute catch rate increases to the expansion without considering broader regional dynamics,” Hilborn explained.

Presentations from Council members and advisors Will Sword, Archie Soliai, John Gourley, Eric Kingma and Nate Ilaoa highlighted the impact of Marine National Monuments on Pacific Island communities. They raised concerns about expanding large closed areas in U.S. Pacific waters. American Samoa Advisory Panel member Ilaoa likened the push to close more waters to colonialism, arguing that Pacific Islanders are being forced to meet the national ‘30 by 30’ goal—protecting 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030—at great cost to their local economies.

A proposed designation of the Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) as a National Marine Sanctuary could potentially shut down tuna fishing in the remaining open waters 50 to 200 nautical miles seaward of Palmyra and Howland/Baker Atolls. Tuna-rich U.S. waters around Jarvis, Johnston and Wake Islands are already closed to fishing. Hilborn noted that none of the tuna species are at risk of overfishing and recent studies concluded closures in nearby Kiribati had zero conservation benefit. Soliai, Council vice chair from American Samoa, pointed out that “Pacific Islanders already carry the disproportionate burden of this 30 by 30 initiative, because 90% of this goal is already in our waters.”

Ilaoa and Soliai stressed that the economy of American Samoa relies heavily on the tuna industry, which provides thousands of jobs and sustains the territory’s shrinking population. The territory’s last remaining tuna cannery depends on a steady supply of U.S.-caught fish and helps subsidize shipping for most goods, keeping costs affordable for residents. Closing more waters to U.S.-flagged vessels could devastate the local economy, as international agreements already limit their access to the high seas. The United States has also not distinguished an American Samoa purse seine fishery, which could add some relief to international restrictions.

“They are shoving this down our brown throats,” said Ilaoa. “This Administration seems willing to destroy our American Samoa tuna industry, crippling our already struggling economy, just to look good to some people on the mainland thinking they’re protecting something.”

As the lead keynote speaker at the plenary, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa faculty Kawika Winter, said, “We don’t need more marine protected areas, we need more marine RESPECTED areas.”

Council advisors and staff also participated in other symposia, sharing insights on incorporating social, economic and ecological knowledge into management, engaging fishing communities in science and management, and undergraduate fisheries curriculum. Meeting attendees gave presentations, joined discussion panels and promoted the Council’s work through an exhibit.

Fishery Council Celebrates 200th Meeting Milestone

September 20, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: 

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is set to hold its 200th meeting next week, a significant milestone in its 48-year history. The meeting will take place September 23-25, 2024, at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom.

The meeting will feature insights from the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS):

  • Rear Admiral Sean Regan, 14th Coast Guard District, Department of Homeland Security
  • Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, NMFS/NOAA, Department of Commerce

On Monday, RADM Regan and staff will present the Coast Guard’s Pacific Blue Mission and other issues central to maintaining security and sustainability in the U.S. Pacific region. On Tuesday, Eric Kingma, Executive Director of the Hawaii Longline Association, will present a check to NMFS, aimed at supporting fisheries development in the U.S. Pacific Territories— investing in capacity building in our region. Sam Rauch will share updates on national and international fisheries priorities, and the successes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to sustainably manage fisheries. No fish stocks are overfished in the Western Pacific Region, except striped marlin due to international fishing pressure, and very few others on the U.S. continent and the Caribbean.

Council Chair Will Sword said, “I’m proud of the Council’s accomplishments throughout the years, achieving many of our conservation goals through sustainable management of the region’s large and small fisheries. We have met the challenges of mitigating protected species interactions, growing capacity in our communities and supporting the continuation of cultural values and management through the melding of Western and indigenous methods. We face many challenges, particularly the changing of the world’s climate, which will be devastating to our islands, and we will confront them with the support of our extensive array of advisors and our government.”

Action Items

The Council will make decisions affecting the future of regional fisheries, including specifying catch limits for bottomfish stocks in the main Hawaiian Islands and Guam, and striped marlin in the Western and Central North Pacific. These discussions will consider scientific data, stock status, economic and ecological impacts, as well as input from advisory bodies, when making decisions and recommendations.

Global Seafood Trade and Policy Discussions

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of ongoing discussions about the seafood trade, labeling and foreign competition, including hearing updates from Council meetings with the Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, World Wildlife Fund and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Council members and industry advisors met with several federal agencies and a non-governmental organization to discuss strategies to address unfair foreign practices affecting Pacific tuna fisheries. Participants addressed the importance of the United States enforcing seafood regulations, such as Marine Mammal Protection Act import provisions, as well as the need for clear product origin labeling to better inform consumers.

Join us in celebrating 48 years of progress either in-person or online via Webex (https://tinyurl.com/200CouncilMtg). The complete agenda and meeting documents are available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/200th-council-meeting. Opportunities to make public comments on agenda items are provided throughout the meetin

SSC Advances Guam Bottomfish Rebuilding Plan and Evaluates Seabird Bycatch Mitigation Techniques

September 16, 2024 — The following was released by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

At its meeting this week, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) reviewed and discussed options for modifying Guam’s bottomfish rebuilding plan, focusing on balancing sustainable fishing opportunities with stock recovery goals. 

In 2019, the Guam bottomfish fishery was declared overfished, which requires the Council to rebuild the Guam bottomfish stock, per the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council developed a rebuilding plan that set an annual catch limit (ACL) of 31,000 pounds, with in-season monitoring that would close the fishery if the limit is exceeded. A stock assessment update presented in June 2024 found that while the Guam bottomfish fishery is not overfished, it has not met the rebuilding threshold.

After evaluating catch projections and accountability measures, the SSC recommended an option which sets ACL of 34,500 pounds, allowing for continued fishing while ensuring the stock is rebuilt by 2031. The SSC noted all ACL options (0; 31,000; or 34,500 pounds) would achieve the rebuilding plan, but the 34,500-pound ACL maximizes fishing opportunities.

“These fisheries are about catching food; we should fulfill the legal requirements while still maximizing catch,” said SSC member Ray Hilborn, University of Washington.

Regarding accountability measures, the SSC did not recommend in-season monitoring because of delays for the creel surveys and catch expansions. SSC member Frank Camacho, University of Guam, said “the juice is not worth the squeeze,” regarding the feasibility of relying on creel surveys.

The SSC recommended a post-season overage adjustment based on a three-year rolling average, preventing overfishing while avoiding premature fishery closures. The SSC also addressed concerns about potential negative impacts of a federal fishing moratorium. This action could drive fishers out of the industry permanently. The SSC highlighted the importance of local management.

The SSC endorsed the results from a July 2024 Guam bottomfish data review panel, and recommends the data be used in the next benchmark stock assessment. This was the first ever review on the data that will go into the stock assessment, incorporating fishermen’s perspectives on the data. The Pacific Islands Fishery Science Center presented the next steps, which are to include fishery-independent survey data and additional life history information in the next stock assessment, expected by 2027. The SSC underscored the need for more detailed data to differentiate inshore and offshore fishing, noting possible shifts in species targeted over time. 

Hawai‘i Longline Seabird Mitigation Measure Experiment

The SSC reviewed the results of a seabird bycatch mitigation study that indicated albatrosses were significantly more likely to interact with Hawai‘i shallow-set longline gear on paired tori (bird scaring) lines deployed partially during the day compared to night sets with blue-dyed bait. 

In 2021, the Council recommended a pilot study be conducted to develop appropriate seabird mitigation measures for the Hawai‘i-based shallow-set fishery that targets swordfish. The goal was to find a combination of mitigation measures that would be as effective at deterring seabirds during dusk as the current suite of night-setting strategies. 

The SSC recommended the lightweight short-streamer tori line, as used in the experiment, not be included as an approved mitigation measure for the Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery. This design was shown to be effective in the deep-set fishery, and is now part of its suite of required measures. However, the shallow-set fishery operates in areas with windier conditions and higher seabird encounter rates, likely making the design less effective. 

Since 2004, the Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery has been required to set their gear at night and use blue-dyed fish bait. Prior to this, fishermen adjusted their setting time around the sunset hours according to the moon phase, which affects swordfish vertical migration patterns. Following the successful trials conducted in the Hawai‘i deep-set fishery, shallow-set fishermen expressed interest in testing tori lines as a potential mitigation tool, aiming to increase operational flexibility by allowing gear setting to begin during sunset hours. 

The SSC endorsed the next steps from the project report and recommended the Council consider additional experiments for alternative seabird measures for this fishery. These experiments may include evaluating the effectiveness of night setting with and without blue-dyed bait to determine if it may be removed from the mitigation measures, or testing hook-shielding devices to enable partial daytime setting.

 

Scientific and Statistical Committee: James Lynch (chair); Jason Biggs (Guam Div. of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources); Debra Cabrera (University of Guam); Frank Camacho (University of Guam); Milani Chaloupka (University of Queensland); Erik Franklin (University of Hawai‘i, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology); Shelton Harley (Fisheries Consultant); Jason Helyer (Hawai‘i Div. of Aquatic Resources); Ray Hilborn (University of Washington); Justin Hospital (National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NMFS PIFSC); Dave Itano (Fisheries Consultant); Donald Kobayashi (NMFS PIFSC); Steve Martell (Sea State Inc.); Domingo Ochavillo (American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources); Graham Pilling (The Pacific Community); Craig Severance (University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, retired); Charles Littnan (ex-officio) (NMFS PIFSC).

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, noncommercial fisherman/engineer (American Samoa) (chair); Roger Dang, Fresh Island Fish Co. (Hawai‘i) (vice chair); Judith Guthertz, University of Guam (Guam) (vice chair); Pete Itibus, noncommercial fisher (CNMI); Shaelene Kamaka‘ala, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (Hawai‘i); Frank Perez, AC Sales and Service, (Guam); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); 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); Chelsa Muña, Guam Dept. of Agriculture; and Archie Soliai, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources (vice chair). Designated federal officials (voting): Sarah Malloy, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (nonvoting): Colin Brinkman, U.S. State Dept.; Brian Peck, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; and RADM Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District.