December 12, 2023 — The following was released by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The 20th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting convened in the Cook Islands concluded past 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. The meeting was an overall success with a revised tropical tuna conservation and management measure (CMM) for 2024 through 2026. The measure, which covers nearly 60% of global tuna supply, establishes international rules for bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna fishing. This year’s meeting was highlighted by an overdue increase in bigeye tuna catch limit for the U.S. Hawai‘i-based longline fishery. However, the U.S. head of delegation and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) was not prepared to successfully negotiate the recognition of an American Samoa purse seine fleet for privileges it should be entitled as a Participating Territory under the Commission. 

The Commission increased the Hawai‘i longline fishery catch limit of bigeye tuna to 6,554 metric tons—a 3,000 mt increase—supported by evidence from the Science Provider (SPC). The CMM increases catch limits for five nations with fishing limits for longline-caught bigeye contingent on increases of human observers and/or electronic monitoring. The U.S. Hawai‘i longline fishery would not be required to increase its observer coverage as it maintains a level that far exceeds other countries. The successful increase for the Hawai‘i longline fishery follows nearly two years of collaboration between the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority, who co-convened three workshops on longline fishery management. 

Stakeholders and Council members appreciated the endorsement of Commission Members and agreed that the U.S. longline fishery should have a higher catch limit. Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds said, “This came with the understanding that Hawai‘i vessels are well-managed, fish sustainably, and a part of a niche fresh fish market.” 

However, the increase for the Hawai‘i longline fishery came at a cost. To the detriment of the U.S. Participating Territories, the United States failed to retain a provision in the tropical tuna CMM that allows for the transfer of portions of catch to the Hawai‘i longline fishery in exchange for funds under specified fishing agreements. The loss of that provision eliminated those agreements and funding that had been a cornerstone of the territories’ fishery development initiatives. “We vehemently oppose giving away that provision without consultation with the territories,” said Council Chair Taulapapa William Sword. “We were not consulted before, or during, the meeting and were caught by surprise. We realize it wasn’t even necessary to sacrifice this provision to increase the bigeye longline quota.”

CNMI Head of Delegation Sylvan Igisomar added, “Although this is a win for the Hawai‘i longline fishery, it is a devastating loss for the Pacific Territories.”

The agreement included reduced fish aggregating device (FAD) closure periods for purse seine vessels from three months in exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Pacific nations to 1.5 months and to 2.5 months on the high seas. The purpose of these closures is to decrease juvenile mortality for bigeye tuna, which are incidentally caught in the purse seine sets targeting skipjack tuna—the primary species used in canned tuna. 

While fishing privileges were to be balanced between longline and purse seine fisheries as part of negotiations, the Commission did not adopt a proposal from American Samoa seeking the same benefits that are entitled to other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Participating Territories. “Other SIDS and Participating Territories have been granted similar privileges on the high seas and in EEZs, such as fishing during FAD closures, and American Samoa proposed the same benefits for vessels integral to our economy,” said Taotasi Archie Soliai, Head of Delegation for American Samoa. 

Soliai previously asked NMFS to proceed with rulemaking that would recognize, through U.S. regulations, a distinct territorial purse seine fleet for American Samoa. This distinction would help American Samoa’s fleet attain this recognition in the Commission. Unfortunately, NMFS did not take action as requested. “We are hopeful that with the positive relationships we are building with our Pacific Islands brothers and sisters, we can finally negotiate a favorable agreement,” said Soliai.

December 1, 2o23 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Science advisors to the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council expressed deep concerns at their meeting this week about the potential negative unintended consequences of adding more fishing limits in the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands (PRI). 

The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) was tasked with evaluating current fishing regulations in the PRI, commenting on their comprehensiveness and assessing the scientific justification for more regulations. SSC members reaffirmed their recommendation from the September meeting that existing regulations are sufficient to meet the goals and objectives of the proposed PRI National Marine Sanctuary. The SSC found no scientific evidence to support additional fishing regulations and cautioned further limits on the U.S. fleet could have negative impacts on the region.

“The burden of conservation will continue to fall on the shoulders of the Pacific Island communities, and additional regulations may limit future economic opportunities,” said SSC member Debra Cabrera, University of Guam (UOG).

“I would not like to see any interruptions to ongoing data collection efforts in the area like biosampling and tagging that is dependent on the fishery,” added SSC member David Itano, fisheries consultant.

SSC member Steve Martell, Sea State Inc., noted “further restrictions could displace fleets into areas that may have higher bycatch rates or limits, thereby causing a larger adverse effect on protected species populations.”

The NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center published a technical memorandum this month estimating the economic contributions of U.S. commercial fisheries to American Samoa. The report documents that hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs are directly or indirectly supported by commercial fisheries. SSC members emphasized a loss of fish supplying the cannery could be devastating, and closing waters from 50-200 nm will only further disadvantage the U.S. fleet that is already on shaky footing. 

SSC members had significant concerns about the equity and environmental justice implications that the proposed sanctuary and existing marine national monuments impose on the underserved community of American Samoa and the broader Pacific Islands Region.

“I’m not only worried about the lack of U.S. footprint in those waters and the risk of foreign fleet incursions, but also the inequity in terms of Pacific Island communities who are disproportionately affected and bear the brunt of the impacts,” said SSC member Frank Camacho, UOG.

Another member noted there has been substantial outcry in American Samoa over the proposed sanctuary, which is viewed as a major threat to the economy. SSC Chair and general counsel Jim Lynch said, “Additional fishing regulations would be counterproductive to efforts to get better data from fishing communities that are disadvantaged and rely on subsistence or fisheries to make a living.” 

The Council recognizes the importance of striking a balance between conservation goals and the economic and cultural well-being of Pacific Island communities. The discussions underscore the need for careful consideration of potential negative unintended consequences and the importance of data-driven decision-making. As required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Council will continue to engage with stakeholders, evaluate scientific information, and collaborate with relevant agencies. This ensures any proposed fishing regulations for the PRI National Marine Sanctuary align with the best available science, promote sustainability, and take into account the unique circumstances of the region.

The SSC also discussed a revised timeline for the Guam bottomfish stock estimation. Before being used in fishery management, stock assessments undergo a peer review process known as a Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review. The WPSAR framework includes a schedule of intermediary update reviews, adding years of data only, between benchmark reviews that incorporate significant changes to previous assessments, such as a new model type. 

For the first time, PIFSC will hold a WPSAR in July 2024 to focus on reviewing existing data before incorporating the improved information into a benchmark stock assessment. The 2019 assessment, which found the Guam bottomfish stock to be overfished, but no overfishing was occurring, will be updated in February 2024 to provide a revised annual catch limit in the interim. The Western Pacific Region is fishery data-poor, which can impact model assessments. WPSAR is a cooperative effort between the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service and includes SSC members as the Chair and/or reviewers on its panel.

Hing Ling Chan. 2023. Economic Contributions of U.S. Commercial Fisheries in American Samoa. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC-151, 35 p. doi:10.25923/x904-a830. Available online at: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/55943

Scientific and Statistical Committee: James Lynch (chair); Jason Biggs (Guam Division 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 New Zealand); Jason Helyer (Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources); Ray Hilborn (University of Washington); Justin Hospital (National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center); 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); Francisco Villagomez (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Division of Fish & Wildlife); Charles Littnan (ex-officio) (NMFS PIFSC).

November 25, 2023 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Scientific advisors to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will meet Nov. 28-29, 2023, to provide advice and comments on the proposed Pacific Remote Islands (PRI) sanctuary, uku essential fish habitat (EFH) revision for the Hawai‘i Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP), U.S. territorial bigeye tuna catch and allocation limits, and other topics.

The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) meeting will be held remotely via web conference. The full agenda, background documents and instructions for connecting to the meeting and providing oral public comments are available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/150th-scientific-and-statistical-committee.

National Marine Sanctuary in PRI

The SSC will be reviewing the available scientific information and discussing whether the existing fishing regulations in the Pacific Remote Islands (PRI) are sufficient for a proposed national marine sanctuary. The SSC may provide recommendations to the Council regarding: 1) whether existing regulations provide comprehensive and long-lasting protection for the PRI, and 2) whether there is science to show conservation benefits that justify further fishing prohibitions. The proposed sanctuary overlays the current PRI Marine National Monument and would create duplicative management regimes, which is a waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned income. 

In September 2023, the Council preliminarily found that the existing fishing regulations under the current structure may already meet the goals and objectives of the proposed sanctuary, in alignment with the SSC’s recommendation. The Council will consider additional information at its December meeting before taking final action on the fishing regulations. The final decision is due to NOAA by Dec. 20, 2023.

In March 2023, President Biden directed the Secretary of Commerce to consider making the PRI Marine National Monument and additional areas within the U.S. exclusive economic zone into a national marine sanctuary. On June 23, the Council received the official sanctuary proposal, which requested the Council’s assistance in formulating fishing regulations.

The Council has been putting fishing regulations into place for the PRI FEP since 1986, such as requirements for permits and reporting on protected species interactions and bycatch, gear restrictions and vessel limits. There are additional fishing regulations for the Monument that prohibit commercial fishing within 0-50 nautical miles around Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands and Palmyra Atoll, and 0-200 nm around Johnston Atoll, Wake Island and Kingman Reef.

Hawai‘i Uku EFH Revision

The Council is taking final action to refine EFH designations for main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) uku (grey snapper) in its Hawai‘i Archipelago FEP. The SSC may provide recommendations to the Council on the appropriate use of new data in revising existing EFH.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act defines EFH as waters and substrate necessary for fish spawning, breeding, feeding and growth to maturity. EFH for uku was initially designated in 2009 and revised in 2016. Two new models reviewed in 2022 redefined uku EFH around Hawai‘i, and were recognized as the best scientific information available by the Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review process and the SSC.

At its June meeting, the SSC recommended using Level 1 model data (presence/absence) for refining uku EFH in the Hawai‘i FEP and discussed data inputs, especially for regions with high commercial uku catch like Penguin Bank. The SSC’s input will guide the Council in determining EFH for uku in Hawai‘i, with the goal of ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines, supporting economic and social benefits, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the MHI uku stock and habitat. The refined models will be considered by the Council at its December meeting, following recommendations from the SSC.

Bigeye Tuna Management in the Pacific

At its December 2023 meeting, the Council will consider taking final action on the specification of the 2024-2026 bigeye tuna limits for U.S. territories and catch transfer limits under the Pacific Pelagic FEP. The SSC will discuss a 2023 stock assessment that indicates the bigeye tuna stock in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean is not subject to overfishing and catch amounts could be significantly increased without posing a risk of overfishing. The SSC may provide advice to the Council regarding the catch and allocation limits based on the new information.

The SSC members will also discuss and may provide input to the Council on several presentations on its Inflation Reduction Act proposal and research priorities for the next few years.

Recommendations made by the SSC will be considered by the Council when it meets virtually Dec. 11-12, 2023, with host sites at 1164 Bishop St., Ste. 1400, Honolulu, HI; Cliff Pointe, Tedi of Samoa Bldg. Ste. 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa; 304 W. O’Brien Dr., Hagatna, Guam; BRI Bldg. Ste. 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, CNMI. Instructions on connecting to the web conference, agendas and briefing documents are posted at www.wpcouncil.org/event/197th-council-meeting.

October 24, 2o23 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

“We cannot survive the current policies and actions by the DOC, especially if the [Pacific Remote Islands, PRI] sanctuary is implemented,” said Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Chair Will Sword at the Oct. 11-13, 2023, Council Coordination Committee (CCC) meeting in Alexandria, Virginia. In a discussion on the process for establishing fishing regulations in national marine sanctuaries, Sword depicted the plight of American Samoa in the face of a proposed sanctuary in the PRI.

“This administration’s EOs [Executive Orders] on equity and environmental justice goals are rubbish if this sanctuary proposal becomes a reality for there will be no commercial fishing,” said Sword. “Without our cannery, we become useless to this great country; our underserved fishing community suffers, for fishing is our culture!”

American Samoa’s economy is solely dependent upon a tuna cannery located in Pago Pago which accounts for 99.5% of exports and 84% of the territory’s private employment. The cannery relies on the fish caught in the PRI by the U.S. longline and purse seine fleets and any loss of the fish from this area is expected to have significant impacts on American Samoa.

At the CCC meeting, John Armor from the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) described the existing fishing regulatory language and showed a flow-diagram outlining what NOAA considers to be the Council’s role in decision-making. The CCC questioned the compressed timeline for sanctuary development compared to past practice and suggested that ONMS consultation should occur earlier and more often in the process.

The proposed PRI sanctuary was in response to President Biden’s direction to the Secretary of Commerce on March 21, 2023, to explore its establishment as part of his administration’s goal to conserve and restore at least 30% of the country’s lands and waters by 2030. A National Marine Fisheries Service data analysis presented at a recent workshop in American Samoa demonstrated there is no added conservation benefit of the proposed sanctuary.

In his remarks, Western Pacific Council Chair Sword noted, “This top-down approach to regulating fisheries is wrong. It is completely opposite of the [Magnuson-Stevens Act] process where the bottom-up approach is mandatory.”

The CCC meeting brings together representatives from all eight regional fishery management councils and NOAA to discuss issues of relevance to all councils, including issues related to the implementation of the MSA. More information on the CCC is available at www.fisherycouncils.org. For more information on fishing regulations and the proposed sanctuary, visit www.wpcouncil.org/marine-spatial-management.