September 26, 2024 — The Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project has set a new record for a one-day cleanup at the site.
Volunteers with the nonprofit hauled in 14,700 pounds of marine debris on Saturday — the most ever in a day.
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.
HAWAII: Removing Ghost Nets from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
September 23, 2024 — The Hawaiian archipelago extends far beyond its eight main islands to include 137 islands, atolls and shoals stretching 1,591 miles, from Kure Atoll in the northwest to Hawai’i Island in the southeast.
The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is a vast and remote area that encompasses the low-lying Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, atolls and surrounding sea.
“Most people don’t really know it’s even a part of Hawai‘i, let alone 75% of the length of the Hawaiian archipelago,” says Kevin O’Brien, founder and president of the nonprofit Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project.
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
Climate change heavily affecting fish stocks in Japan, resulting in historically low catch totals
September 18, 2024 — Japanese catch totals of important seafood species have fallen dramatically, and climate change is the suspected cause, according to new reports, with catches of Japanese flying squid and Pacific saury suffering in recent years compared to historical averages.
The Tokyo-based National Pacific Saury Stick Net Fishery Cooperative released countrywide catch data on saury through the end of 2023, showing a 36 percent increase from the record-low catch recorded in 2022. Nationwide landings went from 7,092 metric tons (MT) to 9,525 MT. However, this is still well behind the 350,000 MT landed in 2008 and the 225,000 MT caught in 2012.
Filipino fishermen claim they were abandoned by US company, fight for allegedly withheld wages
September 17, 2024 — A group of Filipino fishermen are continuing to deal with the fallout of allegedly being abandoned by their employer in a port in the U.S. state of Washington.
The group of Filipino fishermen, dubbed the “United 6,” claim they were abandoned at Westport Marina, Washington, after signing on to work for California-based McAdam’s Fish. The fishermen claim they worked a tuna season for the company and were then left at the dock when the fishing boats docked at the marina in September 2023.
According to the United 6, the fishermen signed for employment with Manila, Philippines-based hiring agency Pescadores International and worked the tuna season for four months in the Pacific Ocean. At the end of the season, the boats docked at the marina to unload, after which all but one captain left the boats, leaving 24 Filipino fishermen on board unable to come ashore as they did not have U.S. visas.
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.
WestPac’s statistics council addresses issues affecting Pacific fisheries management
September 10, 2024 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) is set to convene this week, Sept. 11-13, 2024, to address issues impacting fisheries management in the Pacific Islands.
Specifically of interest to American Samoa is the Annual Research Prioritization where the SSC will identify priorities for 2025 from the adopted 2025-2029 Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act research priorities. The list may be ranked in order of importance to inform regional National Marine Fisheries Service research activities for next year.
And, in light of recent stock assessment projections, the SSC will review potential rebuilding scenarios for striped marlin to inform the U.S. delegation at the upcoming Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meeting. The aim is to meet WCPFC targets of rebuilding the stock to 20% of unfished biomass by 2034.
In Palau, residents are divided on easing fishing restrictions
August 26, 2024 — Palau made history a decade ago when it closed off 80% of its oceans to any kind of fishing. A proposal to open up some of its marine sanctuary to fishing has divided residents on how best to protect the oceans around the Pacific nation.
ADRIAN MA, HOST:
The tiny Pacific Island nation of Palau is facing a dilemma. See, about a decade ago, this island of just 18,000 residents became a model of ocean conservation when it completely closed its waters to foreign fishing. But since then, Palau’s economy has taken a dive, and locals are now divided over whether it’s time to open up their piece of the ocean to commercial fishing and outsiders. To explain more, NPR’s Emily Feng takes us to Palau.
EMILY FENG, BYLINE: I catch Lt. Cmdr. Mayce Ngirmeriin as he’s reading for two weeks at sea on one of Palau’s maritime patrol boats, designed to catch illegal fishing operations.
MAYCE NGIRMERIIN: Leave all the stress behind and then I go out at sea and feel free.
FENG: He helps enforce the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, enacted in 2015 that eventually closed off about 180,000 square miles from any fishing in Palau, which is near the U.S. territory of Guam. This size makes Palau’s marine sanctuary one of the largest ever. The remaining 20% is only open to Palauan fishers, and they only sell their catch locally.
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