Saving Seafood

US Pacific Scientists Discuss Next Generation Data Collection, New Pacific Strategy to Advocate for Fisheries

March 18, 2022 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

At the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) meeting this week, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Director Michael Seki presented the NOAA Next Generation Data Acquisition Plan (NG-DAP) that will guide data acquisition for the next 10 to 15 years. The fisheries and technologies to gather data have evolved and regional data needs have changed since the last plan was released in 1998. The NG-DAP will use innovative technologies, modern fishery information collection systems, artificial and machine learning and advanced modeling tools to account for climate change, emerging ocean uses and ecosystem-based fisheries management.

While the NG-DAP is a nationwide effort, the plan will point out regional needs and highlight opportunities for potential partners and collaborators. NOAA plans to hold public workshops in spring 2022 to gather input from stakeholders. The SSC noted that meetings should include fishing communities in the territories.

The Western Pacific Region is still challenged by data limitations due to little federal investment in collecting basic fishery-dependent data and life history information for the benefit of local underserved communities. Over the years, to sustainably manage the fisheries the Council and its SSC have continuously identified research needs to the National Marine Fisheries Service focusing on island and pelagic fisheries, ecosystems, protected species and human communities.

The Council has been on the forefront of improving data collection in the region through creation of an electronic reporting app and piloting numerous data collection projects. The Council recently partnered with PIFSC and the American Samoa Dept. of Marine and Wildlife Resources to convene a series of data workshops in the territory that highlighted deficiencies in data collection and could be addressed in the NG-DAP.

The SSC discussed a new strategy for addressing Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) issues through a holistic approach engaging multiple federal departments to advocate for fisheries. Council staff and the U.S. tuna industries developed a paper that emphasizes the importance of fisheries to Pacific Island communities and strategic importance to U.S. interests.

The SSC recommended that U.S. delegations to WCPFC subcommittees coordinate to address objectives of the Pacific strategy and ensure that U.S. Pacific Island Territories and the Commonwealth take an active role in developing and implementing them. “The voices of smaller island nations, including American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands should not be ignored in these discussions,” said Debra Cabrera.

Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds said the East-West Center in Honolulu and the U.S. House Pacific Islands Caucus have launched a “Pacific Islands Matter for America/America Matters for the Pacific Islands” initiative exploring similar issues. 

The Biden Administration is seeking public comment on development of an Indo-Pacific strategy. In December, the Council recommended any such Pacific strategy incorporate fishery interests into achieving national objectives. The Council noted that a lack of a favorable tropical tuna management measure for U.S. fisheries within the WCPFC indicates a loss of stature for the United States in the Pacific.

SSC member Ray Hilborn and Dan Ovando, both of the University of Washington, presented two studies* on the utility of area-based management strategies, including marine protected areas (MPAs), to achieve conservation objectives. The studies reinforce a need for monitoring and adapting MPAs to ensure they are achieving stated objectives, and that dynamic fishery closures are superior to static MPAs in meeting objectives with minimal costs to fisheries. 

“When closing 30% of fishing areas using a dynamic approach, bycatch can be reduced by 57% without sacrificing loss to optimal yield, compared to 16% reductions in bycatch using a static approach,” said Ray Hilborn speaking on a study he coauthored earlier this year.

Recommendations made by the SSC on these and other matters will be considered by the Council when it meets virtually March 22-24, 2022. Due to the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, the public host site in American Samoa has been cancelled. Host sites in Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam remain open: BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, CNMI; and Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Dr., Hagatña, Guam. Council meeting agenda and briefing documents are posted at https://www.wpcouncil.org/event/190th-council-meeting-virtual. To connect to the web conference, go to https://tinyurl.com/CM190mtg. 

*https://tinyurl.com/AreaBasedManagement,

https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/cobi.13782

 

Hawaii’s longline community scrambles to outfish false killer whales

March 16, 2022 — Those at the forefront of managing Hawaii’s deep-sea fishing industry are meeting this week in hopes of figuring out how to deal with their catch being seized off their lines.

It’s one of the issues facing the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, which oversees Hawaii’s longline vessels that bring in the ahi supply for the state and parts of the U.S. mainland.

Over the last several years, the council says its seen more cases of false killer whales, actually a species of dolphin, snatching fish right off a hook.

In years’ past, they’ve run into similar issues with seabirds and turtles, but gear has since been adapted.

Read the full story at Hawaii News Now

Western Pacific Scientists to Discuss Research on Area-Based Management and “Weak Hooks” as a Mitigation Strategy

March 10, 2022 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Scientists across the Western Pacific Region will meet virtually March 15 to 17, 2022, to provide advice and comments to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council on area-based management, a weak hook study, American Samoa bottomfish data workshops and other topics. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) meeting will be held virtually and is open to the public. The full agenda, background documents and instructions for connecting to the meeting and providing oral public comments are available at https://www.wpcouncil.org/event/143rd-scientific-and-statistical-committee-virtual-meeting.

Area-Based Management

The SSC will discuss recently published papers on area-based management (ABM) that investigate the balance of conservation objectives under new domestic and international policies. Council and SSC members have developed and contributed to several publications that investigate the trade-offs of closed areas for protecting biodiversity versus optimizing fishing yields with the smallest amount of bycatch. SSC members and Council staff also published works demonstrating the applicability of dynamic versus static ABM tools with respect to objectives and the dynamic nature of the pelagic ecosystems that dominate Council-managed waters.

Weak Hook Study

The SSC will weigh in on next steps for the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan after considering a new study comparing the economic impacts of using relatively weaker hooks (4.2 mm diameter) to existing hooks (4.5 mm diameter) in the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery. The committee will advise the Council whether the study provides scientific evidence to adopt weaker hooks, which are intended to straighten to release accidentally hooked false killer whales, while retaining bigeye tuna and other fish species of market value.

The Council’s previous position on a preferred mitigation strategy was to focus on removing trailing gear from the animals as close to the hook as possible. Discussions will guide the Council in developing an updated position in preparation for the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Team meeting, which is expected to take place later in 2022. The Team includes representatives from the Council, various government agencies, and fisheries, academic and environmental groups.

American Samoa Bottomfish Data Workshops

The SSC will hear a report on data workshops held with Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Council and American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources staffs and fishermen held in Tutuila and Manu‘a. Fishermen provided insights and input on data to be used in the next American Samoa bottomfish benchmark stock assessment to be completed in 2023. The workshops were the first in a series of steps to improve data collection in the U.S. Pacific Territories.

Recommendations made by the SSC on these and other matters will be considered by the Council when it meets March 22-24, 2022, virtually, with host sites at Tedi of Samoa Building, Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa; BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); and Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Dr., Hagatña, Guam. Instructions on connecting to the web conference, agendas and briefing documents are posted at https://www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars. Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19; check the Council website for updates.

Scientific and Statistical Committee: James Lynch (Sierra Pacific Industries) (chair); 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); Jay Gutierrez (Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources); Shelton Harley (Minister of Fisheries, NZ); Jason Helyer (Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources); Ray Hilborn (University of Washington); Justin Hospital (National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) PIFSC); David Itano (fisheries consultant); Donald Kobayashi (NMFS PIFSC); Steve Martell (SeaState, Inc.); Domingo Ochavillo (American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources); Graham Pilling (Secretariat of the Pacific Community); Kurt Schaefer (Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission); Craig Severance (University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, retired); Michael Tenorio (CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife); and Michael Seki (ex-officio) (NMFS PIFSC).

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Secretary of Commerce appointees from nominees selected by American Samoa, CNMI, Guam and Hawai‘i governors: Roger Dang, Fresh Island Fish Co. (Hawai‘i) (vice chair); Manny Dueñas, Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association (Guam) (vice chair); John Gourley, Micronesian Environmental Services (CNMI) (vice chair); Will Sword, noncommercial fisherman/engineer (American Samoa) (vice chair); Monique Amani, business owner (Guam); Howard Dunham, commercial fisherman (American Samoa); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); and McGrew Rice, charter boat captain (CNMI). Designated state officials: Anthony Benavente, CNMI Dept. of Lands and Natural Resources; Suzanne Case, Hawai‘i Dept. of Land & Natural Resources; Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Guam Dept. of Agriculture; and Archie Soliai, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources (chair). Designated federal officials (voting): Michael Tosatto, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (nonvoting): Charles Brinkman and Rebecca Wintering, U.S. Dept. of State; Brian Peck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and RADM Matthew Sibley, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District.

 

Western Pacific Council Recommends New Approach for Pacific International Discussions

December 16, 2021 — Recent international Pacific tuna talks were deemed “unfavorable” for U.S. interests, according to fishery managers in Hawaii.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council had hoped to convince the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to almost double the Hawai‘i longline fishery bigeye tuna catch limits. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee supported it and the Council had worked on the increase for the past six years.

The U.S. delegation also asked the Commission to reduce the total catch on South Pacific albacore, with a goal of increasing albacore catch rates for fisheries such as American Samoa.

But the Commission disagreed. It disagreed with all of the U.S.-recommended changes.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Fishery Management Council Recommends a New US Strategy in the Pacific Islands with the WCPFC

December 10, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council discussed outcomes from the December Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meeting, including proposed protections on sharks, and conservation and management of South Pacific albacore and bigeye tuna. Despite scientific advice, the 18th WCPFC meeting ended without an agreement on increasing Hawai‘i longline fishery bigeye tuna catch limits, or reducing total catch on South Pacific albacore with a goal of increasing catch rates for fisheries such as American Samoa. The tone of the negotiations was unfavorable for U.S. interests.

The U.S. objectives included a 3,000 metric ton increase in the bigeye tuna catch limits for the Hawai‘i longline fishery, and that purse seine vessels based out of American Samoa, a small island developing state, have recognized privileges. The U.S. proposed prohibiting wire leaders on fishing gear to promote shark conservation and increasing observer coverage from 5% to 10%. None of these measures were adopted.

During Council deliberations, it was decided that a completely new strategy is needed for the U.S. government to tie in the geopolitical interests of U.S. fisheries in the Pacific through a high-level campaign with increased multi-federal agency engagement. Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds noted, “This can only be done by all federal agencies–Departments of State, Interior, Homeland Security and even Defense–working together well in advance of meetings to make the landscape workable for us at the WCPFC.”

For more information, visit https://meetings.wcpfc.int/meetings/wcpfc18.

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Regarding the proposed Northwestern Hawaiian Islands sanctuary designation, the Council discussed several considerations for potential noncommercial fishery regulations, including customary exchange. The initial discussion looked at Council-developed regulations in the Pacific marine national monuments and previous Council scoping in Hawai‘i.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries initiated the public process in November 2021, and the Council is formally consulted to provide fishery regulations. The Council will provide NOAA with a response in advance of its March 31, 2022, deadline.

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The Council discussed the feasibility of a limited cultural take for honu (green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas) in the main Hawaiian Islands. Dave Hogan, U.S. State Department, told the Council that the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC) and protection under the Endangered Species Act are both barriers to proceeding with consideration of a cultural take for any area under the U.S. jurisdiction. The U.S. is party to the IAC that prohibits the intentional capture, retention or killing of, and domestic trade in, sea turtles, their eggs, parts or products. The IAC does allow for an economic subsistence exception, but not cultural take for indigenous use.

Manny Dueñas, Council vice chair for Guam, expressed his dismay, saying he believed in perpetuating culture, rather than “pickling it and putting it in a jar.” Council members from across the jurisdictions pressed the Council to pursue recognition of the indigenous cultural harvest of honu within the IAC.

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The Council continues to prioritize efforts to support equity and environmental justice (EEJ) for underserved communities in the Western Pacific Region, and recommended that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) use data to help characterize EEJ impacts region-wide.

At the Council Coordination Committee (CCC) meeting in October 2021, the Council presented regional EEJ approaches and needs alongside the North Pacific Council and NOAA. The CCC decided to convene a workshop ahead of the committee’s next meeting in May 2022. The Western Pacific Council is taking a lead role in the development of the workshop expected to be held in Hawai‘i in February 2022.

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A CCC subgroup on area-based management created a working definition for conservation to address the goals under the president’s America the Beautiful 30×30 initiative. The working definition of a conservation area is an 1) established, geographically defined area, with 2) planned management or regulation of environmentally adverse fishing activities, that 3) provides for the maintenance of biological productivity and diversity, ecosystem function and services (including seafood production).

The Council will send a letter to NMFS that conservation areas should: 1) be informed by empirical evidence and scientific veracity, 2) be adequately monitored and enforced, 3) be adaptive to address climate change—especially in the Pacific Islands, and 4) recognize existing subsistence and native rights.

The Council manages federal fisheries operating in waters offshore of the State of Hawai‘i, the Territories of American Samoa and Guam, the CNMI and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Areas. The next meeting of the Council will be March 22-24, 2022.

 

US Pacific Federal Fishery Managers Recommend Tori Lines, New American Samoa Bottomfish Stock Assessment Approach

December 9, 2021 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommended today to replace blue-dyed fish bait and strategic offal discharge with tori lines in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery’s suite of seabird conservation measures. This amendment will improve the overall operational practicality and efficacy of required mitigation regulations. At their meeting last week, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) supported the regulatory changes, noting that they are informed by the best scientific information available.

The change was based on a fishing-industry-led collaborative project with Hawai‘i longline vessels to conduct field experiments over the past three years to compare seabird interaction rates with baited hooks. “The Hawaii Longline Association fully supports this change to tori lines,” said HLA Executive Director Eric Kingma. Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds added, “This action is an example representing the Council’s long history of proactive and adaptive conservation measures to address fishery impacts to protected species.”

The Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery, which targets bigeye tuna, has been using a suite of seabird mitigation measures since 2001 under the Council’s Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan. This effort was accomplished through the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s bottom-up approach for making or changing fishery regulations that starts with an issue presented from Council advisory groups and the public.

The Council also endorsed the SSC’s recommendation to use a single-species, age-structured management approach for the next American Samoa bottomfish stock assessment scheduled for 2023. The American Samoa bottomfish fishery is managed in an 11-species complex, which is overfished and experiencing overfishing, according to a 2019 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) assessment. Data are available to support age-structured assessments.

An SSC working group and PIFSC, American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) and Council staffs held two data evaluation workshops to improve information used in the stock assessment. “This data discussion and evaluation is a step in the right direction,” said DMWR Director and Council Chair Archie Soliai. “Consultation between PIFSC and DMWR is absolutely necessary to ensure that the next stock assessment is accurate.”

On another issue, Council members raised concerns with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) “negative determination” that the proposed critical habitat designation for Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed coral species is not expected to affect the territories’ Coastal Zone Management Programs. Territory governments have been receiving conflicting information from NMFS on whether the “negative determination” is automatic for critical habitat designations. The Council requested that NMFS follow up with the Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) governments to provide specific reasons for not accepting the territorial objection of the NMFS negative determination on the Coastal Zone Management Act federal consistency provisions.

Council members from the CNMI, Guam and American Samoa continued to press NMFS regarding the pending critical habitat designation. In November 2020, NMFS proposed the designation of critical habitat in nearshore territorial waters. Critical habitat is habitat containing physical features essential to supporting recovery of ESA-listed species.

Territory resource agencies and governors have since voiced their dismay that such designations may impact the territory governments’ ability to manage coastal areas, which are often funded by or authorized by the federal government. Critical habitat designations add a layer of federal agency consultation to the federal project approval process.

Tomorrow the Council will discuss outcomes of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission annual meeting on tropical tuna management measures and proposed Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary updates, among other topics. Instructions on connecting to Webex, agendas and briefing documents are posted at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars.

The Council manages federal fisheries operating in waters offshore of the State of Hawai‘i, the Territories of American Samoa and Guam, the CNMI and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Areas.

 

Fishing council votes to replace seabird mitigation strategy for Hawaii deep-set longline fishery

December 9, 2021 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has voted to recommend a replacement strategy to mitigate seabird interactions by Hawaii deep-set longline fishing vessels.

In a 12-0 vote, with one abstention, the 13-member council voted today to recommend fishing vessels use fishing pole-like setups called tori lines, which are meant to keep seabirds from interacting with the vessels’ gear and bait.

Interactions between fishing vessels in the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery and black-footed and Laysan albatrosses have been on the rise since 2015. Recent studies by researchers have shown that the current mitigation measures — primarily the use of blue-dyed bait and the strategic disposal of fish parts, or offal — have shown mixed effectiveness at deterring the albatrosses.

Read the full story at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser

US Request For More Bigeye Tuna Denied By Pacific Commission

December 9, 2021 — A drive to increase Hawaii longliners’ bigeye tuna quota has again fallen short at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

The U.S. delegation to the WCPFC requested that its longline bigeye quota be increased by 3,000 metric tons, noting stocks appeared to not be overfished and were not unhealthy, so could withstand an increase in fishing levels.

The proposed increase to the bigeye quota was made during the WCPFC’s 18th annual session, which ended on Tuesday, but the agreement failed to get across the line. Instead, the commission opted to keep the status quo for the next two years.

WCPFC’s negotiations dictate fishing throughout the Pacific, which is home to some of the most valuable global fishing stocks. The commission’s members represent 26 economies, ranging from Japan and China to Fiji and Indonesia.

The Hawaii-based Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has supported raising U.S. catch limits for at least six years and was disappointed by the result, according to its executive director Kitty Simonds.

Read the full story at Honolulu Civil Beat

More Bigeye for Pacific Longliners? Scientists Say Yes, Along with Increased Monitoring

December 7, 2021 — U.S. fishery managers propose increasing its Pacific bigeye tuna annual catch limit and gets the Western Pacific Fishery management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee’s blessing.

The SSC discussed issues related to bigeye tuna management last week at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting and endorsed the U.S. proposal to increase its bigeye tuna catch from 3,554 metric tons to 6,554 metric tons for the U.S. longline fishery. That endorsement includes an increase in minimum observer coverage for Western and Central Pacific longline fisheries from 5% to 10%.

WCPFC analyses demonstrate the Pacific bigeye tuna stock may sustainably withstand a modest increase in longline catch for the Hawai‘i-based fishery, noting it operates in a region of low levels of biomass depletion, the Council said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Scientists Support New Measures, Changes to Hawaii Longline Tuna Fishery

December 3, 2021 — Blue bait or tori lines: Which is better for saving seabirds?

To the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, tori lines.

The SSC continued to support replacing blue-dyed fish bait and strategic offal discard requirements in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery with tori lines for seabird bycatch mitigation when it met recently.

Read the full story at SeafoodNews.com