Federal managers back new measures for Pacific fisheries

[B]PAGO PAGO, America Samoa[/B]—Federal managers responsible for fisheries in American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands have submitted their recommendations for the U.S. Pacific fisheries.

These recommendations will go to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for final approval, according to a statement issued by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Monday.

The recommendations come several days after the managers that comprise the council convened in American Samoa for its 144th meeting last week.

[B]Overfishing[/B]

The council adopted a list of the five to 10 fisheries species in Hawaii, American Samoa, CNMI, Guam and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Areas for which overfishing is most likely to occur and for which the impacts of overfishing would be of most consequence to humans or the ecosystem.

For the CNMI, the top five species are: spiny lobster, rabbitfish, unicornfish (orange-spine and blue-spine), jacks and mullet.

For Guam: Napolean wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, spiny lobster, coral trout and eight-banded grouper.

For American Samoa: blueline snapper, lunar-tail grouper, redgill emperor, bigeye trevally and spiny lobster.

For Hawaii: Kona crab, parrotfish (uhu), black coral, menpachi and seamount monchong.

For the top 10 species for the PRIA (not in priority order) are deepwater shrimp, slipper lobster, mangrove crab, seven-eleven crab, giant clam, blue-spine unicornfish, parrotfish black jack, lyretail grouper and onaga.

The list is intended to provide the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center with a priority list for the development of stock assessments and MSY estimates. This information will be needed for the council to meet the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act mandate to establish annual catch limits for managed species.
[B] Marine monuments[/B]

The council also recommended that the U.S. departments of Commerce and Interior to develop a research program on the various ecosystem-related impacts associated with the Marine National Monument designation in the Pacific.

It wants the research program to include changes in fish biomass or size structure, changes in species composition, changes in changes in benthic habitat composition, spillover effects, protected species abundance estimates and usage rates within the Monuments and local socio-economic impact.

The council recommended that Commerce and the Interior provide access to the monuments to local government agencies for the purpose of conducting research related to local fisheries management and stock assessment needs.

The council also recommended that its staff, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office and U.S. Fish and Wildlife service staff work with the Guam, American Samoa and CNMI governments on the development of regulatory definitions for sustenance, subsistence, recreational, traditional indigenous, and other definitions as appropriate for fisheries management in the newly established monuments.

[B]Marianas Islands Range Complex Draft EIS[/B]

The council said that the Environmental Impact Statement does not address inshore/offshore seasonal fisheries issues, impacts of the island’s supply of fresh fish, the activity of exercises during fishing seasons, weather conditions, community (fisherman, charters, etc.) access to the resource, or consultation with the community on the complex. The council submitted preliminary comments on March 13, 2009, and will submit additional comments addressing these issues.

Other council decisions and recommendations include issues related to bigeye and yellowfin tuna conservation, purse seine fishing, Main Hawaiian Island bottomfish, Hawaii non-longline pelagic fisheries, Hancock Seamount groundfish, American Samoa fishery development, American Samoa longline-green sea turtle interaction, American Samoa regional collaboration, marine education and training program, and the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The Council is the federal agency responsible for management of offshore fisheries in Hawaii, American Samoan, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Areas. For more information, visit the Council website at www.wpcuncil.org or contact Council at info.wpcouncil@noaa.gov or at 1-808-522-8220. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]