158th Meeting of the Scientific and Statistical Committee
December 9-11, 2025; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (HST), 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (SST)
December 10-12, 2025; 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. (ChST)
Virtual Meeting via Webex: https://wprfmc.webex.com/wprfmc/j.php?MTID=mf82c13c13c13a67104d3ac0e1b3cad58
(https://tinyurl.com/158SSCMtg)
Event number: 2631 573 5583
Event password: SSC158mtg (77215869 from phones)
DRAFT 158 SSC WEB agenda
Federal Register Notice
DRAFT AGENDA
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. HST
| Time | No. | Agenda Item |
| 11:00 AM | 1 | Introductions 01.(1)_rev1 Council Family List-Part 1 PUBLIC_12-1-25 |
| 11:10 AM | 2 | Approval of Draft Agenda and Assignment of Rapporteurs |
| 11:15 AM | 3 | Status of the 157th SSC Meeting Recommendations 03.(1) 157SSC Final Report_wAppendices |
| 11:20 AM | 4 | PIFSC Director’s Report |
| 5 Program Planning and Research | ||
| 11:30 AM | 5.A | Multi-species Stock Assessment Strategies Process – Phase I Status Update |
| 5.B | SSC Special Projects Working Group (WG) Reports | |
| 12:00 PM | 5.B.1 | BMUS Multispecies Complex WG next steps |
| 12:15 PM | 5.B.2 | Protected Species WG Report |
| 12:45 PM | 5.B.3 | Electronic Monitoring WG Update |
| 1:00 PM | 5.B.4 | Review of Special Projects List for 2026 |
| BREAK 1:15-1:45 p.m. HST | ||
| 5.C | Monument Actions | |
| 1:45PM | 5.C.1 | Options for removing federal fishing prohibitions in the Marianas Trench, Rose Atoll, and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Action Item) 05.C.1(1) 205CM Draft Options for Commercial Fishing Regulations in Other Pacific Monuments |
| 2:15 PM | 5.C.2 | State of Knowledge of Open Ocean MPAs and Impacts in Western Pacific Region 05.C.2(1) Hilborn-Fitchett-Hampton-Ovando Spillover Rebuttal Hawaii 2025 05.C.2(2) Medhoff et al 2022 – Spillover benefits from the world’s largest fully protected MPA 05.C.2(3) Chan 2020 – Economic impacts of Papahanaumokuakea MNM expansion 05.C.2(4) Gilman et al 2020 – Ecological responses to blue water MPAs 05.C.2(5) Blanluet et al 2025 – Use of DFADs for oceanic MPAs |
| 5.D | Council IRA Project Updates | |
| 3:00 PM | 5.D.1 | Scenario Planning for the American Samoa Longline Fishery |
| 3:20 PM | 5.D.2 | Updates on the Protected Species, Regulatory Review, and Community Engagement Projects |
| 3:40 PM | 5.E | Public Comment |
| 3:50 PM | 5.F | SSC Discussion and Recommendations |
Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. HST
| 6 Protected Species | ||
| 6.A | False Killer Whales Abundance Estimates Update | |
| 11:00 AM | 6.A.1 | MHI Insular Population Abundance Estimates [no presentation; SSC discussion only] 06.A.1(1) Badger etal (2025) – IFKW decline in MHI 06.A.1(2) Harnish et al (2024) – IFKW & fishery intraction evidence from mouthline and dorsal fin injuries |
| 6.A.2 | [CANCELLED] Pelagic Abundance Estimates based on the 2023 HICEAS Survey | |
| 11:30 AM | 6.B | DSLL ESA Reconsultation for Oceanic Whitetip Shark and Leatherback Turtles |
| 6.C | [CANCELLED] Kaneohe Green Sea Turtle Nesting Genetics | |
| 11:45 AM | 6.D | Public Comment |
| 11:50 AM | 6.E | SSC Discussion and Recommendations |
| 7 Pelagic & International Fisheries | ||
| 12:00 PM | 7.A | Electronic Monitoring Updates 07.A(1) VMP Template and Discussion for EM with fishermen |
| 12:45 PM | 7.B | Outcomes of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission 22nd Regular Session 07.B(1) WCPFC Annotated Agenda with Document Links 07.B(2) WPRFMC Draft Priorities and PAC Recs for WCPFC22 07.B(3) HLA PAC recomendations on WCPFC22 priorities |
| 1:00 PM | 7.C | Public Comment |
| 1:05 PM | 7.D | SSC Discussion and Recommendations |
BREAK 1:15 – 2 p.m. HST
| 8 Island Fisheries | ||
| 2:00 PM | 8.A | Territorial Coral Reef Life History |
| 2:30 PM | 8.B | Marine Recreational Information Program |
| 3:00 PM | 8.C | Public Comment |
| 3:05 PM | 8.D | SSC Discussion and Recommendations |
3:15 PM – 5 PM: Reserved for Rapporteur work sessions / SSC Special Projects WG (as needed)
Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11 a.m. –2 p.m. HST
| 9 Other Business | ||
| 9.A | SSC Meeting Schedule and Potential Working Groups | |
| 10 Summary of SSC Recommendations to the Council | ||
Dec 15 (M) 10 a.m. to noon (HST)
Virtual Meeting via Webex:
https://wprfmc.webex.com/wprfmc/j.php?MTID=m7b17ac302fc220e0ba6503fb80034ac3
Event number (if prompted): 2866 780 9971
Event password (if prompted): EB1215mtg (32721216 from phones)
FR Notice
Agenda
Dec 15 (M) 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (HST)
Virtual Meeting via Webex:
https://wprfmc.webex.com/wprfmc/j.php?MTID=m7b17ac302fc220e0ba6503fb80034ac3
Event number (if prompted): 2633 776 2059
Event password (if prompted): PPSC1215mtg (77721216 from phones)
FR Notice
Agenda
Report of the Program Planning Standing Committee
205th Meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
December 16-17, 2025; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (HST), 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (SST)
December 17-18, 2025; 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. (ChST)
Virtual Meeting via Webex: https://wprfmc.webex.com/wprfmc/j.php?MTID=mef1316432f891a950c10c3703a4ca4e9
(https://tinyurl.com/205CouncilMtg)
Event number: 2864 005 8179
Event password: CM205mtg (26205685 from phones)
DRAFT 205 CM WEB Agenda
Federal Register Notice
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. HST
11:00 AM 1 Welcome and Introductions
01.(1)_rev1 Council Family List-Part 1 PUBLIC_12-1-25
11:05 AM 2 Approval of the 205th CM Agenda
02.(1) 205CM Public Agenda_11-18-25
02.(4) 205CM PP SC Agenda_PUBLIC
11:10 AM 3 Approval of the 204th CM Meeting Minutes
11:15 AM 4 Executive Director’s Report
5 Agency Reports
11:30 AM 5.A National Marine Fisheries Service
– 5.A.1 Pacific Islands Regional Office
05.A.1(1) 205 CM PIRO Report to Council_Final
05.A.1(2) 205 CM PIRO Report to Council_Addendum
– 5.A.2 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
11:40 AM 5.B NOAA Office of General Counsel Pacific Islands Section
11:45 PM 5.C US Coast Guard
05.C.2(1) US Coast Guard Report for WPRFMC 205th Meeting
11:50 AM 5.D Enforcement
– 5.D.1 NOAA Office of Law Enforcement
– 5.D.2 NOAA Office of General Counsel Enforcement Section
12:00 PM 5.E US State Department
12:10 PM 5.F US Fish and Wildlife Service
12:15 PM 5.G Public Comment
12:20 PM 5.H Council Discussion and Action
Break 1:00 – 1:20 p.m.
6 Council Member Island Reports
12:30 PM 6.A American Samoa
12:40 PM 6.B CNMI
12:50 PM 6.C Guam
01:00 PM 6.D Hawaii
01:10 PM 6.E Public Comment
01:20 PM 6.F Council Discussion and Action
7 Program Planning and Research
01:30 PM 7.A Specifications for CNMI Bottomfish Annual Catch Limits 2026-2029 (Final Action)
01:50 PM 7.B Recommendations on Commercial Fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (Final Action)
07.B(1) 205CM Draft Options for Commercial Fishing Regulations in Other Pacific Monuments
02:10 PM 7.C Options for Commercial Fishing in the RAMNM, MTMNM, PMNM (Initial Action)
02:30 PM 7.C.1 Report on MPA Science from SSC
02:50 PM 7.D Report on Implementing the Seafood EO Recommendations
03:10 PM 7.E IRA Project Updates
– 7.E.1 Status of the Protected Species Workshops
– 7.E.2 Regulatory Review Status Report
– 7.E.3 Report on 2nd Round of Community Meetings and Vocational Fishermen Training Pilot Project
03:30 PM 7.F Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
– 7.F.1 Advisory Panel
– 7.F.2 Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
– 7.F.3 Social Science Planning Committee
– 7.F.4 Scientific & Statistical Committee
– 7.G Program Planning Standing Committee Report
04:00 PM 7.H Public Comment
07.H(1) Monuments Public Comment
07.H(2) Monuments Public Comment2
04:15 PM 7.I Council Discussion and Action
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
8 Protected Species
11:00 AM 8.A MHI Insular and Pelagic False Killer Whale Abundance Estimates Updates
11:30 AM 8.B DSLL ESA Reconsultation for Oceanic Whitetip Shark and Leatherback Turtles
11:50 AM 8.C Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
– 8.C.1 Advisory Panel
– 8.C.2 Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
– 8.C.3 Scientific and Statistical Committee
12:00 PM 8.D Public Comment
12:10 PM 8.E Council Discussion and Action
9 Pelagic and International Fisheries
12:15 PM 9.A Review of Electronic Monitoring Vessel Monitoring Plans
09.A(1) VMP Template and Discussion for EM with fishermen
– 9.B International Fisheries
– 9.B.1 Outcomes of Technical and Compliance Meeting of the WCPFC
– 09.B.1(1) TCC21 Summary Report_FINAL
– 9.B.2 U.S. Positions at WCPFC22 from PAC
– 09.B.2(1) WPRFMC Draft Priorities and PAC Recs for WCPFC22 (1)
– 09.B.2(2) HLA PAC Recs for WCPFC22
– 09.B.3(1) WCPFC Annotated Agenda with Document Links
– 9.B.3 Outcomes of the WCPFC 22nd Regular Session 2025
12:45 PM 9.B IRA Scenario Planning American Samoa Meeting Report
01:10 PM 9.C Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
– 9.C.1 Advisory Panels
– 9.C.2 Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
– 9.C.3 Scientific & Statistical Committee
01:25 PM 9.D Public Comment
01:30 PM 9.E Council Discussion and Action
Break 1:40 – 2:00 p.m.
10 Administrative Matters
02:00 PM 10.A Council Member and Staff Ethics Training
02:30 PM 10.B Financial Reports
02:40 PM 10.C Administrative Reports
03:00 PM 10.D CCC Update
03:15 PM 10.E Council Family Changes
03:25 PM 10.F Meetings and Workshops
03:35 PM 10.G Executive and Budget Standing Committee Report
03:45 PM 10.H Public Comment
03:50 PM 10.I Council Discussion and Action
11 Election of Officers
12 Other Business
LOCATION: Guam and CNMI (tent)