News + Announcements
Press Release – Western Pacific Scientists Support Tori Lines Over Blue-Dyed Bait in Tuna Fishery and Exploring New Bottomfish Management Approach (30 November 2021)
HONOLULU (30 November 2021) The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council continued to support replacing blue-dyed fish bait and strategic offal discard requirements in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery...
Press Release – Western Pacific Scientists to Consider Seabird Conservation Measures, Research to Inform Management Decisions (26 November 2021)
HONOLULU (26 November 2021) Scientists will meet Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 2021, to provide advice and comments to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council on domestic seabird conservation measures, tagging studies to inform management decisions, tropical tuna...
Open Ocean Fishing in the Mariana Archipelago video
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council sponsored the production of a ~26-minute film on “Open Ocean Fishing in the Mariana Archipelago.” The film features archaeological evidence for open ocean fishing dating back 3,000 years, then moves through...
Fall 2021 Pacific Islands Fishery News
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FR notice – Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping and To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Designation of a National Marine Sanctuary Within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (comments due by Jan. 31, 2022)
AGENCY: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a draft environmental impact statement and hold public scoping meetings; request for...
Request for Comments – Amendment 6 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago; Rebuilding Plan for Guam Bottomfish (Comments due Jan. 14, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery ecosystem plan amendment; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery...
FR Notice – Recovery Plan for Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Distinct Population Segment (Nov. 3, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the adoption of a Final Endangered Species...
Press Release – Online Portal for the 2020 Annual Fishery Evaluation Reports Now Available (2 November 2021)
HONOLULU (2 November 2021) The 2020 annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports have been released on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s online portal: wpcouncildata.org. These reports on nearshore and pelagic fisheries in the...
FR Notice – Electronic Logbooks for Hawaii and American Samoa Pelagic Longline Fisheries; Correction (Nov. 1, 2021
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendment. SUMMARY: This document corrects an inadvertent drafting error in final regulations published in the Federal...
Request for Comments – Annual Catch Limit and Accountability Measures; Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish for Fishing Years 2021– 2024 (due by Nov. 16, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS proposes to implement an annual catch limit (ACL) of 492,000 lb (223,167 kg) for Deep 7...