News + Announcements
FR Notice – Modifications to the American Samoa Longline Fishery Limited Entry Program (Oct. 07, 2021)
AGENCY:National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION:Final rule. SUMMARY:This final rule implements Amendment 9 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP). It...
Request for Comment: Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Fish Aggregating Device Design Requirements in Purse Seine Fisheries, IMO Number Requirements, and Bycatch Restrictions (comments due by Nov. 8, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS seeks comments on this proposed rule issued under authority of the Western and Central...
Request for Comments: National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions (comments due by Nov. 22, 2021)
AGENCY:Council on Environmental Quality.ACTION:Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY:The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is proposing to modify certain aspects of its regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy...
Request for Comment: Establishment of Time-Area Closures for Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (Comments due by Dec. 27, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comment. SUMMARY: We, NMFS, propose a regulation under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to...
Press Release – US Pacific Fishery Managers Set Uku Catch Limits in Hawai‘i, Support Exploring Cultural Take of Green Sea Turtles (23 September 2021)
HONOLULU (23 September 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommended that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implement a 291,010-pound annual catch target for uku in the main Hawaiian Islands. This would include an in-season...
Press Release – Western Pacific Fishery Managers Recommend Improved Seabird Conservation Measures (22 September 2021)
HONOLULU (22 September 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommended modifications to a regulatory amendment as an initial action to improve seabird conservation in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery. A recent tori line study showed...
Press Release – US Pacific Fishery Managers Support Climate Change Research to Inform Management Decisions (21 September 2021)
HONOLULU (21 September 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted today to approve several plans aimed at improving research and data in the region. The Council’s work relies on robust scientific information for its fishery management...
Press Release – Pacific Fishery Scientists Recommend Ways to Better Manage False Killer Whale Impacts (17 September 2021)
HONOLULU (17 September 2021) The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council adopted recommendations to improve the management of impacts to false killer whales (FKWs) in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery....
Report: Could tori lines replace blue-dyed bait to reduce seabird bycatch risk in the Hawaii deep-set longline fishery?
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, in collaboration with the Hawaii Longline Association, NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office conducted a study comparing the efficacy of tori lines and blue-dyed...
Press Release – Scientists to Evaluate Impacts of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Expansion (15 September 2021)
HONOLULU (15 September 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) suggested developing a working group to evaluate the impacts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) expansion on...