News + Announcements
FR Notice – Exemption for Large US Longline Vessels to Fish in Portions of the American Samoa Large Vessel Prohibited Area, Final Rule (July 9, 2021)
AGENCY:National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION:Final rule SUMMARY:NMFS implements a regulatory exemption that allows certain U.S. longline vessels 50 ft (15.2 m) and larger (‘‘large longline...
FR Notice -Temporary Rule and Interim Measures for American Samoa Bottomfish Fishery (June 21, 2021)
AGENCY:National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION:Temporary rule; interim measures. SUMMARY: This temporary rule implements an interim catch limit (ICL) of 13,000 lb (5,897 kg) of American Samoa...
FR Notice – Proposed Rule Implementing Pelagic FEP Amendment 9 (Modifications to the American Samoa Longline Fishery Limited Entry Program) and Request for Comments (June 30, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification of availability of a fishery ecosystem plan amendment; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific...
Press Release – Western Pacific Council and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Managers Collaborate to Draft Management Plan (25 June 2021)
HONOLULU (25 June 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and managers of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) agreed to work together yesterday at a meeting in Honolulu to develop a draft management plan ahead of the formal...
Press Release – Western Pacific Council Defers Action on American Samoa Bottomfish Rebuilding Plan (23 June 2021)
HONOLULU (23 June 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted to defer action on the rebuilding plan for the federally managed bottomfish complex in American Samoa at its virtual meeting today in Honolulu. In February 2020, the National Marine...
Press Release – US Pacific Fishery Managers Vote to Prohibit Wire Leaders and Remove Trailing Gear in New Shark Conservation Measure (22 June 2021)
HONOLULU (22 June 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted today to prohibit wire leaders in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery and require removal of trailing gear for all longline vessels operating under the Pacific Pelagic Fishery...
Press Release – Western Pacific Scientists Support Fishermen Input on Annual Reports, Gear Requirements to Protect Sharks (17 June 2021)
HONOLULU (17 June 2021) The SSC supported inclusion of a new section on fishermen observations to the annual status of the fisheries regional and pelagic reports for American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Hawai‘i and the Pacific...
Press Release – Scientists Support Combined Management Measures for Uku, Review Mitigation Tactics for False Killer Whales (15 June 2021)
HONOLULU (15 June 2021) The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council supported the combined management of the commercial and noncommercial sectors of the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) uku fishery. Commercial...
FR Notice – Nominations to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (June 14, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for nominations. SUMMARY: Nominations are being sought for appointment by the Secretary of Commerce to fill vacancies on the...
FR notice – Implementation of Emergency Decisions of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (June 10, 2021)
Action Interim final rule; temporary specifications; request for comments. Summary This interim final rule establishes a framework to implement short-notice decisions of the Commission on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western...