News + Announcements
Spring 2021 Pacific Islands Fishery News
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FR Notice – Electronic Logbooks for Hawaii and American Samoa Pelagic Longline Fisheries (June 8, 2021)
Action Proposed rule; request for comments. Summary NMFS proposes to require the use of electronic logbooks in Hawaii pelagic longline fisheries and on Class C and D vessels in the American Samoa pelagic longline fishery. This proposed rule is intended to reduce human...
FR Notice – Mariana Archipelago Bottomfish Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures (May 7, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: In this final rule, NMFS implements bottomfish annual catch limits (ACL), and annual catch targets (ACT) and accountability...
FR Notice – Solicitation for Applications for Advisory Councils Established Pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Executive Order (May 7, 2021)
AGENCY: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of solicitation. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that ONMS will solicit...
Now available for comment – Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for a potential aquaculture management program in Federal waters of the Pacific Islands Region (May 6, 2021)
NOAA Fisheries is releasing a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for a potential aquaculture management program in Federal waters of the Pacific Islands Region. The draft PEIS is available at: https://www.regulations.gov/. (Search under...
FR Notice – Taking of Threatened or Endangered Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Issuance of Permits (May 6, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is issuing permits for a period of three years to authorize the incidental, but...
FR Notice – Nominations for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Permanent Advisory Committee (April 26, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of request for nominations. SUMMARY: NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, is reopening a request for nominations for the...
FR Notice – 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Shortfin Mako Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act (April 15, 2021)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: 90-day petition finding, request for information, and initiation of status review. SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to...
Press Release – U.S. Pacific Fishery Managers Support Changes to Address Overfishing for Striped Marlin (25 March 2021)
HONOLULU (25 March 2021) To address the relative impacts of U.S. vessels on the internationally overfished North Pacific striped marlin, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommended an initial catch limit of approximately 1 million pounds (457...
Press Release – Western Pacific Council Defers Action on Guam Bottomfish Rebuilding Plan ( 25 March 2021)
HONOLULU (25 March 2021) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council deferred action on the Guam bottomfish stock rebuilding plan to a future meeting yesterday in Honolulu. This allows for a coordinated effort among the relevant agencies to finalize the...