News + Announcements
Western Pacific Region Status of the Fisheries 2017
The 2017 annual reports on fisheries in Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands provide data and trends about last year's fishery participation, catch rates, landings and other fishery performance factors. Each report also covers ecological components that may impact...
NMFS Announces Final Rule Designating ESA Critical Habitat for the Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whales
On July 24, 2018, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a final rule to designate critical habitat for the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) insular false killer whale distinct population segment (DPS). The critical habitat encompasses waters from 45-meter...
FR Notice – Closure of Southern Exclusion Zone to Hawaii Longline Vessels (July 18, 2018)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the Southern Exclusion Zone (SEZ) to deep-set longline fishing...
FR Notice – WCPFC CMM 2017-01 WCPO restrictions for US Purse Seine and US Longline Vessels (July 18, 2018)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: Under authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFC Implementation Act), NMFS...
FR Notice – Request for Nominations to the Marine Mammal Scientific Review Groups (July 16, 2018)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for nominations. SUMMARY: As required by of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Secretary of Commerce established three...
The 2019 Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Grant competition is open for applications.
NOAA Fisheries is pleased to announce the 2019 Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Grant competition is open for applications. NOAA Fisheries announces the the FY19 Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) Federal Funding Opportunity and inviting applicants to submit pre-proposals by July 23,...
FR Notice – 5-Year Extension of Moratorium on Harvest of Gold Corals (June 14, 2018)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule extends the region-wide moratorium on the harvest of gold corals in the U.S. Pacific Islands through June...
Press Release – Federal Managers Recommend Sea Turtle Measures for Hawaii Shallow-Set Longliners, Four-Year Large Vessel Prohibited Area Exemption for American Samoa Longliners (13 June 2018)
WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII (13 June 2018) Federal fishery managers, meeting today at the Wailea Beach Resort on Maui, Hawaii, have recommended measures to manage sea turtle interactions in the Hawaii shallow-set longline fishery targeting swordfish. The Western Pacific...
Press Release – Federal Managers Recommend Increase in Hawaii Deep-Water Bottomfish Catch Limit (12 June 2018)
WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII (12 June 2018) Federal fishery managers, meeting this week at the Wailea Beach Resort on Maui, Hawaii, have recommended an increase in the annual catch limit (ACL) for seven species of main Hawaiian Islands deep-water bottomfish species. The ACL...
FR Notice – Area of Overlap Between the Convention Areas of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS is considering whether to continue, or to revise, the management...