Friday, March 29, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, October 25, 2013
Wespac: US Should Refuse Any Quota Reduction For Hawaii Bigeye Tuna
By News Release @ 5:19 PM :: 5513 Views :: Environment, Small Business

US Should Refuse Any Quota Reduction For Hawaii Bigeye Tuna, Fishery Council Says

News Release from Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

HONOLULU - The United States should not accept a reduction in the bigeye tuna limit for the Hawaii longline fishery, according to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, which concluded a four-day meeting in Honolulu today. Authorized by Congress to manage fisheries seaward of State and Territorial waters in the US Pacific Islands, the Council noted that the Hawaii longline fishery operates several thousand miles from the equatorial Pacific, where nearly 90 percent of bigeye tuna fishing mortality occurs.

The tuna quotas for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) are internationally formulated by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), of which the United States is a member. The WCPFC is scheduled to meet Dec. 2 to 6, 2013, in Cairns, Australia. The priority agenda item is the management of tropical tunas, particularly bigeye tuna, which has been experiencing overfishing for about two decades. A proposal developed by a WCPFC working group that met in August in Japan would have the Hawaii longline fishery quota for bigeye reduced by 45 percent. If approved and implemented, the measure could shut the Hawaii bigeye tuna fishery about July each year.

The Council noted that the WCPFC’s previous conservation and management measures (CMMs) have failed to prevent increases in fleet capacity, fishing effort and total catch of tropical tunas. Further, bigeye overfishing continues in the WCPO primarily from its incidental catch by the purse-seine fishery when fishing on fish aggregation devices (FADs). The Council noted its continued concern about the effectiveness of the proposed purse-seine measures to achieve effective reductions of juvenile bigeye fishing mortality. It said that the WCPFC’s treatment of purse seine and longline fisheries is inequitable and scientifically unjustified. The WCPFC has imposed bigeye quotas on the longline fishery and fishing day limits for the purse-seine fishery. The purse-seine take of bigeye tuna has increased under this approach.

The Council directed its staff to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to develop spatial management approaches for bigeye tuna for incorporation in future US CMM proposals to the WCPFC. The Council also recommended that the following research and education/outreach activities related to tuna management be undertaken:

  • The University of Hawaii’s Pelagic Fisheries Research Program complete and publish its bigeye otolith stable isotope study, which helps to resolve spatial distribution and connectivity of Hawaii yellowfin tuna, and expand the bigeye study to include sampling of otoliths from the northwestern Pacific and other locations not yet sampled.
  • Convene a workshop to design a collaborative study of bigeye movements in the Pacific and the data requirements to support such a study.
  • Collect the reports of various Hawaii tuna tagging projects and summarize and disseminate the findings in an accessible format to the public.

The Council also made the following recommendations, among others:

  • That a shark fishery resource assessment in the Mariana Archipelago be conducted to include the Council, NMFS and Mariana fishermen. Council members from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) said shark depredation has escalated. Sharks are attacking artificial lures and are following vessels and waiting for fish to be hooked.
  • That the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries be reminded that, regarding the Billfish Conservation Act, the intent of Congress is to maintain the ability of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and CNMI fisheries to send billfish to the US mainland for sale as well as allow billfish landed in American Samoa, Guam, and CNMI by foreign vessels to be sold in Hawaii.
  • That the US Coast Guard prioritize patrols of the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to detect foreign fishing violations and acquire or direct additional patrol assets for the Western Pacific Region.
  • That a Fishery Data Collection and Research Committee be formed as a committee of the Council and be comprised of the heads of the Council, the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Guam Department of Agriculture, CNMI Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans and NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, as well as a representative from US Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • That NMFS be notified of the Council’s concurrence with the positive 90-day finding in response to the petition to delist the North Pacific humpback whale population under the Endangered Species Act. The Council reiterated its previous recommendation to recognize the recovery and delist the North Pacific humpback whales and looks forward to a timely 12-month finding from NMFS.
  • That the Department of Defense (DOD) and Joint-Region Marianas be reminded of the fishermen’s concerns regarding the expansion of the closure around Farallon de Medinilla, a prime bottomfish ground, and the military’s plans for the islands of Tinian and Pagan.
  • That Council staff reviews the current CNMI bottomfish fishery and its existing management regime and develop an options paper for Council consideration that would remove the large vessel area closure for bottomfish in the southern portion of the archipelago.
  • That Council staff assist the Governor of American Samoa in reviewing America Samoa’s Deeds of Cession to determine applicability to the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and other federally managed areas.
  • That Council staff assists the American Samoa government in developing standards to prevent illegal seafood imports, which currently may be undercutting the price of locally caught fish, and to develop seafood safety and handling training programs and other marketing strategies to promote local seafood markets. This would benefit the local economy and enhance food security.

The Council concluded its meeting by reappointing its 2013 officers as its officers for 2014, i.e., Arnold Palacios (CNMI) as chair and Michael Duenas (Guam), Edwin Ebisui (Hawaii), Richard Seman (CNMI) and William Sword (American Samoa) as vice chairs.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council was established by Congress to manage fisheries in offshore waters around Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Pacific remote island areas. Serving as a bridge between the local communities, fishermen, and the federal government, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council continues its commitment to keep fisheries sustainable, protecting the fishing industry and the local communities that that depend on it. For more information, visit www.wpcouncil.org or email info.wpcouncil@noaa.gov; phone (808) 522-8220, or fax (808) 522-8226.

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Appointees by the Secretary of Commerce from nominees selected by American Samoa, CNMI, Guam and Hawaii governors: Michael Duenas, Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association (Guam) (vice chair) ; William Sword, recreational fisherman (American Samoa) (vice chair); Edwin Ebisui (Hawaii) (vice chair); Richard Seman, education and outreach specialist (CNMI) (vice chair); Michael Goto, United Fishing Agency Ltd. (Hawaii); Julie Leialoha, biologist (Hawaii); Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele, Port Administration (American Samoa); and McGrew Rice, commercial and charter fisherman (Hawaii). Designated state officials: Arnold Palacios, CNMI Department of Land & Natural Resources (chair); Mariquita Taitague, Guam Department of Agriculture; William Aila, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources; and Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga, American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. Designated federal officials: Michael Tosatto, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office; Susan White, Pacific Reefs National Wildlife Refuges Complex; RAdm Cari B. Thomas, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District; and Bill Gibbons-Fly, US Department of State.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT