Federal Fishery Managers Weigh-In on Marine National Monument draft plans, COVID-19 Impacts to Fisheries and More

News Release from WESPAC

HONOLULU (24 June 2020) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded the first day of its three-day virtual meeting yesterday with discussions and recommendations regarding the work of partner agencies and program planning. Topics ranged from marine national monuments, COVID-19 impacts, stock assessments, fisheries performance and more. The Council manages federal fisheries operating in waters offshore of the State of Hawai'i, the Territories of American Samoa and Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and the US Pacific Remote Islands Areas.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) reported that development of draft management plans for two marine national monuments are ongoing. The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) and Marianas Trench Marine National Monument were established on Jan. 6, 2009, by presidential proclamation. Together with monument expansion of PRIMNM by President Obama on Sept. 29, 2014, the monuments prohibit US commercial fishing vessels from operating in nearly 600,000 square miles of US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters. PIRO Regional Administrator Michael Tosatto said NMFS and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are working to identify new and emerging issues to inform the PRIMNM management plan planning process and are evaluating the timeline for the public release of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument draft management plan. The Council recommended that NMFS PIRO include the CNMI Monument Advisory Committee and the Territory of Guam in the review of the draft management plan for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. According to the presidential proclamations, the management plans were to have been developed within two years of establishment of the monuments.

NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) reported on the impacts of COVID-19 on the Hawai'i commercial fisheries and markets. The report shows that revenue dropped by 80% due to restaurant closures and travel/visitor restrictions. PIFSC Director Mike Seki also shared a tool PIFSC researchers built that provides a visualized market demand curve based on historical data. The tool allows industry to explore tradeoffs in market supply and price to meet objectives. The Council recommended that PIFSCcoordinate with agencies and industry representatives in the Territories to provide market monitoring analyses and demand tracking app for each area.

PIFSC Director Mike Seki als reported that three cruises on the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette and another on the NOAA ship Rainer have been cancelled due to COVID-19 impacts. Monk seal and turtle field camps have been delayed. Fisheries data collection training, surveys, biosampling, lab work, etc. have been reduced or suspended. The Council recommended that PIFSC coordinate with the Council and the Territory of American Samoa's Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources to determine viable logistic solutions to continue the American Samoa research cruise. American Samoa bottomfish has been determined recently by NMFS to be overfished and subject to overfishing. The Council has two years to develop and implement a rebuilding plan for the stock in federal waters. Most of the fishery occurs in waters 0 to 3 miles offshore under jurisdiction of the Territory. Many fishery advisors, fishermen and scientists point to the lack of complete and accurate data as the reason for the pessimistic stock status determination.

The Council also agreed that the impacts of COVID-19 to the region's fisheries should be noted in the Council's 2020 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports. The Council reviewed and approved the 2019 SAFE reports, which can be found on the Council's website.

The Council meeting continues through June 25, 2020, by web conference (Webex) with host sites at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, Chuchuko Room, 202 Hilton Rd., Tumon Bay, Guam; Hyatt Regency Saipan, Royal Palm Ave., Micro Beach Rd., Saipan, CNMI; and Department of Port Administration, Airport Conference Room, Pago Pago International Airport, Tafuna Village, American Samoa. Instructions on connecting to Webex, agendas and briefing documents will be posted at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars.

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Secretary of Commerce appointees from nominees selected by American Samoa, CNMI, Guam and Hawai'i governors: Archie Soliai, StarKist (American Samoa) (chair); John Gourley, Micronesian Environmental Services (CNMI) (vice chair); Michael Dueñas, Guam Fishermen's Cooperative Association (Guam) (vice chair); Edwin Watamura, Waialua Boat Club (Hawai'i) (vice chair); Howard Dunham, commercial fisherman (American Samoa); Monique Amani, business owner (Guam); Michael Goto, United Fishing Agency (Hawai'i); McGrew Rice, charter boat captain (CNMI). Designated state officials: Raymond Roberto, CNMI Dept. of Lands and Natural Resources; Suzanne Case, Hawai'i Dept. of Land & Natural Resources; Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Guam Dept. of Agriculture; Henry Sesepasara, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources. Designated federal officials (voting): Michael Tosatto, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (non-voting): RADM Kevin Lunday, USCG 14th District; Michael Brakke, US Dept. of State; and Brian Peck, US Fish and Wildlife Service.