The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is to advise on President Obama’s proclamation to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI).
The proclamation, which includes 532,578 square miles of ocean prohibits commercial fishing but allows non-commercial fishing to be carried out including native Hawaiian subsistence fishing.
During its deliberations, the Council will consider the advice of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), a group of renowned fishery scientists. Among the items to be reviewed is the economic impact of lost fishing grounds in the US exclusive economic zone as a result of the monument expansion.
The SSC is also scheduled to provide advice on the 2017 longline bigeye catch limits for American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
These US flagged islands are Participating Territories of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. This international regional fishery management organization, to which the US is a party, has developed national quotas for longline-caught bigeye tuna in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, but set no longline bigeye catch limits for Small Island Developing States and Participating Territories.
The Council will consider the recommendations from the SSC and its other advisory bodies at its 168th meeting, from 12 to 14 October in Honolulu. Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to attend.
More information from www.wpcouncil.org
