Western Pacific scientists to review fishing rules and bottomfish catch

Source: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council HONOLULU — Where can large fishing vessels operate around American Samoa? How much bottomfish can be sustainably caught there in the coming years? What science will guide the future of fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands? These are some of the questions the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will discuss Sept. 8–10, 2026, in Honolulu. The public can attend in person or online to hear how scientists review the information behind upcoming Council decisions affecting fisheries in Hawai‘i and American Samoa. AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS FOR AMERICAN SAMOA Fishing Rules in American Samoa The SSC will review possible changes to the American Samoa Large Vessel Prohibited Area around Rose Atoll. The discussion will focus on whether and how fishing access for larger vessels should change around Rose Atoll. The LVPA was established to reduce competition between large longline vessels and smaller-scale alia vessels. American Samoa Bottomfish Catch The SSC will consider an acceptable biological catch (ABC) for American Samoa bottomfish for 2027–2030. A 2026 stock assessment update found that the fishery is not overfished and is not experiencing overfishing. The ABC is the SSC’s science-based recommendation for how much can be caught sustainably, accounting for scientific uncertainty. The Council then considers management uncertainty and other factors when setting the annual catch limit, which may be lower than the ABC. What Science Is Needed for Upcoming Management Decisions? The SSC will also identify research, monitoring and analysis needed to meet Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements and address emerging fishery management needs and priorities. These include future management of areas recently reopened to commercial fishing, as well as developing pelagic fishery actions identified under the federal Executive Order on “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” Potential changes aimed at reducing regulatory burdens on domestic fishing include revisions to sea turtle measures in the Hawai‘i shallow-set and American Samoa longline fisheries and to the swordfish retention limit in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery. The SSC will also rank regional research priorities to help focus future scientific work on the questions that matter most for fishery management. HOW TO JOIN In-Person: Council Office, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI Online: Via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/161SSCMtg , Event password: SSC161mtg Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/161st-scientific-and-statistical-committee-meeti... The SSC provides advice to the Council, which will meet virtually Sept. 15-17, 2026, with host sites in Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI. More information is available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/208th-council-meeting. Section: Regional Tags: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
2026-09-04 17:37:38