Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — At its meeting last week, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council made key recommendations on advancing fisheries management in the region. Discussions covered the development of an electronic monitoring (EM) program, SSC strategic plan and revisions to American Samoa bottomfish catch limits, among others.

ADVANCING EM FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

The SSC deliberated on the transition of EM from a research tool to an authorized fishery monitoring program under federal regulations. With human observer coverage in the Hawai‘i-based deep-set longline fishery expected to drop to 7% by 2025, EM offers a critical alternative for meeting protected species monitoring obligations, including interactions and bycatch estimation.

The SSC recommended a phased implementation of EM by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), targeting a fully mandatory program for implementation by 2027. Initial authorization should focus on longline fisheries under the Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP), including Hawai‘i-based shallow-set swordfish and deep-set tuna fisheries, as well as the American Samoa tuna fishery. The SSC recommended that EM be used to verify logbook data and fill voids in declining observer coverage to ensure reliable monitoring.

Public comments highlighted industry support for phased EM adoption but NMFS should cover program costs and address data confidentiality.

EXPANDING TIER 6 ABC CONTROL RULES

As part of revisions to managed bottomfish species in American Samoa, the SSC reviewed a proposed Tier 6 rule allowing a rate-based approach for setting annual catch limits (ACLs) for data-limited stocks. The acceptable biological catch (ABC) is used to calculate the ACL, which is the maximum amount of fish that can be caught in a year. Recognizing the need for enhanced data collection infrastructure in each of the island areas, the SSC recommended the Tier 6 control rule be applied across all FEPs.

SSC members emphasized the potential for Tier 6 to provide an additional tool to address data-limited stocks to balance fishing opportunities with long-term stock health.  

SSC STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS KEY CHALLENGES

The SSC adopted a strategic plan to guide its work over the next several years. The plan aims to address unique challenges facing fishery management in the Western Pacific given evolving economic, cultural and environmental considerations. A key element of the plan charts a proactive role for the SSC in undertaking special projects to inform the Council regarding the impacts of fishery management actions on fishing communities, consumers, fishery economics, and fish and protected species populations. The SSC plans to finalize its project list at the March 2025 meeting, including initiatives on human dimensions and climate resilience in fisheries.

The SSC’s recommendations will be presented to the Council for consideration at its meeting this week on Dec. 16-17, 2024