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2021 WestPac public meetings are virtual — here is the schedule

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council logo
Source: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council

Honolulu, HAWAII — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council announces the following public meetings on fisheries management in offshore waters of Hawai‘i (HI), American Samoa (AS), Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA). Unless otherwise noted, the meetings will be held by web conference. Host sites are subject to local and federal safety and health guidelines regarding COVID-19; check the Council website for updates. All times listed are local island times. For more information on the virtual meeting connection and complete agendas, click on the meeting title, or go to www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars, email info@wpcouncil.org or call (808) 522-8220.

Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Plan Team

March 3 – 4 (W – Th)  1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: Oceanic whitetip shark report; Wire leader amendment and seabird mitigation measures for the HI longline fishery; and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits.

Non-Commercial Fisheries Advisory Committee

March 10 (W)             1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: Council action items; Noncommercial data collection efforts and reporting; and Executive order and legislation potential impacts.

AS Archipelago FEP Advisory Panel (AP)

March 10 (W)             5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (SST)

Major agenda items: AS bottomfish management options; Catchit Logit implementation; AS Large Vessel Prohibited Area status; AP plans; and AS fishery issues and activities.

Fishing Industry Advisory Committee

March 11 (Th)            2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: Council action items; Mariana Archipelago green sea turtle population status; 2021 HI small-boat survey; Bigeye tuna management in Western and Central Pacific longline fisheries workshop.

Mariana Archipelago FEP-Guam AP

March 11 (Th)            6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (ChST)

Major agenda items: Guam bottomfish stock rebuilding plan; Catchit Logit implementation; AP plans; and Guam fishery issues and activities.

HI Archipelago FEP AP

March 12 (F)               9 a.m. to noon (HST)

Major agenda items: Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) deep-seven bottomfish annual catch limit (ACL) specification; Wire leader amendment and seabird mitigation measures for the HI longline fishery; North Pacific striped marlin catch limits; HI reef fish life history research report; and AP plans.

Mariana Archipelago FEP-CNMI AP

March 13 (Sat)            9 a.m. to noon (ChST)

Major agenda items: Guam bottomfish update; Catchit Logit implementation; AP plans; and CNMI fishery issues and activities.

139th Scientific & Statistical Committee

Direct link to meeting: https://tinyurl.com/139SSCMtg. If prompted, password SSC139mtg.

March 16 – 18 (T – Th)        11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: MHI deep-seven bottomfish acceptable biological catch update (action item); Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan impact analysis (action item); Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Pelagic & International Standing Committee

March 22 (M)             1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Executive & Budget Standing Committee

March 22 (M)             3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: Financial and administrative matters; Coral critical habitat working group; and Council family changes.

185th Council Meeting

Direct link to meeting: https://tinyurl.com/185CouncilMtg.

If prompted, password CM185mtg.

Host sites: Tedi of Samoa Bldg., Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, AS

BRI Bldg., Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., Garapan, Saipan, CNMI

Cliff Pointe, 304 W. O’Brien Drive, Hagatña, Guam

March 23 – 25 (T – Th)   11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (HST)

Major agenda items: MHI deep-seven bottomfish ACL update (action item); Guam bottomfish rebuilding plan environmental assessment (action item); Wire leader amendment for the HI longline fishery (action item); and North Pacific striped marlin catch limits (action item).

Written comments on final action items on the 185th Council meeting agenda received by March 19, 2021, will be distributed to Council members prior to meeting. Direct comments to Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director, WPRFMC, and mail to 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, fax to (808) 522-8226 or email to info@wpcouncil.org. Written comments on all other agenda items may be submitted for the record by email throughout the duration of the meeting.