Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council

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The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) is one of eight regional councils [1] established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) in 1976 to manage offshore fisheries. [2] The WPRFMC's jurisdiction includes the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters (generally 3–200 miles offshore) around the State of Hawaii; US Territories of American Samoa and Guam; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); and the US Pacific remote island areas of Johnston, Midway, Palmyra and Wake Atolls; Baker, Howland and Jarvis Islands; and Kingman Reef. This area of nearly 1.5 million square miles is the size of the continental United States and constitutes about half of the entire US EEZ. It spans both sides of the equator and both sides of the dateline. The WPRFMC also manages domestic fisheries based in the US Pacific Islands that operate on the high seas. [3]

Contents

The council is based in Honolulu, Hawaii. [4]

Achievements

Role

The WPRFMC fulfills a central role in the management of the nation's marine fisheries resources. Its primary role is to prepare, monitor and amend management plans for offshore fisheries based in the Western Pacific Region. Each plan contains a suite of management measures and associated regulations that have been implemented to support sustainable fisheries, reduce and mitigate interactions with protected species, and conserve marine habitat and ecosystems.

The plans and fishery regulations are dynamic and reflect the WPRFMC's adaptive management, which monitors and addresses changing conditions based on the best available information. In developing these plans, the WPRFMC provides a public forum for decision-making and works closely with communities, local governments, federal agencies and local and international organizations.

The MSA authorizes fishery management councils to create Fishery Management Plans (FMP). Since the 1980s, the WPRFMC has managed fisheries throughout the Western Pacific Region through separate species-based FMPs – the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish FMP., [8] the Crustaceans FMP, [6] the Precious Corals FMP, [5] the Coral Reef Ecosystems FMP [15] and the Pelagic FMP [9]

However, in 2010, the WPRFMC began moving towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management and is restructuring its management framework from species-based FMPs to place-based FEP. Recognizing that a comprehensive ecosystem approach to fisheries management must be initiated through an incremental, collaborative, and adaptive management process, a multi-step approach is being used to develop and implement the FEPs. To be successful, this will require increased understanding of a range of issues including, biological and trophic relationships, ecosystem indicators and models, and the ecological effects of non-fishing activities on the marine environment.

The WPRFMC currently has five place-based FEPs, one each for Hawaii, [18] American Samoa [19] and Mariana (Guam and CNMI) Archipelagos; [20] one for the US Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIAs); [21] and another for the Pacific Pelagic fisheries. [22] The approach of these management plans allows explicit consideration to be given to the ecosystem interactions within each of the areas managed by the WPRFMC.

International roles

Vessels from Hawaii fish on the high seas in both the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, which are included in the jurisdictions of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, respectively. The Council is involved in these regional fishery management organizations and other international bodies and initiatives to address resource management issues such as marine debris, marine education, and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species, seamount resources, deepwater corals and protected species, including seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals and sharks.

Local roles

The WPRFMC also plays a significant facilitation role in the Community Demonstration Project Program (CDPP), [23] Community Development Program, [24] and Marine Education and Training Program. These programs were created by Congress through the MSA to promote continued participation of indigenous communities in Pacific Island fisheries. The WPRFMC also supports fishery development and resource management projects identified in the Marine Conservation Plans of American Samoa, Guam and CNMI through the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund (SFF), also established by the MSA.

Components of the WPRFMC system

The WPRFMC system is composed of Council Members, Council Staff, and advisory bodies that advise the Council and the public that participates in the Council decision-making process. [25]

Composition

The Council has 13 voting members and three non-voting members.

Advisory bodies

When reviewing potential regulatory changes, the WPRFMC also draws upon the services of knowledgeable people from local and federal agencies, universities and the public, who serve on WPRFMC panels and committees. Advisory bodies include the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), the Advisory Panel (AP), the Archipelagic and Pelagic Plan Teams, Regional Ecosystem Advisory Committees (REAC) and other committees.

See also

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References

  1. "US Regional Fishery Management Councils". fisherycouncils.org. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  2. 1 2 "Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act". www.nmfs.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  3. "NOAA Fisheries Service Pacific Island Region". www.nmfs.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  4. "About Us". WPRFMC. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Precious Corals Fishery Management Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. WPRFMC. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  6. 1 2 "Crustaceans Fishery Management Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. WPRFMC. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  7. Yates, Lindsey. "Nets to Energy: The Honolulu Derelist Net Recycling Program" (PDF). coast.noaa.gov. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  8. 1 2 "Bottomfish Fishery Management Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. WPRFMC. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  9. 1 2 "Pelagics Fishery Management Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. WPRFMC. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  10. "DRIFTNET IMPACT MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND CONTROL ACT OF 1987" (PDF). www.legcounsel.house.gov. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  11. Bartram, P.; Kaneko, J.J.; Krasnick, G. (December 28, 2006). Hawaii Seafood Project (NOAA Award No. NA05NMF4521112) (PDF). Honolulu, Hawaii: PacMar Inc. p. 1. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  12. "Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries". www.fao.org. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  13. NcNamara, B.; Torre, L.; Kaaialii, G. (1999). Final Report, Hawaii Longline Seabird Mortality Mitigation Project. Honolulu: Garcia & Associates. pp. 99 pp + Appendices.
  14. Dalzell, editors: Eric Gilman, Asuka Ishizaki, David Chang, Wei-Yang Liu, Paul (2011). Proceedings of the Fifth International Fishers Forum on Marine Spatial Planning and Bycatch Mitigation, Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei, August 3–5, 2010 = Hai yang kong jian gui hua yu yu ye hun huo guan li zhi di wu jie guo ji yu ye ren lun tan shi lu ji, 2010 nian 8 yue 3 ri zhi 5 ri, Taibei. Honolulu, Hawaii: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. ISBN   978-1-934061-54-1.{{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  15. 1 2 "Coral Reef Ecosystem Fishery Management Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. WPRFMC. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
  16. "Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act As Amended Through January 12, 2007" (PDF). www.nmfs.noaa.gov. U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  17. "Omnibus Amendment for the Western Pacific Region to Establish a Process for Specifying Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures Including an Environmental Assessment" (PDF). www.fpir.noaa.gov. NMFS. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  18. "Hawaii Fishery Ecosystem Plan". www.wpcouncil.org. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  19. "American Samoa Fishery Ecosystem Plan". www.wpcouncil.org.
  20. "Marianas Fishery Ecosystem Plan". www.wpcouncil.org.
  21. "Pacific Remote Islands Area Fishery Ecosystem Plan". www.wpcouncil.org.
  22. "Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan". www.wpcouncil.org.
  23. "Community Demonstration Projects Program". www.wpcouncil.org.
  24. "Western Pacific Community Development Program". www.wpcouncil.org.
  25. Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (2014). Navigating the Western Pacific Council Process (6th ed.). p. 8. ISBN   978-1-937863-16-6.