Fishery Ecosystem Plans + Amendments
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 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.
Fishery Ecosystem Plans
The Council currently has five place-based fishery ecosystem plans (FEPs), one each for the Hawaii, American Samoa and Mariana (Guam and CNMI) Archipelagos; one for the US Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIAs); and another for the Pacific Pelagic fisheries. The approach of these management plans allows explicit consideration to be given to the ecosystem interactions within each of the areas managed by the Council. These FEPs were approved in 2009 and codified in 2010. These FEPs are amended as necessary.
American Samoa Archipelago FEP: This FEP manages fisheries for bottomfish and seamount groundfish, crustaceans, coral reef associated species and precious corals in EEZ waters around American Samoa.
Hawaii Archipelago FEP: This FEP manages fisheries for bottomfish and seamount groundfish, crustaceans, coral reef associated species and precious corals in EEZ waters around the Hawaii Archipelago, including Midway Atoll.
Mariana Archipelago FEP: This FEP manages fisheries for bottomfish and seamount groundfish, crustaceans, coral reef associated species and precious corals in EEZ waters around Guam and CNMI.
Pacific Remote Island Areas FEP: This FEP manages fisheries for bottomfish and seamount groundfish, crustaceans, coral reef associated species and precious corals in EEZ waters around Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands; Johnston, Palmyra and Wake Atolls; and Kingman Reef.
Pacific Pelagic FEP: This FEP manages fisheries for pelagic species in EEZ waters of the Western Pacific Region and by fisheries based in the Region that operate on the high seas.
Former Fishery Management Plans: The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council managed five Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) until 2010, when the five new Fishery Ecosystem Plans (FEPs) were approved. The FEPs shift management focus from species-based to place-based
Amendments under Development
The plans and fishery regulations are dynamic and reflect the Council’s adaptive management, which monitors and addresses changing conditions based on the best available information. In developing and amending these plans, the Council provides a public forum for decision-making and works closely with communities, local governments, federal agencies and local and international organizations.
Below are amendments to the FEPs currently under development and how you can help in the process.
Draft/Scoping
The beginning phase of Amendment development. We’re gathering ideas about how to solve a fishery problem or address a need. Help us identify issues, potential impacts and reasonable solutions so we can develop reasonable management actions and alternatives.
Public Hearings
Options and alternatives that can potentially solve a fishery issue have been developed along with biological, social and economic analysis. Help us identify the potential impacts of the proposed alternatives to guide the Council’s decision making process.
Rule Making
Once the Council takes final action on an issue, the proposed management measure is forwarded to the Secretary of Commerce for review.
- Managing Loggerhead and Leatherback Turtle Interactions in the Hawaii Shallow-Set Longline Fishery (Pelagic FEP Amendment 10): Council final action in August 2019 (179th meeting)
- Revised Swordfish Trip Limits in the American Samoa Longline Fishery
- Modifications to the American Samoa Longline Fishery Limited Entry Program