HONOLULU (13 September 2024) At its meeting this week, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) reviewed and discussed options for modifying Guam’s bottomfish rebuilding plan, focusing on balancing sustainable fishing opportunities with stock recovery goals. 

In 2019, the Guam bottomfish fishery was declared overfished, which requires the Council to rebuild the Guam bottomfish stock, per the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council developed a rebuilding plan that set an annual catch limit (ACL) of 31,000 pounds, with in-season monitoring that would close the fishery if the limit is exceeded. A stock assessment update presented in June 2024 found that while the Guam bottomfish fishery is not overfished, it has not met the rebuilding threshold.

After evaluating catch projections and accountability measures, the SSC recommended an option which sets ACL of 34,500 pounds, allowing for continued fishing while ensuring the stock is rebuilt by 2031. The SSC noted all ACL options (0; 31,000; or 34,500 pounds) would achieve the rebuilding plan, but the 34,500-pound ACL maximizes fishing opportunities.

“These fisheries are about catching food; we should fulfill the legal requirements while still maximizing catch,” said SSC member Ray Hilborn, University of Washington.

Regarding accountability measures, the SSC did not recommend in-season monitoring because of delays for the creel surveys and catch expansions. SSC member Frank Camacho, University of Guam, said “the juice is not worth the squeeze,” regarding the feasibility of relying on creel surveys.

The SSC recommended a post-season overage adjustment based on a three-year rolling average, preventing overfishing while avoiding premature fishery closures. The SSC also addressed concerns about potential negative impacts of a federal fishing moratorium. This action could drive fishers out of the industry permanently. The SSC highlighted the importance of local management.

The SSC endorsed the results from a July 2024 Guam bottomfish data review panel, and recommends the data be used in the next benchmark stock assessment. This was the first ever review on the data that will go into the stock assessment, incorporating fishermen’s perspectives on the data. The Pacific Islands Fishery Science Center presented the next steps, which are to include fishery-independent survey data and additional life history information in the next stock assessment, expected by 2027. The SSC underscored the need for more detailed data to differentiate inshore and offshore fishing, noting possible shifts in species targeted over time. 

Hawai‘i Longline Seabird Mitigation Measure Experiment

The SSC reviewed the results of a seabird bycatch mitigation study that indicated albatrosses were significantly more likely to interact with Hawai‘i shallow-set longline gear on paired tori (bird scaring) lines deployed partially during the day compared to night sets with blue-dyed bait. 

In 2021, the Council recommended a pilot study be conducted to develop appropriate seabird mitigation measures for the Hawai‘i-based shallow-set fishery that targets swordfish. The goal was to find a combination of mitigation measures that would be as effective at deterring seabirds during dusk as the current suite of night-setting strategies. 

The SSC recommended the lightweight short-streamer tori line, as used in the experiment, not be included as an approved mitigation measure for the Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery. This design was shown to be effective in the deep-set fishery, and is now part of its suite of required measures. However, the shallow-set fishery operates in areas with windier conditions and higher seabird encounter rates, likely making the design less effective. 

Since 2004, the Hawai‘i shallow-set longline fishery has been required to set their gear at night and use blue-dyed fish bait. Prior to this, fishermen adjusted their setting time around the sunset hours according to the moon phase, which affects swordfish vertical migration patterns. Following the successful trials conducted in the Hawai‘i deep-set fishery, shallow-set fishermen expressed interest in testing tori lines as a potential mitigation tool, aiming to increase operational flexibility by allowing gear setting to begin during sunset hours. 

The SSC endorsed the next steps from the project report and recommended the Council consider additional experiments for alternative seabird measures for this fishery. These experiments may include evaluating the effectiveness of night setting with and without blue-dyed bait to determine if it may be removed from the mitigation measures, or testing hook-shielding devices to enable partial daytime setting.

Scientific and Statistical Committee: James Lynch (chair); Jason Biggs (Guam Div. of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources); Debra Cabrera (University of Guam); Frank Camacho (University of Guam); Milani Chaloupka (University of Queensland); Erik Franklin (University of Hawai‘i, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology); Shelton Harley (Fisheries Consultant); Jason Helyer (Hawai‘i Div. of Aquatic Resources); Ray Hilborn (University of Washington); Justin Hospital (National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NMFS PIFSC); Dave Itano (Fisheries Consultant); Donald Kobayashi (NMFS PIFSC); Steve Martell (Sea State Inc.); Domingo Ochavillo (American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources); Graham Pilling (The Pacific Community); Craig Severance (University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, retired); Charles Littnan (ex-officio) (NMFS PIFSC).

 Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Secretary of Commerce appointees from nominees selected by American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam and Hawai‘i governors: Will Sword, noncommercial fisherman/engineer (American Samoa) (chair); Roger Dang, Fresh Island Fish Co. (Hawai‘i) (vice chair); Judith Guthertz, University of Guam (Guam) (vice chair); Pete Itibus, noncommercial fisher (CNMI); Shaelene Kamaka‘ala, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (Hawai‘i); Frank Perez, AC Sales and Service, (Guam); Matt Ramsey, Conservation International (Hawai‘i); and Gene Weaver, Tasi to Table (CNMI). Designated state officials: Dawn Chang, Hawai‘i Dept. of Land & Natural Resources; Sylvan Igisomar, CNMI Dept. of Lands & Natural Resources (vice chair); Chelsa Muña, Guam Dept. of Agriculture; and Archie Soliai, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources (vice chair). Designated federal officials (voting): Sarah Malloy, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office. Designated federal officials (nonvoting): Colin Brinkman, U.S. State Dept.; Brian Peck, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; and RADM Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District.