Press Releases
Press Release – “Killing US fishing interests and the American Samoa economy is morally wrong and unconstitutional” (23 October 2023)
— Western Pacific Council Chair Sword makes impassioned plea for assistance on proposed PRI national marine sanctuary at national meeting of the regional fishery management councils HONOLULU (23 October 2023) “We cannot survive the current policies and actions by the...
Press Release – NMFS Proposes Improved Seabird Conservation Measures Based on Western Pacific Council Recommendation (17 October 2023)
HONOLULU (17 October 2023) Today the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a proposed rule to modify seabird mitigation measures for the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery managed under the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan of the Western Pacific...
Press Release – Tropical Tuna Workshops Lead to Progress in Developing Favorable Management Measure for U.S. Pacific Island Fisheries (9 October 2023)
HONOLULU (9 October 2023) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority convened an informal meeting last week to discuss longline fishery management components of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries...
Press Release – Status Quo Preferable for Proposed Pacific Remote Islands Sanctuary (19 September 2023)
HONOLULU (19 September 2023) Existing fishing regulations which govern the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands (PRI) may be sufficient for the proposed national marine sanctuary, said the Western Pacific Regional Fishery...
Press Release – Existing Fishing Regulations Sufficient to Meet Proposed PRI Sanctuary Goals, Science Advisors Say (13 September 2023)
HONOLULU (13 September 2023) The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) at its meeting today discussed potential fishing regulations for the proposed Pacific Remote Islands (PRI) National Marine Sanctuary designation. The Office of National Marine...
Press Release – Council Science Advisors Weigh In on American Samoa Bottomfish Catch Limits, EM in Pacific Islands Region (12 September 2023)
HONOLULU (12 September 2023) The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) today reviewed options to sustainably fish for American Samoa bottomfish species caught in federal waters 3-200 miles offshore from 2024 to 2026. In their discussion, SSC members...
Press Release – Western Pacific Scientists to Advise Fishery Management Council on American Samoa Bottomfish, Pacific Remote Islands Sanctuary (8 September 2023)
HONOLULU (8 September 2023) Scientific advisors to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will meet Sept. 12-14, 2023, to provide advice and comments on American Samoa bottomfish stocks, the proposed Pacific Remote Islands (PRI) sanctuary, U.S....
Press Release – Western Pacific Council Challenged by NOAA Prohibition on Commercial Fishing for Proposed Pacific Remote Islands Sanctuary (3 July 2023)
HONOLULU (3 July 2023) Congresswoman Amata Radewagen from American Samoa expressed her deep concern regarding the lack of consultation with the U.S. territories affected by the NOAA proposed sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands. In a video message during the...
Press Release: American Samoa Governor Stresses Importance of Fisheries and Respect to the US Territory (28 June 2023)
UTULEI, AMERICAN SAMOA (28 June 2023) “You must be mindful of the decisions you make…so that the interests of small fishing communities are not disregarded” was the main message heard in the remarks of the Honorable Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who opened the 195th...
Press Release – Council Science Advisors Recommend Peer Review for NOAA False Killer Whale Population Assessment, Approve Bottomfish Stock Assessment to Set Catch Limits (16 June 2023)
HONOLULU (16 June 2023) This week the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) discussed a NOAA assessment to quantify the population of pelagic false killer whales (FKWs) both inside and outside the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Hawai‘i to...