pacific islands fishery news

MPA Inventory for CNMINow Available Online

Pacific Islands Fishery News

Forbidden Island Marine Sanctuary, CNMI

American SamoaFishers SeekLarger Longliner

The recent introduction ofthe Community

Demonstration ProjectsProgram (CDPP) by theWestern Pacific FisheryManagement Council hasseveral local organizationsand individuals in AmericanSamoa excited at theprospects of obtaining fund-ing for fisheries-related pro-jects they have pondered foryears. This program promisesto be a suitable avenue tosecure funding not only foreconomic development butalso for enhancing aspects ofthe Samoan culture.

One of the favorite ideasthrown around during“leisure vailima” eveningswith local fishermen is thepurchase of a bigger alu-minum longline alia—calledSuperAlia—from the neigh-boring independent Samoa.This type of vessel has beenhighly recommended by a

Newsletter of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Spring 2003

Continued on page 2

Fishermen are interested inobtaining a 40-foot SuperAliafor American Samoa.Neighboring Samoa procured itsfirst SuperAlia (pictured above)a few years ago.

In This IssueMPA Inventory for CNMI Now Available Online ............1American Samoa Fishers Seek Larger Longliner ............1Council Display a Big Hit at Guam Literacy Event..........2CNMI Passes Bill to Ban Fishing with Scuba.................2Working Group to AdviseCouncil on MPAs....................3Midway Oil Spill Is LargestThis Decade............................3Fishers Voice Needs at Council Meetings ...................4Is the Mercury Scare a Ploy to Shut Down Longlining? .....6Mercury Scare May ImpactHawaii Fishing Industry..........7Sea Turtle Symposium Focuseson Fisheries Interactions,Indigenous Uses.....................8Workshop Identifies Actions to Reduce Sea Turtle Bycatch .8Group Works to Reduce Sea Turtle Bycatch..................9NMFS Establishes New Pacific Islands Region...........10

NMFS Endorses Circle Hooks...................................10Western Pacific Least Overfished Region................11New Fisheries Survey VesselBased in Honolulu................11Council Chair Judith GuthertzBids Fond Farewell ...............11Council Calendar..................12Western Pacific Recipe .........12

The Commonwealthof the NorthernMariana Islands

(CNMI) is the first of theUS commonwealths, statesand territories to complete amarine protected area(MPA) inventory in thenational database. TheCNMI inventory includes11 sites: the NorthernMarianas IslandsConservation Areas ofUracas, Maug, Asuncionand Guguan Islands; BirdIsland Marine Sanctuary;Bird Island Sea CucumberReserve; Bird Island WildlifeConservation Area;Forbidden Island MarineSanctuary; Laulau Bay SeaCucumber Reserve; TankBeach Trochus Reserve;Kagman WildlifeConservation Area;Lighthouse Reef TrochusReserve; the ManagahaMarine Conservation Area;and the Sasanhaya Fish

Reserve on Rota.The CNMI inventory

has a site profile page foreach area including maps;general and legal informa-tion; site management,resources and protections;links; and data sources. Itcan be found atwww.mpa.gov/mpaservices/inv_status/sup_cnmiextended.html.

Representatives fromCNMI’s Division of Fishand Wildlife (DFW) initiat-ed the project last July bycollaborating with otherenvironmental agencies,including the Departmentof Lands and NaturalResources, the CoastalResources ManagementProgram, the Division ofEnvironmental Quality andthe Office of the Governor.The inventory was submit-ted for inclusion onwww.mpa.gov in November2002.

CNMI Passes Bill to BanFishing with Scuba

Pacific Islands Fishery News 2 Spring 2003

American samoa fishers seek larger longliner continued from page 1

top official with Samoa’s Fisheries Division (Ministry ofAgriculture, Forest, Fisheries and Meteorology), who was per-sonally involved in fishing trials of the first SuperAlia prototype.

Compared to the 28-foot alias typically used in AmericanSamoa, this 40-foot vessel is safer, more comfortable and morereliable and can reach outlying fishing areas. Its relatively big-ger holding capacity also makes it much more economical tooperate than its smaller predecessor.

On March 2, 2003, the Pacific Daily Newslaunched its literacy project, READ: AllAbout It. Children of all ages were treated to

celebrity readers, skits, Chamorro storytellers andeducational displays. The afternoon event at theMicronesia Mall was well attended.

As part of its education and outreach program, theWestern Pacific Fishery Management Council partici-pated in this worthwhile event by setting up an edu-cational game display board featuring some of Guam’slocal fish. The colorful display was a big hit with bothadults and children. Visitors tested their knowledgeby naming each fish and identifying its habitat.

The display table also featured Council brochures,newsletters and coloring sheets of some of Guam’slocal fish. Children lined up for the coloring sheets,and teachers asked for copies of the Council newslet-ters for their school libraries, so as to provide addi-tional reading material for the students.

Children enjoy the coloring sheets at the Council’s exhibitbooth, staffed by John Calvo, the Council’s onsite coordina-tor for Guam.

Council Display a Big Hit atGuam Literacy Event

The Saipan andNorthern IslandsLegislative

Delegation has passed abill prohibiting the use ofscuba and similar gearfor fishing around theisland of Saipan and theNorthern Islands.Introduced byCongressman Pete Castroand sponsored by severalothers, includingCongressman Arnold I.Palacios, a former direc-tor of the CNMI’sDivision of Fish andWildlife, House LocalBill Number 13-033 isnow headed to the gover-nor for his action.

If approved, it willbecome unlawful forfishermen (commercialor non-commercial) touse scuba or other relateddiving devices when fish-ing or harvesting marinelife within the lagoonand coastal waters of themunicipality of Saipanand the NorthernIslands.

The bill was intro-duced following the dele-gation’s findings that theuse of scuba and otherrelated devices havecaused a significantdepletion of fish andother marine life withinthe lagoon and coastalwaters. The delegationalso noted that preserv-ing and regulating the

fishing and harvesting ofmarine life in these areasis essential to maintain-ing, preserving andenhancing the marineecosystem for the use andenjoyment of future gen-erations of NorthernMarianas residents.

If signed into law, thepenalty for using scubaand other related devicesto fish would be a fine ofnot more than $1,000 orimprisonment for notmore than six months orboth. In addition, thescuba apparatus andother equipment used inthis form of fishing—such as spear gun, theboat and its motor—would be confiscated anddonated to the Divisionof Fish and Wildlife toassist in its monitoringand enforcement of fish-ing regulations. All finescollected would bedeposited into the Fishand Game ConservationFund in a special accountto support conservationand enforcement activi-ties within the munici-pality Saipan and theNorthern Islands. TheDepartment of Landsand Natural Resources,in consultation with theDivision of Fish andWildlife, would enforcethe provisions of the pro-posed legislation.

Working Group to Advise Council onMarine Protected Areas


Pacific Islands Fishery News ispublished by the WesternPacific Fishery ManagementCouncil, 1164 Bishop St., Suite1400, Honolulu, HI 96813. Allrights reserved. Unsolicitedmaterial will not be returnedunless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Telephone: +1 808 522-8220Fax: +1 808 522-8226

Email: [email protected]

http://www.wpcouncil.org

Chair Judith Guthertz (Guam)

Vice Chairs

Frank Farm (Hawaii)

Manuel Cruz (Guam)

Tom Pangelinan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Aitofele T. Sunia (American Samoa)

Executive Director

Kitty M. Simonds

Sometime over the week-end of Feb. 8-9, 2003,approximately 82,680

gallons of jet fuel leaked froma corroded fitting on a fuelline on Midway Atoll, TheHonolulu Advertiser reported.That makes it the largest fuelspill in the Hawaiian archi-

pelago in the past decade.Contaminated sand is beingstockpiled and covered until adecision can be made on howto clean it up.

A representative ofMidway Phoenix, formeroperator of the Midway fuelfarm, said the company hadwarned the US Fish and

Wildlife Service about prob-lems with rusting pipes, TheHonolulu Advertiser reported.

It is unknown whatimpacts the spill may havehad on the monk seals, turtlesor other protected species onthe atoll, which is a nationalwildlife refuge.

In 2002, the Western Pacific FisheryManagement Council formed theMarine Protected Area (MPA)

Working Group. Its role is to developan overarching MPA policy and tokeep the Council informed on MPApolicy issues on a national level and onthe state of the MPA science in theregion, nation and world. It will alsoascertain the MPA-associated researchneeds in the Western Pacific Region,provide appropriate assistance onefforts to create MPAs in the WesternPacific Region and foster adaptive,ecosystem-based management ofCouncil-designated MPAs.

In the US Pacific Islands, MPAshave a variety of names, includingmarine life conservation districts,wildlife refuges, regulated/restrictedfishing areas, marine sanctuaries,marine reserves and fisheries manage-ment areas, to name a few. MPAs regu-late various type of activities to varyingdegrees, ranging from minor fishingrestrictions up to a complete ban onhuman presence.

Some MPA proponents argue thatfully protected (i.e., no-take) MPAs areneeded to alleviate the dramaticdeclines in the size, number, distribu-tion and quality of a wide variety of

important and desirable marine speciesand habitats. They say fully protectedMPAs may provide a number of bene-fits: protection of spawning stock bio-mass, a recruitment source for sur-rounding areas, supplemental restock-ing of fished areas through emigration,maintenance of natural populations agestructures, habitat maintenance, biodi-versity maintenance, insurance againstmanagement failures in fished areasand simplified enforcement.

While many of these potentialbenefits have yet to be demonstrated, anumber of studies indicate that theestablishment of MPAs in reef ecosys-tems results in larger sizes and greaterabundance of reef fishes within theprotected area. Such results are of greatinterest to fishery managers becausethey demonstrate the potential MPAsmay provide in enhancing fish stocksand rebuilding heavily exploited fishpopulations. What remains unclear isthe extent to which MPAs increase fishstocks and availability in adjacent openwaters.

In order for MPAs to be effective forfisheries management, careful thoughtand planning must be done to maxi-mize resource protection while mini-mizing impacts to the resource users.

2001 Pelagic andBottomfishAnnual ReportsAvailable

The Western PacificFishery Management

Council's Pelagic andBottomfish AnnualReports for 2001 wererecently published. Thedocuments are posted onthe Council’s website atwww.wpcouncil.org andcan be downloaded in pdfformat from the PelagicFisheries and BottomfishFisheries pages. Hardcopies or pdf files on a CDcan be requested from theCouncil office. Phone +1808 522-8220.

Midway Oil Spill Is Largest This Decade


Fishermen, government representatives and other interestedpersons in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern

Mariana Islands (CNMI) had several opportunities to voice theirfishery-related concerns during a series of meetings conductedby Council members and staff of the Western Pacific FisheryManagement Council during February 2003.

Fishery Disaster Impacts: On Feb. 7, Council Chair JudithGuthertz, Executive Director Kitty M. Simonds and staff metwith fishermen at the Guam Fishermen’s CooperativeAssociation to discuss fishery disaster impacts from TyphoonPongsona. Among the impacts of the typhoon reported by thefishermen were the following: ✱ Marked decline of pelagic fish catches, especially mahimahi

✱ Reduced tourist numbers, negatively impacting charter vesselfishing

✱ Fishing vessel damage, usually in excess of $5,000 per vessel

✱ Rise in typhoon insurance premiums

✱ $225,000 of structural damage to the Guam Fishermen’sCooperation Association and an additional $85,000 in lostequipment and salaries

The Council staff encouraged fishermen to complete theFishery Damage Rapid Assessment Survey as soon as possible.Federal agencies and the government of Guam require thisassessment as a prequalification for emergency aid and disasterrelief.

Cooperative Research: Staff members from the Council andthe National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted meet-ings in Guam on Feb. 7 and in CNMI on Feb. 13 to identifypotential Cooperative Research Program projects. This is a com-petitive program that awards $3 million nationwide. As such,only a few projects in the region are likely to be funded. Guamand CNMI fishermen identified 10 potential projects toresearch.

Fishers Voice Needs at Council Meetings GUAM✱ Impacts of foreign fishing fleets on Guam’s economy and

fishing industry

✱ Volume of illegal fishing being conducted on the offshorebanks by foreign longline vessels and redirection of US CoastGuard assets from fishery patrols to anti-terrorism duties

✱ Impacts of shark populations and their predation on fishcaught by local fishermen

✱ Residence times of yellowfin and skipjack tuna within the USexclusive economic zone around Guam

✱ Bottomfish grounds around Guam and the CNMI

✱ Impact of untethered fishing aggregation devices on pelagicand coral reef habitats

✱ Impact of purse seining in the Pacific, with emphasis on theMariana Islands

CNMI✱ Fishing potential around the Mariana Archipelago (survey

and fishing trials to be conducted by the NOAA research ves-sel Oscar Elton Sette)

✱ CNMI troll and handline fisheries (catch, effort and biologicaldata)

✱ Shark resources around CNMI

117th Council Meeting: Members of the Council addresseda diverse array of fishery issues Feb. 10-14 in Saipan. Amongthe actions taken were the following:✱ Final action to recommend removal of the requirement for

pelagic troll, hand-line and pole-and-line vessels in theWestern PacificRegion to carry boltcutters and line clip-pers to release cap-tured sea turtles.Reports show thatthese vessels havevirtually no interac-tions with sea tur-tles. Longline vesselswill continue to berequired to carrythese devices.

✱ Initial action toamend the bottom-fish fishery manage-ment plan to issueNorthwesternHawaiian IslandsMau Zone permits

Felix Perez Camacho, governor of Guam, and his wife, Joann G.Camacho (far right), with Council Executive Director Kitty M. Simonds.

Made of limestone, the Latte Stone wasused by the ancient Chamorros as a pillarfor an elevated home, it is speculated. Thelargest Latte Stones found are 25 feet talland date to 1500 BC.


in Guam and CNMI

for indigenous communities through the establishment of aCommunity Development Program.

✱ Initial action to implement an area closure in federal watersout to 50 miles from shore around Guam for bottomfish ves-sels greater than 50 feet. The aim of the recommendation isto ensure that smaller bottomfish-targeting vessels remainproductive. Public meetings to solicit comments on this pro-posal were conducted in CNMI on Feb. 8 and in Guam onFeb. 10.

During the meeting, new Council members were sworn in.

(l-r) John Calvo, Guam onsite coordinator; Jack Ogumoro, CNMI onsitecoordinator; Hon. Benjamin Manglona, mayor of Rota; Richard Seman,director of Division of Fish and Wildlife; and Vicente Atalig, residentdirector, Rota Department of Lands and Natural Resources.

Data Needs: The Council held public meetings in Guam onFeb. 8 and in CNMI on Feb. 10 to solicit advice on the need foradditional data collection. Currently, creel surveys and trip tick-ets are the primary methods for collecting fishery data in Guamand CNMI. In general, meeting participants favored increasingdata collection through community-based monitoring programs.

Community Demonstration Projects: A grant-writing work-shop was held Feb. 13 in CNMI and Feb. 15 in Guam for per-sons interested in applying for a grant under the CommunityDemonstration Projects Program. This program provides grantsto eligible Western Pacific communities to establish projectsthat promote indigenous fishing practices.

Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources staff: back row (l-r):Lil Taijeron, Trina Leberer, Neil Martin, Shawn Wusstig; front row (l-r)Brent Tibbatts, Jaime Bass, Tom Flores. Not pictured: Jay Gutierrez, J. P.Gesner, Carlos Quintanilla.

Among the attendees ofthe Council meeting inCNMI were (front row, l-r) Charles Karnella, BenSablan, Tom Pangelinan,Judith Guthertz, KittySimonds, Allen Tom,Manny Cruz; (back row,l-r) Bob Wilson, EdEbisui, Frank Farm,Walter Ikehara, WilliamGibbons-Fly, RoyMorioka, Ray Tulafono,Aitofele Sunia, FrankMcCoy and Judson Feder.


On April 10, 2003, CaliforniaState Attorney General BillLockyer filed lawsuits againstnearly 20 restaurants for not

warning customers about mercury inseafood. The AG’s complaint alleges thatthe restaurants have violated the provi-sions of Proposition 65, i.e., “disclosurebefore exposure” to known reproductivetoxins. Filed in Superior Courts in SanFrancisco and Los Angeles, the lawsuitsseek to force restaurants to warn cus-tomers about swordfish, ahi (yellowfin)tuna, albacore tuna and shark and toprohibit the sales of seafood until theypost warnings, reports E-Wire.

In February of this year, the AGordered five of the biggest grocery chainsin the state to post signs that read:“Warning! Pregnant and nursing women,women who may become pregnant, andyoung children should not eat the fol-lowing fish: swordfish, shark, king mack-erel, tilefish. They should also limit theirconsumption of other fish, includingfresh or frozen tuna.” That decision wasthe result of a lawsuit filed by the TurtleIsland Restoration Network and the AsYou Sow Foundation.

Many in the fishing industry ques-tion the motives of the Turtle IslandRestoration Network, which has foryears attempted to shut down the long-line fishery to protect sea turtles. DougIsrael, project director of the Sea TurtleRestoration Project (an initiative of theTurtle Island Restoration Network), hasmade these statements during this time:

“We’re actively trying to reduce con-sumption of swordfish. Time is runningout. We have to be as bold as we can.”(Seafood Business 1999)

“By issuing a public health advisory,Gov. Davis could protect both publichealth and endangered species. Theincrease in swordfishing in the Pacifichas lead to a double crisis: the poisoningof pregnant women and the killing ofendangered sea turtles.” (Sea TurtleRestoration Project news release 2002)

“People can protect their own healthand our oceans by simply not eatingswordfish.” (The Wave 2003)

Getting the US Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) to include tuna inits mercury advisory is one of the SeaTurtle Restoration Project’s initiatives.

In January 2001, the FDA issued awarning that pregnant women shouldnot eat swordfish, king mackerel, sharkand tilefish due to their mercury levels.The FDA guidelines consider 1 ppmmethyl mercury as the safe intake levelfor the average consumer. In July 2002,an FDA advisory panel recommendedthat consumers also be warned aboutthe potential risks of exposure to mer-cury in tuna.

Many in the fishing industry ques-tion the basis for linking mercury poi-soning to fish consumption. They notethat the only incident in which mercuryin marine fish caused serious publichealth problems was associated withgross contamination of fish resultingfrom industrial effluents that pollutedMinamata Bay in Japan in the 1950s.There has never been a scientifically doc-umented case of mercury poisoningreported that was associated with theconsumption of large pelagic species(tuna, marlin, swordfish, sharks, etc.).

The Environmental ProtectionAgency is pushing the FDA to adjust itsguidelines. The EPA would like the FDAto use a study of the Faroe Islands (locat-ed near Norway and Iceland) as a basisfor their recommendations.

The industry, however, is quick topoint out that the Faroe Islands popula-tion is exposed to large doses of methylmercury and PCBs from eating pilotwhale (which is not a fish) at feasts. USconsumers, on the other hand, do noteat pilot whale.

The industry believes that recom-mendations on seafood consumption forAmericans should be based on a study ofa population that eats seafood similar tothat eaten by US consumers. For exam-

ple, the Seychelles Child DevelopmentStudy (SCDS) focused for five years on700 mothers and children who regularlyconsume large amounts of pelagic fish.The University of Rochester researchteam that conducted the Seychellesresearch made a report to Congress thatstated: “The results of the SCDS so farindicate no adverse developmentaleffects from prenatal MeHg [methylmercury] exposure in the range com-monly achieved by consuming largeamounts of fish.”

Furthermore, warning women to noteat fish may actually be detrimental topublic health, as fish contains naturalcompounds that are beneficial and evenessential for developing fetuses andinfants. Danish researchers report thatwomen who consume fish or seafoodonce a week during the first 16 weeks ofpregnancy have a 3.5 times lower risk ofgiving birth to a low birth weight or pre-mature baby than do women who neverconsume fish or seafood. Germanresearchers found that the content inmother’s milk of docosahexaencic(DHA)—which is vital for the properdevelopment of an infant’s brain andretina—was 0.05% in vegetarianwomen, 0.3% in the average omnivorouswomen and 1.40% in Inuit women, whoconsume large quantities of fish andother seafood.

Perhaps the best advice for now forpregnant and nursing women would beto eat a varied diet including fresh fish tomake sure babies receive the beneficialoils needed for brain development—andavoid eating pilot whales.

Is the Mercury Scare a Ploy to Shut Down Longlining?


Mercury Scare May ImpactHawaii Fishing Industry

An analysis of the mercury content in locallylanded fish conducted by the Hawaii StateDepartment of Health in 2002 suggests

that the current mercury scare may have some seri-ous implications for the Hawaii fresh fish industry.

If the current US Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) defect action limit of 1.00ppm methyl mercury is maintained, the Hawaiiindustry may encounter new requirements for mer-cury sampling and testing. This raises questionsregarding the costs and practicality of sampling andtesting prior to the sale of fresh fish in the market.The test turnaround time is too long to be appliedto a fresh fish industry and if required may greatlyalter industry practices.

If the FDA defect action limit is reduced assome people are advocating, a greater number andpercentage of the important pelagic fish caught inthe Hawaii pelagic fishery may be subject to warn-ings. This scenario would be devastating to theHawaii industry. It should be kept in mind thatthis scenario might occur without evidence that theconsumption of pelagic fish has ever caused methylmercury poisoning.

Average Total Mercury Content for HawaiiPelagic Fish*

Mahimahi: 0.19 ppm (range 0.06 to 0.33 ppm)

Striped Marlin: 0.20 ppm (range 0.04 to 0.52 ppm)

Aku (Skipjack): 0.23 ppm (range 0.11 to 0.47 ppm)

Yellowfin Tuna: 0.31 ppm (range 0.09 to 0.99 ppm)

Ono: 0.38 ppm (range 0.06 to 0.85 ppm)

Albacore: 0.43 ppm (range 0.26 to 0.60 ppm)

Bigeye Tuna: 0.47 ppm (range 0.11 to 0.83 ppm)

Opah: 0.73 ppm (range 0.40 to 1.29 ppm)

*Based on Hawaii State Department of Health 2002 analysis. Forall species listed above, the average total mercury content is pri-marily methyl mercury.

SSC, Plan Team and AP members of theWestern Pacific Fishery ManagementCouncilSCIENTIFIC AND STATISTICAL COMMITTEE (indefinite terms):

Stewart Allen, Richard Brock, Paul Callaghan (chair), Emmanuel

Coutures, Charles Daxboeck, Richard Deriso, Scott Eckert, John

Hampton, Walter Ikehara, Pierre Kleiber, James Parrish, Craig

Severance, John Sibert, Robert Skillman, Michael Trianni

PLAN TEAMS (indefinite terms): Ex-officio members of all Plan

Teams: David Hamm, Reginald Kokubun, Minling Pan.

Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish: Tom Flores, Donald

Heacock, Walter Ikehara, Kurt Kawamoto, Robert Moffitt

(chair), Kate Moots; Coral Reef Ecosystems: Tim Adams, Charles

Birkeland, Edward Demartini, Alan Everson, Alan Friedlander,

Jay Gutierrez, James Maragos, Fatima Sauafea, Michael

Tenorio, Jeffrey Walters (chair); Crustaceans: Mike Gawel, Kurt

Kawamoto, Jo-Anne Kushima, Richard Phillips, Jeffrey Polovina

(chair), Stu Simmons, Michael Tenorio; Pelagics: Keith Bigelow

(chair), Christofer Boggs, Andrew Burnell, Russell Ito, Pierre

Kleiber, Nathaniel Martin, Ray Roberto, John Sibert, Robert

Skillman, Selaina Vaitautolo; Precious Coral: Richard W. Grigg

(chair), James Maragos, Carl Marsh, Tony Montgomery, Frank

Parrish

ADVISORY PANELS (2003–2004): Chair: Richard Shiroma; Vice

Chair: Sean Martin. Commercial: James Anderson, Clayton

Carvalho, Manny Duenas (chair), Harris Hiura, Christinna Lutu,

Ramon C. Mafnas, Sean Martin, Leo Ohai, Benny K. Pangelinan,

Richard Tamashiro; Ecosystem and Habitat: Jennifer Bauer, Lida

Chase, Michael Crook, Eric Gilman, John Gourley (chair),

Agustin Gumataotao, Dwayne Meadows, Fatima Sauafea,

Joaquin Villagomez, Wadsworth Yee; Recreational: Gary Beals,

Tim Hale, Pedro Itibus, Henry Lau, Michael Loffenes, Manases

Manglona, William Mossman, Marie Teresa O’Brien, Jerry

Perez, William Sword (chair); Subsistence: Dale Alvarez,

Anthony Anjo, James Borja, Jesus Cabrera, Louie Denolfo, Judy

Filiaga, Michael Fleming, Andrew Jones, Kawehi Ryder (chair),

James Mawae. Alternates: William Bradford, Roberto Cabreza,

Timothy Ferrell, Mike House, Clement Kanuha, Brian Mediola,

Mary Jane Porter, Steve Vaiau.

DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS ADVISORY PANEL: Judith

Amesbury, Victoriano April, Mike Fleming, Clement Kanuha,

Henry Pelekai, Henry Sesepasara (chair), Alo Paul Stevenson,

Estanislao Taisacan. Alternates: Puanani Burgess, Jose Garrido,

Colette Machado


Workshop Identifies Actions to ReduceSea Turtle Bycatch

Participants from 19 countries and four intergovernmen-tal organizations participated in the InternationalTechnical Expert Workshop on Marine Turtle Bycatch in

Longline Fisheries, convened Feb. 11-13, 2003, in Seattle. The workshop objectives were to evaluate existing informa-

tion on turtle byactch in longline fisheries, to facilitate andstandardize collection of data from longline fisheries that arelikely to interact with marine turtles, to exchange informationon experimentation with longline gear relative to turtles andtarget species, to identify and consider solutions to reduce tur-tle bycatch in longline fisheries and to exchange informationand gain a comprehensive understanding of the fishingmethodologies and operations of global longline fleets.

Six overarching strategies were identified as key elements toaddress sea turtle bycatch in longline fisheries: improved datacollection and monitoring; regulatory approaches to fisherymanagement; incentives to participate in the development andimplementation of bycatch reduction measures; modificationsof gear and fishing practices; modifying, developing andimplementing multi-lateral agreements; and training, outreachand capacity building.

Specific actions were identified to implement each of thesestrategies taking into account the following: local, regional andglobal scales; differences between developed and developingnations; differences in the biology and vulnerability of sea tur-tle species and stocks; and differences in the characteristics oflongline fisheries. Because of the urgency of the sea turtlebycatch issue, both immediate and long-term actions wereconsidered. Workshop participants prioritized actions toimplement the six identified strategies. The six highest rankingactions overall are as follows:✱ Develop new approaches to time-area closures using real-

time spatial management applied to all fleets to reducemarine turtle-longline fisheries interactions;

✱ Request that the United Nations Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO) convene an intergovernmental technicalconsultation to address the issue of marine turtle bycatch inlongline fisheries;

✱ Encourage rapid deployment and implementation of itemsthat have shown promise for reducing marine turtle bycatchin shallow swordfish fisheries;

✱ Direct additional and immediate marine turtle bycatchreduction research in the major ocean basins to fine tunerecent findings, taking into account differences amongspecies;

✱ Involve industry in discussions regarding bycatch reductionstrategies as early as possible; and

✱ Identify and secure funding to accomplish these actions.

Taken together these actions constitute an initial policyapproach for immediate action given the urgency of the need toreduce marine turtle bycatch and mortality in longline fisheries.

Sea Turtle Symposium Focuses onFisheries Interactions, Indigenous Uses

The Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology andConservation convened in Malaysia March 17-21, 2003, was

an historic occasion. It was the first time in 23 years that theSymposium was held outside of the United States. About 70oral presentations and over 170 posters were shared duringplenary and breakout sessions. Also held within the auspices ofthe Symposium was a tagging and tracking workshop, a meet-ing of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Marine Turtle Specialist Group and a session on indige-nous cultures and turtles.

Paul Dalzell, senior scientist for the Western Pacific FisheryManagement Council, gave an oral presentation on theturtle–longline fishery interactions in the Western PacificRegion. He provided data on the spatial and temporal charac-teristics of turtle takes by the Hawaii longline fishery and out-lined the measures taken to reduce turtle interactions during2001. The complete abolition of longline fishing for swordfish,an April–May seasonal closure south of 15ºN by tuna targetinglongliners and other measures reduced interactions and mor-talities by up to 95 percent. However, the costs to the fishingindustry were onerous, with a 40 percent decline in landingrevenues in 2001.

The Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries com-bined amount to less than 5 percent of the total annual num-ber of hooks set in the Pacific, Dalzell noted. Moreover, long-line fleets continue to expand, particularly in Australia, NewZealand, the Pacific Islands and parts of Southeast Asia, such asVietnam. The potential for further longlining expansion byChina is substantial.

His presentation concluded with a review of the Council’sconservation program for turtles. This collaborative effort withthe National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) includes not onlymitigation of longline fishery–turtle interaction but also in-country activities in various Pacific Islands to identify and man-age nesting beaches. Dalzell said hook depth appears to be acritical factor governing interaction rates, with shallow sethooks appearing most likely to result in interactions.

The indigenous cultures and turtles session included presen-tations from Costa Rica, Oman, Palau, Puerto Rico andVenezuela. Jack Frazier illustrated how humans and turtleshave interacted for many millennia and how turtles may haveprovided critical food resources for humans. Thus humans mayhave had an effect on turtle selection leading to a co-adaptiverelationship and the ostensible “domestication” of sea turtles.Perran Ross’s presentation on artisanal and subsistence use ofturtles in Oman suggests that depleted turtle populations ifleft unmolested may recover faster than was previouslythought.

Nicholas Pilcher ably organized the Symposium. Pilcher iscurrently based with the Community Conservation Network inPalau, but has previously worked in Malaysia and SoutheastAsia.


During January 2003, the Sea Turtle–Pelagic Fish SensoryBiology Working Group gathered at the National Marine

Fisheries Service (NMFS) Honolulu Laboratory to discuss theresults of projects funded by the lab over the past two years.The aim of the group is to identify specific differences in thevisual, olfactory and auditory senses of pelagic fishes and seaturtles that could be exploited to make longline fishing gearless attractive (or actively repulsive) to sea turtles. Among thefindings reported were the following:

Swordfish and tuna can see only shades of blue and green.According to electrophysiological and anatomical experimentsconducted by the researchers, both species have only one visual(i.e., light absorbing) pigment in their retinas. (KirstenFritsches, University of Queensland, Australia, and Eric Warrant,University of Lund, Sweden)

Turtles have “faster” eyes that targeted fish species. Hence,a rapidly blinking light would appear continuous to tunas andbillfishes, yet appear flashing (and potentially bothersome) toturtles. A bright rapidly flashing red-orange light could behighly visible and a potential deterrent to sea turtles, yet itwould be nearly invisible to fish. (Fritsches and Warrant)

Sea turtles not only see faster than targeted fish species,they also discriminate colors better because they see fartherinto the red-orange range. Sea turtle vision, however, does notcover the full spectrum visible to humans. (Scott Eckert, HubbsSea World Research Institute; Dave Levenson, Scripps Institutionof Oceanography; and Michael Crognale,University of Nevada,Reno)

Captive green and loggerhead sea turtles can be attractedto, or repelled from, food items based on color alone. Squiddyed dark blue are avoided, even though the turtles will readi-ly attack an undyed squid hanging immediately next to it. Redfood items are preferred over untreated foods. Surprisingly,tests indicate that blue-dyed squid is ineffective at reducingturtle catch in the Atlantic swordfish longline fishery. (YonatSwimmer, NMFS Honolulu Laboratory)

Juvenile loggerhead turtles maintained in semi-wild condi-tions actively fled a model shark once they approached closeenough to clearly see it. The turtles instinctively took flight inapparent panic of the shark model even though they had beenreared in captivity since they were hatchlings and had neverseen a live shark. (Ben Higgins, NMFS-Sea Turtle Facility,Galveston, Texas)

Sea turtles have only a few dozen functional odor receptors(ORs). The number of ORs is directly related to an animal’s abil-ity to smell. Dogs, whose sense of smell is highly developed,have several thousand functional ORs. Surprisingly, sea turtle’sORs are of a type land animals use to detect airborne odors,rather than the type fish use to detect waterborne odors. (DickVogt, University of South Carolina)

Both sea turtles and tunas hear only at low frequencies,and they do not hear very well. Their hearing abilities weremeasured using a clinical-based system originally developed todiagnose brain dysfunction in humans. Based on the results,the working group concluded that auditory stimuli (e.g.,pingers)—which have been used successfully to keep marinemammals from becoming entangled in nets—are not likely tobe useful to keep turtles away from longline gear. (SorayaMoen Bartol)

Richard Brill and Swimmer, with the assistance of LianneMailloux, hosted the meeting. Besides the principal investiga-tors from the various projects, the group also included industryrepresentatives as well as NMFS and Western Pacific FisheryManagement Council staff.

Group Works to Reduce Sea Turtle–Fisheries Interactions

This system is used to measure the attractiveness of chemical lightsticks to turtles. So far, turtles have been shown to swim towardsblue, green and yellow chemical light sticks.

Juvenile Kemp’s ridley turtles were attracted to untreated squid butavoided the blue-colored food items.


NMFS Endorses Circle Hooks

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recentlypublished a Federal Register notice in which it officiallyendorses the use of circle hooks in recreational fisheries

targeting big gamefish. Studies have shown that the use ofcircle hooks promotes conservation in recreational highlymigratory fisheries by helping reduce bycatch while increas-ing catch rates and lowering post-release mortality.

NMFS has been studying the efficacy of circle hooks formany years and has supported training and outreach effortsin proper baiting and hooking techniques since the mid-1990s. A study conducted by NMFS in the spring and summer

of 1999 evaluated the performance of circle and J hooks onAtlantic and Pacific sailfish and, to a lesser extent, Pacificblue marlin.

Circle hooks used on sailfish had hooking percentages (i.e.,fish hooked/fish bite) that were 1.83 times higher comparedwith J hooks. Additionally the study indicated that circlehooks reduce deep hooking and promote the live release ofspecies. More sailfish were hooked in the corner of the mouthusing circle hooks (85 percent) than J hooks (27 percent), andfewer were deep hooked in the throat and stomach with cir-cle hooks (2 percent) compared with J hooks (46 percent).

On April 21, 2003, theNational Marine FisheriesService (NMFS, also

known as NOAA Fisheries) estab-lished a new region in the WesternPacific to provide better customerservice and ecosystem managementof resources within the expansivearea of the Pacific islands.

The new Pacific IslandsRegional Office (PIRO) and PacificIslands Fisheries Science Center(PIFSC) were elevated in organiza-tional status from a local area andlaboratory, respectively. The actionwill allow NOAA Fisheries to betteraddress the unique and growingimportance of living marineresources to constituents in the US Pacific Islands.

The implementation of the new region marks the culmina-tion of much effort by the Western Pacific FisheryManagement Council to place the US Pacific Islands on anequal footing with other administrative regions in the UnitedStates (Alaska, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast andNorthwest). Until recently, the US Pacific Islands were incor-porated within the Southwest Region, which also includesCalifornia. The Southwest Regional Office and Science Centerare based in Long Beach and La Jolla, respectively, and allmanagement decisions relating to the US Pacific Islands weretransmitted through these offices prior to being forwarded toNMFS headquarters in Washington, DC.

The Pacific Islands Region has now been ‘liberated’ fromits ties with the US West Coast and will liaise and reportdirectly to NMFS headquarters," Council Executive DirectorKitty M. Simonds stated. "More of the decisions that mayaffect fisheries in the US Pacific Islands will be made internallywithin the region.”

“This is a win-win developmentfor everyone involved,” said Dr. BillHogarth, NOAA Fisheries AssistantAdministrator. “We now have thebenefit of having a regional officeand science center closer to ourconstituents and the marineresources we manage.”

The new Pacific Islands Regionincludes the largest geographicalarea of all US regions. Bounded bythe Hawaiian Archipelago in thenorth, American Samoa and US pos-sessions in the south, and theMarianas Archipelago in the west,the total area of the exclusive eco-nomic zone (EEZ) under PIROjurisdiction is more than 1.7 millionsquare nautical miles, which is equal to the total EEZ of theentire US mainland (including Alaska). The PIRO will carryout living marine resources conservation and managementresponsibilities assigned to NOAA Fisheries in the Central andWestern Pacific and will have a structure similar to otherregions, with three major operational divisions: sustainable fish-eries, protected resources and habitat conservation.

The PIFSC will retain its existing structure with fiveresearch divisions (coral reef ecosystems, fish biology and ecol-ogy, ecosystems and environment, protected species, and fish-ery management and performance). The PIFSC’s responsibilitywill be to provide high-quality scientific research and advicefor fisheries management and conservation and for the recov-ery of protected species throughout the Pacific Islands Region.The PIFSC’s current staff of 168 is expected to increase by 17to handle its increased responsibilities.

The PIRO and the PIFSC will be included in an effort toconsolidate all NOAA offices in the Pacific. Plans to establisha NOAA campus where all NOAA offices will reside are in theearly planning stages.

NMFS Establishes New Pacific Islands Region

PIFSC Acting Director JeffreyJ. Polovina, has worked invarying capacities at theNMFS Honolulu Laboratorysince 1979. For the pastdecade, he has been chiefof Ecosystem and Environ-ment Investigation.

Acting Pacific IslandsRegional AdministratorSamuel G. Pooley, hasworked at the NMFSHonolulu Laboratory since1981. He has headed theFishery Management andPerformance Investigationsince 1987.


Aformer Navy ship was commissioned into the NOAAresearch fleet in January in Honolulu. The Oscar Elton

Sette will be working to assess and protect the Pacific IslandsRegion’s fisheries and living marine resources.

“Not only are we greatly expanding our observation andresearch potential, but we’re continuing in the gradual trendof revitalizing the NOAA fleet,” said retired Navy Vice Adm.Conrad C. Lautenbacher, NOAA Administrator andUndersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.“With each new orrefurbished addi-tion to the NOAAfleet we becomemore efficient atsupporting theNOAA mission. TheSette has a longerrange, enhancedstability and betterboat-handling anda larger suite of sci-entific labs thanmost other researchvessels.”

Oscar EltonSette’s home port isHonolulu. It willconduct fisheriesassessment surveys, physical and chemical oceanography, coralreef research and marine mammal projects to continue thework of the recently decommissioned, 39-year-old TownsendCromwell.

NOAA Corps Cmdr. Kenneth W. Barton commands the OscarElton Sette. Five NOAA Corps officers, three licensed engineersand 13 mariners crew the 224-foot vessel, which carries up to12 scientists.

Western Pacific Least Overfished Region

Amisprint in the NOAA Fisheries 2001 Report lists theWestern Pacific Region (now the Pacific Islands Region)as having 11 overfished stocks in 2001. In reality, the

only overfished stock in the Pacific Islands Region is thearmorhead. This Northwestern Hawaiian Islands fishery wasoverexploited by foreign fleets prior to the establishment of theWestern Pacific Fishery Management Council in 1976 and hasnot recovered. The Council has asked NMFS to publish anerrata sheet to correct this and other mistakes in the report.

According to the report, there were 16 overfished stocks inthe Northeast, 25 in the Southeast, seven in the West Coastand two in Alaska.

New Fisheries Survey Vessel Based inHonolulu

Ret. Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher,NOAA Administrator and Undersecretary ofCommerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, withKitty M. Simonds, executive director, WesternPacific Fishery Management Council, at thecommissioning of the new NOAA research ves-sel Oscar Elton Sette in Honolulu.

Hafa Adai and Si Yuus Maaseby Judith Paulette Guthertz

Representing Guam as a member of the WesternPacific Fishery Management Council has been anhonor and experience I shall never forget.

Beginning with my first official day as a Council memberin 1997, I easily detected the excellence that accompaniesthe work of the Council in every-thing it does. What makes this allpossible is the continuing highlevel of commitment towards sus-tainable fisheries jointly demon-strated by the Council membersand staff.

The work of the Council andstaff is exciting and impacts thewell being of all of the people,marine environment and fishingcommunities in American Samoa,Hawaii, the Northern Marianas and Guam.

Although all of these areas are part of the PacificIslands Region and proudly fly the US flag, they each havetheir own unique marine, environmental and fishery chal-lenges. They are also greatly influenced by the heightenedexpectations of their citizens that come with progress anddevelopment within unique social and economic environ-ments characterized by the indigenous and diverse culturesand traditions of each island area.

The work of the Council and staff is science and datadriven. Council decisions impacting the region are basedupon the best possible science and data available. TheCouncil works closely with its Scientific and StatisticalCommittee, Plan Teams, Advisory Panels and variousCouncil-sponsored task forces in evaluating the scienceand data that go hand in hand with Council work.

As a Pacific Islander raised on Guam, it has been mypleasure to work with my colleagues on the Council andwith the Council staff. I have come to know them well,and I respect their work. I have had the unique opportuni-ty to help develop public policies impacting the lives of thepeople in the region. In the process of doing this work, Ihave learned much along the way. I am very grateful to thepeople of Guam and to the US Secretary of Commerce forhaving had this unique and rare opportunity.

As I prepare to leave the Council as the chairperson andas a member from Guam, I want to extend my sincereheartfelt appreciation to the Council family and to all thosewith whom I have come in contact along the way. Thework of the Council is important work. I will always beavailable to assist the Council in any way I can.

COUNCIL CALENDARMAY

5 US Coast Guard OceanGuardian RevalidationListening Session, Councilconference room,Honolulu

5–9 Western and CentralPacific FisheryManagementCommission, PrepCon IV,Nadi, Fiji

6–8 83rd Scientific andStatistical Committeemeeting, Council confer-ence room, Honolulu

13–15 Marine Fisheries AdvisoryCommittee meeting, SanFrancisco

13–16 Northwestern HawaiianIslands ScienceWorkshop, Honolulu

13–16 54th Tuna Conference,Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

19–21 IATTC Stock AssessmentWorking Group meeting,La Jolla, Calif.

26–29 Council Chairmen andExecutive Directorsmeeting, Virgin Islands

JUNE

6–7 Council Advisory Panelmeeting, Honolulu

10-11 NOAA Fisheries 2003Constituent Session,Honolulu

10–13 118th Council Meeting,Honolulu

17–28 IATTC/AIDCP meetings,Antigua, Guatemala

18–20 Coral reef, climate, coralbleaching workshop,Turtle Bay, Hawaii

JULY

13–17 Coastal Zone ’03,Baltimore, Md.

Shoyu PokeINGREDIENTS

1⁄2 pound fresh fish (aku, ahi, marlin, etc.)1 tsp finely chopped ginger1⁄2 cup shoyu (soy sauce)1 round onion, quartered and sliced1 to 2 stalks green onion

chopped chili pepper flakes, optional

PREPARATIONCube fish to desired size. Combine with ginger and shoyu.Let stand in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Combine withonions and pepper flakes (if desired). Serve cold as anappetizer. Serves 4.Courtesy of Hawaii Fishing News.

Western Pacific Recipe

14–19 17th StandingCommittee on Tuna andBillfish, Mooloolaba,Brisbane, Australia

23–August 2 Leadership Seminar forSenior FisheriesManagers, East-WestCenter, Honolulu

AUGUST

10–14 American FisheriesSociety meeting,Quebec City, Quebec,Canada

18–22 3rd SPC Heads ofFisheries meeting, NewCaledonia

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 USA

pacific islands fishery news

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