Hawai'i Fisheries Initiative - The Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs

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Fishery Ecosystem Plans Under MSA mandates, FMPs are evolving from stock- or species-based management plans to ecosystem (place-based) plans called Fisheries Ecosystem Plans (FEPs). However, this is not a new concept. In 1871, Spencer Baird, the commissioner of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries (NMFS’s predecessor agency), placed marine ecological studies among his agency’s top priorities. 159 According to Baird, an understanding of fish “…would not be complete without a thorough knowledge of their associates in the sea, especially of such as prey upon them or constitute their food.” 160 With the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, ecological concerns began to truly share the spotlight that had been primarily trained on the economic interests of the U.S. fishing industry, and secondarily on the long-term sustainability of the marine species supporting that economic sector. 161 The 1996 MSA required the regional fisheries management councils to set harvest rates at or below the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for a fishery; develop rebuilding plans for those fisheries that have been overly exploited; and implement measures to reduce bycatch and protect essential fish habitat. 162 Along with the 1996 amendments, Congress directed NMFS to bring together experts – industry members, academics, conservation organizations, and fishery management agencies – to assess how ecosystem principles could be further incorporated into fisheries management. 163 Ecosystem Principles Advisory Panel (EPAP) recommendations were based on the fundamental concept that the ecosystem management measures would contribute to the stability of economic activity and employment in the fishing industry, through first protecting the marine biodiversity upon which the commercial and recreational fisheries depend. However, the advisory panel cautioned, “Absent the political will to stop overfishing, protect habitat, and support expanded research and monitoring programs, an ecosystembased approach cannot be effective.” 164 43
A comprehensive ecosystem-based fisheries management approach would require managers to consider all interactions that a target fish stock has with predators, competitors, and prey species; the effects of weather and climate on fisheries biology and ecology; the complex interactions between fishes and their habitat; and the effects of fishing on fish stocks and their habitat. However, the approach need not be endlessly complicated. An initial step may require only that managers consider how the harvesting of one species might impact other species in the ecosystem. Fishery management decisions made at this level of understanding can prevent significant and potentially irreversible changes in marine ecosystems caused by fishing. 165 The 2006 MSA furthered Congressional support for ecosystem-based management of the nation’s fisheries. 166 Building on the recommendations of the first EPAP panel, the MSA mandates that fisheries management councils undertake and complete studies on the current state of integrating ecosystem considerations in their FMPs. 167 Conversion of all Wespac FMPs to FEPs is underway. The Coral Reef Ecosystem FMP became the first ecosystem-based FMP in the nation in 2001, following President Clinton’s creation of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in 2000. 168 In the intervening years, Wespac began to incorporate and draft ecosystem-based measures for its western Pacific bottomfish, pelagic, precious coral, and crustacean FMPs. 169 A multi-step approach is being used: Wespac released the Hawai‘i Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan in December 2005. Rather than implementing any new regulations, the FEP begins the integration of the ecosystem approach by combining the management provisions of existing FMPs, except pelagics, which will be managed under a separate FEP. Once the FEPs have been reviewed by NMFS and approved by the Secretary of Commerce, geographic reorganization of regulations will take place. 170 The Hawaiian Archipelago Marine Ecosystem Research Plan furthers Wespac and NMFS’s shift to ecosystem management. 171 Its core research themes include ecosystem indicators and metrics, biodiversity, connectivity, human interactions, sustainability, resilience and recovery, and modeling and forecasting. 172 The draft plan is under review by the management team, which consists of representatives from Wespac, NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DAR, and others. 173 The final plan will be reviewed by an independent panel of physical, biological, and social scientists nationally recognized for their work in ecosystems research. 174 44
Page 1 and 2: Hawai‘i Fisheries Initiative A Co
Page 3 and 4: Examples of Hawai‘i Fish Aku Bige
Page 5 and 6: fishers, who defray costs by sellin
Page 7 and 8: A Snapshot of Hawai‘i’s Seafood
Page 9 and 10: Western Pacific Fisheries Managemen
Page 11 and 12: National and Statewide Economic Imp
Page 13 and 14: Economics of Hawai‘i’s Commerci
Page 15 and 16: Imports and Value Added NWHI Bottom
Page 17 and 18: Seafood Exports NOAA Fisheries repo
Page 19 and 20: Regional Trends, Wholesale Markets,
Page 21 and 22: due to the freshness of the fish wh
Page 23 and 24: Consumers of recreational and subsi
Page 25 and 26: One of the program’s goals is to
Page 27 and 28: With expected increases in populati
Page 29 and 30: Hawai‘i’s Aquaculture Potential
Page 31 and 32: The flat growth of the information
Page 33 and 34: Leasing Hawai‘i’s Waters: Legal
Page 35 and 36: Christopher Mann, a senior officer
Page 37 and 38: Recreational Fishing in Hawai‘i R
Page 39 and 40: Hawai‘i Marine Recreational Fishi
Page 41 and 42: Fishing Tournaments and Clubs Appro
Page 43: Fisheries Management and Enforcemen
Page 47 and 48: State of Hawai‘i Fisheries Progra
Page 49 and 50: In its eighth year, 2,164 volunteer
Page 51 and 52: Stock Assessment and Catch Data Und
Page 53 and 54: 2006 State Fishing Licenses and Per
Page 55 and 56: Violations of marine-related laws c
Page 57 and 58: or Olive Ridley sea turtles have be
Page 59 and 60: History and Status of Hawai‘i’s
Page 61 and 62: 2006 Commercial Landings by Species
Page 63 and 64: wholesalers began offering Hawaiian
Page 65 and 66: that mortality levels will be susta
Page 67 and 68: Troll and Handline Pelagic Fisherie
Page 69 and 70: (a baited bottom camera) and Electr
Page 71 and 72: History and Status of Lobster and S
Page 73 and 74: Governing the Oceans In general, st
Page 75 and 76: In 1958, the Geneva Conventions on
Page 77 and 78: Authority within a Nation’s Exclu
Page 79 and 80: U.S. Ocean Policy, Regulatory Frame
Page 81 and 82: u The Oceans Act of 2000 382 establ
Page 83 and 84: development, analyzing climate chan
Page 85 and 86: u Sport Fish Restoration and Manage
Page 87 and 88: u Marine Debris Research, Preventio
Page 89 and 90: Governance refers to the entire pro
Page 91 and 92: Hawaiian Ocean Policy and Regulator
Page 93 and 94: DLNR/State Historic Preservation Di
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nongovernmental organizations, and
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can give formal testimony. If neces
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Native Hawaiian Fisheries Managemen
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And, adjacent to the Hualalai Resor
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Native Hawaiian Rights Asserted via
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Traditional and Customary Rights wi
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Wespac reports increased community
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About the Hawaii Institute for Publ
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21 U.S. Department of the Interior,
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79 Hawai‘i International Seafood,
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155 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conser
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235 Id. 236 d. 237 Id. 238 Id. 239
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318 Councilmember comments at the M
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394 16 U.S.C. 1852 § 302, at http:
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479 http://www.Hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/
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Waters: Native Hawaiians have an in
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