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

2006 State Fishing
Licenses and Permits
n Commercial marine license: 3,137
n Commercial bait license: 18
n Commercial aquarium permit: 172
n Recreational aquarium permit: 137
n Special marine product possession and
sale license: 92
n Aquaculture facility license: 16
n Aquaculture dealer license: 26
n Locally caught Kona crab and
lobster license: 64 219
Annual Catch Limits and
Accountability Measures
Required under the 2006 MSA, Annual
Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability
Measures (AMs) seek to end and prevent
overfishing in all U.S. commercial and
recreational fisheries in 2010 for stocks
subject to overfishing and in 2011 for all
others. 220 To accomplish the goals for ACLs
(also referred to as Total Allowable Catch,
or TAC), “overfishing levels” first need
to be established – an annual amount of
catch that would result in overfishing if
exceeded. The ACL would be set below
this “maximum sustainable yield” (MSY)
to ensure that overfishing does not occur.
Such recommendations may not be in
excess of the fishing level recommended
by each fisheries council’s scientific and
statistical committee or the peer review
process established under the MSA. 221
Wespac utilizes a precautionary approach,
typically as follows: If its science and
statistical committee reports a MSY of X,
the council will set the cap or limit at 80
percent of X. 222
ACLs may be subdivided into sectors; for
example, an ACL could be set for types of
fishing gear used, or whether the effort is
commercial or recreational. AMs – action
plans such as in-season closure once
ACL is met or corrective measures taken
during the next fishing year when an ACL
is exceeded – may also be established
for each sector. As Wespac designs and
implements its ACLs and AMs, key considerations
include the scientific knowledge
of stocks, as well as monitoring and catch
data reliability. 223 A precautionary approach
could be taken when there is less scientific
certainty about the health of a fish species
or stock complex – a broader buffer zone
between the (presumed) overfishing level
and the ACL. ACL management measures
do not require at-sea enforcement until
after the annual catch limit is reached. 224
NOAA’s Observer Program
NMFS, via its Office of Science and
Technology, deploys observers onboard
commercial vessels to record catch and
bycatch (catch of non-target species;
52