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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

purposes, VMS can help determine, in a timely manner, when catch limits within designated areas have been reached; VMS can also monitor activity near critical habitat areas. VMS complements NOAA observer programs. 243 u Dockside monitoring of landings and sales – state and federal concerns include insufficient staffing to provide necessary coverage 244 A small vessel tracking system pilot project is underway via a partnership between Wespac and the U.S. Coast Guard, and contractor Oceantronics Inc. 245 Using VHF frequencies (radio transmission) similar to those used in Automatic Identification System (AIS) allows agencies to track small vessels (less than 50 feet in length), providing a cost-effective plan for both enforcement and safety monitoring. 246 The range currently being tested is 50 miles from shore, although higher antennas could extend the range to 100 miles. 247 Seasonal closures – such as a seasonal closure for bottomfish in the MHI – have been examined by the U.S. Coast Guard, which recommends an “extremely strong shoreside enforcement component,” to complement at-sea enforcement (For example, possession of bottomfish during the closed period would be illegal). 248 Currently, the state does not distinguish between commercially and recreationally registered bottomfish boats (both have to display a BF designation on their vessels). 249 So, for example, if a TAC only affects the commercial sector, it makes enforcement more difficult as the agent would need to board and inspect the catch, then determine whether the fisher is commercial or recreational, and if commercial, whether he intends to sell the catch. 250 Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) are successfully being used to monitor coral reef ecosystems in Hawai‘i and elsewhere, and they’ve also proven effective at picking up vessel sounds. In the National Park of American Samoa, an EAR that had been deployed for seven weeks recorded much more boat traffic than the scientists expected. Most of the vessel activity took place in the early evening and night hours. EARs may prove to have significant enforcement potential as well as their primary use as environmental monitoring devices. 251 Bycatch and Endangered Species Interaction Issues The MSA defines bycatch as fish caught but not kept for personal use or sold, and this includes fish that are discarded for economic or regulatory reasons as well. Since 1990, protected species bycatch issues have increasingly impacted fisheries management. As previously noted, seabird bycatch primarily affects the pelagic longline fisheries. Sea turtle bycatch affects the swordfish longline fishery and the bottomfish and pelagic handline fisheries to a much lesser extent. No reports of seabird or sea turtle incidental catch have occurred in the lobster, coral reef, or precious coral fisheries; no reports of hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, 55
or Olive Ridley sea turtles have been reported in the bottomfish fishery, despite the turtles known to be in the same habitat regions. 252 Regarding species in Hawaiian waters, federal protection under the Endangered Species Act 253 is accorded seven species of marine mammals, five species of sea turtles, and one species of seabird. Other marine mammals and seabirds are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 254 or the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 255 Potentially, a species can be listed both under the ESA and the MMPA. 256 In the pelagics fisheries, the largest component of bycatch is sharks, primarily the blue shark, which have a high post-release survival rate. Sharks and other finfish are discarded for economic and regulatory reasons. In the past, many sharks were finned; however, both state and federal regulations now prohibit this practice. In 2001, 96 percent of the 45,000 sharks caught in the longline fisheries were discarded, with the balance retained whole. Interactions with seabirds and sea turtles remain issues in the longline fisheries; there have been no reported interactions between longliners and Hawaiian monk seals since 1993, and very few interactions between longliners and ESA-listed whales. Research into sea temperatures is showing promise in locating potential turtle territory so that swordfish longliners, armed with this information, can avoid that depth range. 257 Changes in species release and handling procedures and fishing methods – such as side setting and the use of circle hooks – have shown to be effective means of reducing seabird and sea turtle bycatch, or dealing with caught species to limit physical damage or mortality. 258 Side setting shows potential for eliminating seabird bycatch in the longline tuna fishery and reducing bycatch by 87 percent in the longline swordfish fishery. 259 Side setting of longline gear moves operations from the back of the boats to the side; crew set the baited hooks close to the vessel’s side, and seabirds are unable (or unwilling) to dive on the bait. 260 The practice was voluntarily adopted by 15 percent of the Hawai‘ibased longline fleet before Wespac began to formally consider including this seabirdavoidance measure in its regulations. 261 Use of nets contributes to bycatch – fish drop out before harvest either injured or dead, and ghost (lost) nets continue to capture and kill fish, and destroy coral and valuable habitat. A major concern with lay gillnets is the entangling and killing of protected species such as sea turtles or monk seals. Lay gillnets have been called one of the most destructive near-shore fishing methods, snaring indiscriminately both targeted and non-targeted species, as well as destroying bottom habitat. Bycatch can amount to fifteen times the amount of targeted catch. Recently, DAR implemented gillnet regulations for size, time, and area limitations. 262 56
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 and 44: Fisheries Management and Enforcemen
Page 45 and 46: A comprehensive ecosystem-based fis
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: Violations of marine-related laws c
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
Page 95 and 96: nongovernmental organizations, and
Page 97 and 98: can give formal testimony. If neces
Page 99 and 100: Native Hawaiian Fisheries Managemen
Page 101 and 102: And, adjacent to the Hualalai Resor
Page 103 and 104: Native Hawaiian Rights Asserted via
Page 105 and 106: Traditional and Customary Rights wi
Page 107 and 108:
Wespac reports increased community
Page 109 and 110:
About the Hawaii Institute for Publ
Page 111 and 112:
21 U.S. Department of the Interior,
Page 113 and 114:
79 Hawai‘i International Seafood,
Page 115 and 116:
155 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conser
Page 117 and 118:
235 Id. 236 d. 237 Id. 238 Id. 239
Page 119 and 120:
318 Councilmember comments at the M
Page 121 and 122:
394 16 U.S.C. 1852 § 302, at http:
Page 123 and 124:
479 http://www.Hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/
Page 125 and 126:
Waters: Native Hawaiians have an in
show all

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?