Hawaii FEP - Western Pacific Fishery Council

More recently, PIFSC published a stock assessment update (Brodziak et al. 2009) which reachedthe same conclusions regarding overfishing and which contained upwardly revised MSYestimates (see Section 4.2.4).Measures to Address Overfishing and Overfished StocksDuring the 1990’s, the best available scientific information indicated that onaga or 'ula'ula koa'e(Etelis coruscans) and ehu or 'ula'ula (Etelis carbunculus) were subject to excessive fishingpressure in the MHI. Evidence of these declining bottomfish stocks in the MHI spurred the Stateof Hawaii to implement several management measures applicable to seven species of bottomfishin State waters.They include gear restrictions, bag limits for non-commercial fishermen, and 20areas closed to fishing and possession of bottomfish.As described in Section 4.2.3, despite the State restrictions on bottomfish fishing, in June 2005(70 FR 34452, June 14, 2005), NMFS determined that overfishing of the bottomfish complexwas occurring in the Hawaii Archipelago. NMFS noted that the overfishing was primarilyoccurring in waters around the MHI, rather than the NWHI. In response to a notice from NMFSthat overfishing was occurring, the Council recommended and NMFS approved Amendment 14to the Bottomfish FMP which implemented an annual total allowable catch limit (TAC) forlandings of Deep 7 species by the MHI commercial fishery, federal non-commercial permits andreporting requirements, non-commercial bag limits and a closed season for fishing for Deep 7species in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Amendment 14 also defined the Main Hawaiian Islandsbottomfish fishing year as September 1-August 31 and implemented a TAC of 178,000 lbs forthe 2007-2008 fishing year.After reviewing the 2008 updated stock assessment, the Council recommended and NMFSapproved a 2008-09 MHI commercial Deep 7 TAC of 241,000lbs, which is associated with anapproximate 40 percent risk of overfishing (FY 2009) in the MHI management subarea,decreasing to a 25 percent risk for FY 2010. Given that the establishment of a TAC for Deep 7bottomfish in the MHI management subarea is a precautionary measure to address overfishing inthe entire Hawaiian Archipelago, it should be recognized that the probability of overfishingbottomfish in the Hawaiian Archipelago is essentially zero for all alternatives considered underthe most recent stock and risk assessments.Seamount Groundfish StocksThe Hancock Seamount, 1,400 miles northwest of Honolulu, is the only area where a seamountfishery has been conducted. This fishery was developed by foreign fishing vessels in the 1960’suntil the stocks of alfonsin and armorhead collapsed. In 1986 the Bottomfish FMP enacted amoratorium on this fishery to conserve pelagic armorhead (Psuedopentaceros wheeleri, formerlyPentaceros richardsoni) which has been determined to be overfished. Successive stock statusestimates have indicated no recovery of the stocks. The moratorium is currently in effect untilAugust 31, 2010.148