Hawaii FEP - Western Pacific Fishery Council

EPAP’s 1999 report to Congress recommending that Councils should develop FEPs for theecosystems under their jurisdiction and delineate the extent of those ecosystems.Taking these factors into account, the Council has determined that at this time, the Hawaii FEPboundary includes all waters and associated marine resources with EEZ waters surrounding theHawaiian Islands (Figure 2). Although this overlaps with the boundaries of the Council’s PacificPelagic FEP for pelagic fisheries, the Hawaii Archipelago FEP specifically manages thosedemersal resources and habitats associated with the federal waters of the Hawaii Archipelago.Under the approach described in this document, continuing adaptive management could includesubsequent actions to refine these boundaries if and when supported by scientific data and/ormanagement requirements. Such actions would be taken in accordance with the MSA, theNational Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the MarineMammal Protection Act (MMPA), and other applicable laws and statutes.Figure 2: Map of the Hawaii ArchipelagoSource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian Archipelago1.4.1 Papahanaumokuakea Marine National MonumentIn June, 2006, the President issued a proclamation establishing the Northwestern HawaiianIslands Marine National Monument, since renamed Papahanaumokuakea Marine NationalMonument, a status which significantly affects the NWHI commercial fishing operations. TheNational monument designation superseded the proposed NWHI National Marine Sanctuary.The President’s proclamation calls for the closure of commercial fisheries, including the limitedentry crustacean fishery within the Monument’s boundaries immediately and of the NWHIbottomfish fishery by June 15, 2011. Native Hawaiian cultural practices, including sustenancefishing may, however, be permitted to continue. Although the commercial bottomfish andassociated pelagic fishing operations in the NWHI may continue over the five-year period, theywill be subject to a landing limit on each species complex. No more than 350,000 pounds of6