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What do scientists and managers say about the status of the major fish populations harvested by Hawaii
longline fisheries?
Fish
Population
Sustainable
Seafood?
How
Sustainable?
Recent
Stock
Assessment
Corrective Management Actions
Regional
Organizations
Hawaii longline
fisheries management
Pacific
Skipjack
tuna (aku)
Yes
Not overfished.
Overfishing not
occurring. Increased
catch possible
1,2
2008
1,2,3
None necessary or proposed
None necessary
or proposed
Pacific
Yellowfin
tuna (ahi)
Yes (if IATTC
takes corrective
management
action in the
eastern Pacific)
Not overfished.
Overfishing is occurring
in the eastern Pacific
and is approaching
in the western and
central Pacific
3,4,5
2007
3,4,5
WCPFC5-2008-DP01:
Combination of purse seine fishing and
no FAD fishing in EEZs; FAD fishing seasonal
closures (2-3 mo), FAD management plans
and 100% observer coverage of FAD fishing
on high seas.
IATTC: conservation measures pending.
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than
164 permitted vessels.
Compliance with WCPFC
and IATTC measures.
Pacific Bigeye
tuna (ahi,
mebachi)
Yes, because
WCPFC is taking
actions to correct
“overfishing” and
IATTC actions
are pending.
Not overfished.
Overfishing is occurring.
Fishing should be
reduced to avoid further
stock decline
3,6,7
2008
3,6,7
WCPFC5-2008-DP01:
Combination of purse seine fishing day
limits and no FAD fishing in EEZs; FAD
fishing seasonal closures (2-3 mo) or
10% bigeye tuna catch reduction (from
2001–2004 baseline), FAD management
plans and 100% observer coverage of
FAD fishing on high seas.
Reduction in annual longline bigeye tuna
catch (10 to 30% from 2001-2004 baseline).
IATTC: Resolution C-09-01: Combination
of purse seine fishing day limits, seasonal
and area closures. for the longline vessels
over 24 meters in overall length (78 ft) there
are bigeye catch limits. The Hawaii longline
fleet is limited to no more than 500 mt per
year of bigeye from the IATTC are in the
eastern Pacific.
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Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than
164 permitted vessels.
NOAA has proposed
regulations to establish
an annual bigeye tuna
catch limit of 3,763 mt to
comply with WCPFC and
IATTC measures.
16
Pacific
Swordfish
(mekajiki)
Yes
Not overfished.
Overfishing not
occurring.
3,10,11
2003
3,12
None necessary or proposed for North
Pacific swordfish.
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than 164
permitted vessels.
Pacific Blue
marlin
(kajiki)
Yes
Not overfished.
Overfishing not
occurring.
3,12
2003
3,12
Conservation measures not proposed.
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than 164
permitted vessels.
North
Pacific Striped
marlin
(nairagi)
Yes
Not overfished.
Overfishing is
approaching or
may be occurring
2,12
2008
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Conservation measures pending updated
stock asssessment
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than 164
permitted vessels.
Pacific
Moonfish
(opah)
Unknown
Unknown
None available.
Life history
studied.
Conservation measures not proposed.
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than 164
permitted vessels.
Pacific Sickle
Pomfret
(monchong)
Unknown
Unknown
None available.
Conservation measures not proposed.
Longline fishing capacity
limited to no more than 164
permitted vessels.
1
Tuna, Pacific Skipjack Tuna, FishWatch, U.S. Seafood
Facts, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/
2
Langley, A. and J. Hampton. 2008. Stock assess-
ment of skipjack tuna in the western and central
Pacific Ocean. SA-WP-4, http://www.wcpfc.int/
Meetings, Scientific Committee, 4th regular
session, 11-22 August 2008, Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea.
3
http://www.wpcouncil.org/ Pelagic Fisheries
of the Western Pacific Region, 2006 Annual
Report, International Pelagic Fisheries, p. 271
and Table 6.
4
Tuna, Pacific Yellowfin Tuna, FishWatch, U.S.
Seafood Facts, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
fishwatch/
5
Langley, A., J. Hampton, P. Kleiber and S. Hoyle.
2007. Stock assessment of yellowfin tuna in the
western and central Pacific Ocean, including
an analysis of management options. WP SA-1,
WCPFC-SC1, Honolulu, HI, U.S.A.
6
Tuna, Pacific Bigeye Tuna, FishWatch, U.S.
Seafood Facts, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
fishwatch/
References: