FISHERIES FACT SHEET The Territory of Guam has shore and boat‐based fisheries for coral reef and boomfish species.

Coral Reef Fisheries

 Small‐scale and important for nutrional, social and cultural purposes as food, trade and recreaon.  Common shore‐based fishing techniques include spearfishing, cast neng, hook and line and gleaning.  Common shore‐based fish caught include: Surgeonfish, parroish, goaish, groupers and wrasse.  Common boat‐based fishing techniques include: trolling, boomfishing, spearfishing, octopus hooking, cast neng.  Common boat‐based fish caught include: emperors, groupers, jacks, snappers.

Boomfish Fisheries  Occurs primarily around the island of Guam, southern banks and north to Rota.  Primarily consists of small‐scale local boats engaged in local commercial and subsistence fishing.  Two sectors: Deep water (>500 ) and shallow water (100‐500 ). Catch composion of shore‐based coral reef fisheries  Deep water: commercial, targeng snappers and groupers.  Shallow water: commercial and subsistence, tar‐ geng the redgill emperor.  Gears: hand lines, home fabricated hand reels, elec‐ TERRITORY OF GUAM tric reels (more common with the larger vessels).

prices

Catch composion of boat‐based coral reef fisheries sheries fi average

The number of boats boomfishing gradually in‐ sh fi and creased through the early 2000s, with a peak of 481 om

boats in 2003. The number of boats in 2013 is above (top)

bo

on the 32‐year average of 280 boats. of

om) Data Source: DRAFT WPRFMC 2014 Annual Archipe‐ lagic Fishery Ecosystem Report composi (bo

Catch FEDERAL MANAGEMENT TERRITORIAL  Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) for federally man‐  Five Marine Preserves around Guam aged species  Prohibions include destrucve fishing methods  50—mile closures for boomfish vessels larger such as explosives and poisons than 50 feet in length  No commercial harvest of trochus, sea cucumbers  Essenal Fish Habitat and Habitat of Parcular or urchins Concern designaons  No harvest of berried crustaceans and size limits  Special Coral Reef Ecosystem Permits for lobsters and crabs  Marianas Trench Marine Naonal Monument  No harvesng of coral

ACl: In 2006 the Magnuson‐Stevens Fishery Conservaon and Management Act required the Regional Fishery Manage‐ ment Councils to specify ACLs for all species in the Council's Fishery Ecosystem Plans. ACL is a quota—based manage‐ ment to regulate catches to sustainable levels esmated by stock assessments. There are 115 species and species complexes specified for the TERRITORY OF GUAM Western Pacific Region. For more informaon, browse the Council website

Council’s Fishery Development

 Agat Pier rehabilitaon

 Data collecon‐creel survey and

biosampling

 Construcon of a fishing plaorm

 Rabbiish stock enhancement project

 Community‐Based Management Planning (Merizo and Yigo)

Current Fishery Issues

 Area closure due to U.S. Military Firing Range off of Ridian

 Marianas Trench Marine Naonal Monument

 Data collecon system does not provide effecve moni‐ toring to support ACL management

 Timely deployment of Fish Aggregaon Devices (FADs)

Future Priories for Guam Fisheries

 Re‐construcon of Guam Fishermen’s Cooperave

 Infrastructure development (east side boat ramps)

 Construcon and deployment of community based FADs