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i Minutes of the 124th Council Meeting 13 – 15 October 2004 Pagoda Hotel Honolulu, Hawaii Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introductions ……………………………………………………………………….1 2. Approval of Agenda ………………………………………………………………..1 3. Approval of 123rd Meeting Minutes ………………………………………………1 4. Island Reports ………………………………………………………………………2 A. American Samoa …………………………………………………………….2 B. Guam…………………………………………………………………………3 C. Hawaii ……………………………………………………………………….8 D. Northern Mariana Islands …………………………………………………..15 5. Reports from Fishery Agencies and Organizations ……………………………..17 A. Department of Commerce …………………………………………………..17 1. National Marine Fisheries Service …………………………………..17 a. Pacific Islands Regional Office ……………………………...17 b. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center …………………….24 2. National Marine Sanctuary Program ………………………………...26 a. Pacific National Marine Sanctuaries Update ………………...27 3. NOAA General Counsel SWR ………………………………………29 B. Department of Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service …………………………32 C. State Department …………………………………………………………….41 D. Report from The Nature Conservancy ………………………………………37 E. US Commission on Ocean Policy …………………………………………...43 F. SSC Recommendations ……………………………………………………...46 6. Enforcement/VMS ………………………………………………………………….49 A. USCG Activities …………………………………………………………….49 B. NMFS Activities …………………………………………………………….52 C. Enforcement Activities of Local Agencies ………………………………….63 D. Status of Violations …………………………………………………………64 E. Update on Electronic Logbooks Amendment ………………………………65 F. NWHI Enforcement Strategy Workshop ……………………………………56 G. Standing Committee Recommendations ……………………………………66 H. Public Comment …………………………………………………………….67 I. Council Discussion and Action ………………………………………………67 7. Observer Programs ………………………………………………………………...73 A. Report on the NWHI, American Samoa and Hawaii Bottomfish Observer Programs …………….……………………..74 8. Fishery Rights of Indigenous Peoples …………………………………………......79 iii A. Community Demonstration Projects Program (2nd Solicitation) …………...79 B. Update on Guam Community Development Program ……………………...80 C. SPC/Council Coastal Fishery Management Workshop …………………….81 D. Marine Conservation Plans …………………………………………………82 1. Guam ………………………………………………………………...82 2. American Samoa ……………………………………………………86 E. Standing Committee Recommendations ……………………………………86 F. Public Comment …………………………………………………………….87 G. Council Discussion and Action ……………………………………………..87 9. Pacific Islands Region Strategic Plan ……………………………………………..87 10. Insular Fisheries …………………………………………………………………118 A. Precious Coral Fisheries …………………………………………………118 1. Black Coral Management ………………………………………….118 a. Black Coral Management Measures (Initial Action) ……….118 b. State Research ……………………………………………....127 2. Deep Sea Coral Management ……………………………………….132 3. Current Precious Coral Research ……………………………………134 4. SSC Recommendations ……………………………………………...136 5. Standing Committee Recommendations …………………………….137 6. Public Hearing ……………………………………………………….137 7. Council Discussion and Action ……………………………………...137 B. Crustaceans Fisheries ……………………………………………………..106 1. 2004 NWHI Cruise and Charter Plans ………………………………111 2. Multi-FAN Stock Assessment ……………………………………….107 a. NMFS/Industry Cooperative Research Tagging Program ……107 b. Pacific Islands Fishery Resource Survey ……………………..111 3. SSC Recommendations ………………………………………………117 4. Standing Committee Recommendations ……………………………..117 5. Public Comment ……………………………………………………...117 6. Council Discussion and Action ………………………………………118 C. Bottomfish Fisheries ………………………………………………………..140 1. CNMI Bottomfish Management (FINAL ACTION) ………………..140 2. Recreational Data Pilot Project (INITIAL ACTION) ……………….141 3. Honolulu Restaurant Survey …………………………………………....67 4 Socio-economics Study of NWHI Bottomfishing ……………………..142 5. SSC Recommendations ……………………………………………….144 6. Standing Committee Recommendations ……………………………...145 7. Public Hearing ………………………………………………………...147 8. Council Discussion and Action ……………………………………….146 D. Ecosystems and Habitat …………………………………………………….147 1. Mariana Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan Pilot Project ………….147 iv 2. Geographic Fishery Ecosystem Plans (INITIAL ACTION) …………152 3. NWHI Sanctuary Alternatives (INITIAL ACTIONS) ……………….155 a. NOS Goals, Objectives and Alternatives ………………………156 i. Council Goals and Objectives ………………………….182 b. Bottomfish Management Measures ……………………………189 c. Crustaceans Management Measures ……………………….......192 d. Precious Corals Management Measures ……………………….193 e. Coral Reef Ecosystems Management Measures ……………….184 f. Pelagics Management Measures ………………………………194 4. SSC Recommendations ………………………………………………..198 5. Standing Committees Recommendations ………………………..201, 244 6. Public Hearing …………………………………………………………201 7. Council Discussion and Action ………………………………………..230 11. Pelagics Fisheries ……………………………………………………………………254 A. Pelagic Squid Management (FINAL ACTION) ……………………………..254 B. Seabird Measures (FINAL ACTION) ……………………………………….260 C. Sea Turtles …………………………………………………………………….269 1. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Delisting Workshop ……………………...269 2. Turtle Fibropapilloma Workshop ……………………………………..271 3. Update on Recovery Plans ………………………………………….....270 D. Marine Mammals ……………………………………………………………..272 1. False Killer Whale Workshop & List of Fisheries ………………….....272 2. Council Advisory Committee on Marine Mammals …………………..274 3. Update on Monk Seal Recovery Plan ……………………………….....275 E. ESA Jeopardy Workshop ……………………………………………………...277 F. Am. Samoa & Hawaii Longline Fisheries ……………………………………..280 1. Hawaii Longline Quarterly Report ……………………………………..280 2. American Samoa Longline Quarterly Report …………………………..286 G. International Issue ……………………………………………………………...289 1. Bigeye Tuna Management Measures …………………………………….19 2. 17th SCTB & SCG ………………………………………………………289 3. FAO Technical Consultation on Turtles - DEFERRED 4. Sapporo Meeting on Fishing Capacity - DEFERRED 5. Prepcon 7 ……………………………………………………………….294 6. HMS Summit DEFERRED 7. Fishing Experiments Workshop ………………………………………..295 8. IFF3 …………………………………………………………………….288 H. Plan Team Recommendations …………………………………………………297 I. SSC Recommendations …………………………………………………………298 J. Standing Committee Recommendations ………………………………………..300 K. Public Hearing …………………………………………………………………301 L. Council Discussion and Action ………………………………………………...301 12. Program Planning ……………………………………………………………………319 A Update on Legislation …………………………………………………………..319 v B. Status of Hawaii $5 Million Disaster Funds for Federal Fisheries ……………...319 C. WpacFIN ………………………………………………………………………...320 D. NEPA Activities …………………………………………………………………324 1. Fishery Ecosystem Plan Scoping ………………………………………....324 2. Upcoming Actions ………………………………………………………..325 E. Programmatic Grants Report ……………………………………………………..326 F. NOAA Omnibus Grants …………………………………………………………..326 G. Joint Pacific and Western Pacific Council Meeting ……………………………...326 H. SSC Recommendations …………………………………………………………..326 I. Standing Committee Recommendations ………………………………………….327 J. Public Comment …………………………………………………………………..327 K. Council Discussion and Action …………………………………………………..327 13. Administrative Matters ………………………………………………………………...327 A. Financial Reports ………………………………………………………………….327 B. Administrative Report ……………………………………………………………..327 C. Meetings and Workshops ………………………………………………………….327 D. Advisory Group Changes ………………………………………………………….328 1. Council Advisory Group on Marine Mammals ……………………………328 2. FEP Advisory Groups ……………………………………………………...328 3. Advisory Panels Appointments ……………………………………………328 4. American Samoa Appointment to Coral Reef Ecosystem Plan Team ………………………………………………………………….329 5. Turtle Advisory Committee ………………………………………………..329 E. SOPP Changes ……………………………………………………………………..330 F. Standing Committee Recommendations …………………………………………...331 G. Public Comment …………………………………………………………………...332 H. Council Discussion and Action ……………………………………………………332 14. Other Business …………………………………………………………………………..338 A. Election of Officers ………………………………………………………………..338 B. Approval of Guam MCP …………………………………………………………..333 15. Shark Tours ……………………………………………………………………………...333 Presentation: Guardian Marine International LLC …………………………………..…251 vi vii Roy Morioka, chair, formally opened the 124th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC, or Council) on October 13, 2004. 1. Introductions The following members were in attendance and introduced themselves: Judson Feder, NOAA General Counsel Bill Robinson, NOAA Regional Administrator Alofa Tuaumu, American Samoa Fishery Council Stephen Haleck, Council member, American Samoa Richard Seman, Council member, Northern Marianas Islands Ben Sablan, Northern Marianas Islands Frank McCoy, American Samoa Frank Farm, Hawaii Manny Duenas, Guam Adrienne Loerzel, Guam Walter Ikehara, Division of Aquatic Resources , sitting in for Yvonne Izu Sean Martin, Hawaii Ed Ebisui, Hawaii Commander Bob Wilson, Coast Guard Craig Severance, University of Hawaii at Hilo. 2. Approval of Agenda Roy Morioka, Chair, presented several amendments to the agenda and recommended approval of the agenda. (Motion move and carried) Morioka recommended that a nominating committee comprised of Frank McCoy from American Samoa, Richard Seman from the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, Manny Duenas from the Territory of Guam and Sean Martin from the State of Hawaii represent the membership on the nominating committee. (Motion moved, seconded and carried) Morioka gave the charge of recommendations for the AP