other U.S. Pacific islands) created a species or the coral reef habitat and The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: Protected Species Zone in waters 3 to as a National Marine Sanctuary. that stocks for both fisheries in the 50 miles around the Northwestern If the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are Should the Majority of Hawaii Waters Hawaiian Islands to eliminate longline become a National Marine Sanctuary, healthy. In addition, banning fishing interactions with the endangered it would add 135,000 square miles to the in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Be Closed to Fishing? Hawaiian monk seal by banning long- National Marine Sanctuary system. would likely result in increased imports When people think about State of Hawaii, they often line vessels from this area. In 1994, This would increase the total size of the from countries with fisheries that are the Council began preparing a Coral existing Sanctuary system by sevenfold. less regulated and monitored (e.g., think only about the eight southernmost islands, Reef Ecosystem Fishery Management This system currently contains 13 sanc- Tonga, Fiji, Philippines). known as the main Hawaiian Islands, which span from Plan, which identified all federal waters tuaries, all of which allow fishing except The proposed Northwestern Hawaiian out to 300 feet in depth in the the 1/4–square-mile Fagatele Bay Islands National Marine Sanctuary has the Big Island north to Kauai and Niihau. These islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as National Marine Sanctuary in American often been compared to the Great however, comprise only a small fraction of the Hawaiian marine protected areas. Samoa. The Northwestern Hawaiian Barrier Reef Marine Park. They are geo- Islands. The vast majority of the archipelago—approx- In 2000, President Clinton by Islands Sanctuary would also be larger graphically about the same size, and the Executive Orders 13178 and 13196 estab- than the entire national parks system Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage imately 1,200 miles of the 1,500-mile island chain—lies lished the Northwestern Hawaiian of the United States. Site, which some hope the Northwestern in the waters northwest of the main islands. These Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in The draft environmental impact Hawaiian Islands will also become. islands, atolls, banks and seamounts are known as the the same offshore area that comprised statement (DEIS) for the proposed However, the Great Barrier Reef is by no the Protected Species Zone. At the time, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands means a no-fishing Reserve or The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands accounts for half Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. many believed that the Northwestern Sanctuary is scheduled for public Sanctuary, as some would like to see in of Hawaii’s local bottomfish landings. Pictured is a he Northwestern Hawaiian release in June 2006. It is anticipated the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. recent landing of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands bottomfish at the United Fishing Agency’s fish auction Islands are a unique and that the DEIS will present a series of Instead it is a multi-use marine park in Honolulu. special place. They are the management alternatives for the where each year 52.8 million pounds of breeding grounds for 96 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, includ- seafood is harvested by the commercial In 2005, Governor Linda Lingle percent of the world’s black- ing an option that allows limited com- sector alone, including trawl, coral reef designated all State waters, 0 to 3 Tfooted albatrosses and 99 percent of the mercial bottomfish and pelagic fisheries line, inshore finfish and dive-based fish- miles offshore, of the Northwestern Laysan albatrosses. They are also home and a recreational fishery to operate eries. In addition, more than 800,000 Hawaiian Islands as a marine reserve. to the majority of Hawaiian monk seals, under existing Fishery Management recreational fishers catch between 7.7 No commercial or recreational fishing one of the most endangered marine Plans (FMPs). Other alternatives would million to 9.5 million pounds of seafood; is allowed in the State reserve. If mammals in the United States. French close all commercial and recreational some 120 fishing charter vessels operate, fishing is also banned in the proposed Frigate Shoals, one of the 10 major fisheries after five years or by 2025. ranging from large reef-going charter Sanctuary, it would be equivalent islands and atolls in the Northwestern Under the Council’s current recom- vessels to smaller inshore operators; and to banning fishing out to 100 miles Hawaiian Islands, accounts for 90 per- mendations, the FMPs would allow no an unknown amount of indigenous offshore along the West Coast of cent of the nesting beaches for the threat- more than 14 commercial vessels to fishing occurs. the United States from Seattle to ened Hawaii green sea turtle. catch bottomfish in the Northwestern San Diego. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands the Hawaii regional cuisine. According to Hawaiian Islands. These vessels are Many of Hawaii’s fishermen, fish also hold special cultural and historical fish market auctioneer Wayne Higashi, restricted to 60 feet in length, and total Western Pacific wholesalers and retailers, chefs and significance. According to ancient “These freshly caught fish from bottomfish catch would be capped at Regional Fishery restaurant owners are adamantly Hawaiian chants, the gods (i.e., Pele and Hawaiian waters are part of the exotic 381,500 pounds. Longline fishing will against banning fishing from the her brothers) traveled down the product of Hawaii, like pineapple and continue to be banned, and three non- Management Council majority of the waters surrounding Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the flora.” Chef and restaurant owner Russell longline commercial pelagic vessels Hawaii. They support continued sus- main Hawaiian Islands. Necker Island Siu (3660 On the Rise and Kakaako would be permitted to fish in the area. The Council is the policy-making tainable fishing in the Northwestern (also known as Moku Manamana) and Kitchen) says these local bottomfish The total pelagic catch by the combined organization for the manage- Hawaiian Islands, managed under the Nihoa Island were populated around comprise about 30 percent of his menu. bottomfish and pelagic vessels would ment of fisheries in the exclu- Council and its FMPs. The challenge is 1,000 A.D. and today contain archaeologi- The uniqueness of the Northwestern be 180,000 pounds. Recreational fishing sive economic zone (EEZ, gener- to raise the awareness of consumers cal artifacts from these early settlements. would be allowed with federal permit Hawaiian Islands has been long recog- Northwestern Hawaiian Island bottomfish fishermen ally 3–200 miles from shore) and the public about the existence of For people outside of Hawaii, the most nized and has led to a series of actions to and logbook requirements. Fishing for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Troy Lanning of Kauai (center right), Bobby Gomes of around the Territory of well-known place in the Northwestern manage and protect this special area. In Maui (far right) and Tim Timoney of Oahu (far left) with lobster, precious coral and coral reef and where the fish in Hawaii’s stores Hawaiian Islands is Midway Atoll, the 1909, President Roosevelt designated the United Fishing Agency (i.e., Honolulu fish auction) fish would be prohibited, and a no-fish- American Samoa, Territory of and restaurants come from now and manager Frank Goto. site of a famous World War II battle. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as the ing marine protected area would be Guam, State of Hawaii, the where they would come from if fishing The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation. The Hawaiian Islands comprised about 70 established around French Frigate Commonwealth of the Northern is banned in the proposed Sanctuary. also hold special socioeconomic impor- Reservation eventually became the percent of the U.S. coral reef habitat. A Shoals and West of 174 deg. West longi- Mariana Islands and U.S. Pacific The Council supports a sanctuary tance to the people of Hawaii. The deep- Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife more comprehensive study in 2005 has tude (i.e., in waters surrounding Kure island possessions—an area of that provides for habitat protection slope waters of these islands account for Refuge and the Midway Atoll National corrected the data and documented that and Midway Atolls as well as Pearl and nearly 1.5 million square miles. as well as highly regulated and half of Hawaii’s commercial bottomfish Wildlife Refuge, under the jurisdiction of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Hermes Reef). monitored fisheries. A Sanctuary The Council is tasked with main- catches. These deepwater fish such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In accounts for approximately 10 percent of During the March 2006 Council meet- for protected species and coral reefs onaga and opakapaka (red and pink 1978, a multi-agency, five-year program nation’s coral reef habitat. Clinton’s exec- ing, members of the Council and the taining opportunities for can co-exist with limited, sustainable snapper) are particularly important to began to study the marine resources of utive orders recognized existing fisheries public stated that allowing limited, domestic fishing while prevent- fisheries. After all, commercial Hawaii residents as traditional foods to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands sustainable fishing in the Northwestern ing adverse impacts to stocks, fisheries have operated for a century be shared during holidays. They are also 1991, the Western Pacific Regional and provided for sustainable use of the Hawaiian Islands is the best use of the habitat, protected species and in the Northwestern Hawaiian featured in Hawaii’s restaurants as signa- Fishery Management Council (responsi- area. The executive orders also initiated area. Research and monitoring has ecosystem resources. Islands and the area today is still ture dishes and part of ble for managing fisheries in federal the process for designating the Reserve shown that the bottomfish and non- considered “pristine.” waters 3 to 200 miles around Hawaii and longline pelagic fisheries have virtually no impact on protected 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Tel: 808-522-8220 • Fax: 808-522-8226 As Featured in Pacific Magazine’s May/June 2006 Issue www.wpcouncil.org • [email protected]