The new set of regulations was presented by NOAA fishery policy analyst Toby R. Wood during the meeting of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council’s plan team at the Fiesta Resort & Spa yesterday.
The team is composed of representatives from Guam and CNMI who discussed management options for the Pacific Monuments and presented the annual reports on bottom-fish and coral reef ecosystem managements.
The new regulations on bottom-fish took effect last May 6, and Wood said they apply to owners and operators of all vessels that conduct bottom-fishing for commercial use in the exclusive economic zone waters around CNMI.
The owner of a vessel used for commercial bottom-fishing must obtain a federal permit and the operator must maintain and submit reports of catch, fishing efforts and other information to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
After each fishing trip, the fishing vessel operator must complete and submit a logbook report of catch and fishing effort for the bottom-fish species.
The bottom-fish in the Marianas covered by the regulations include 12 species of snappers, five groupers species, three species of emperors, including mafuti, and five species of jacks, including bluefin trevally.
The new management measures contained in the amendment to the Fishery Management Plan was developed by Wespac, approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce and implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
These measures, Wood said, address the deficiencies of the fishery data collection programs used in monitoring bottom-fish catches and determining the impacts of fishery on the harvested bottom-fish stocks in the CNMI.
The regulations are intended to prevent depletion of bottom-fish and to sustain the fisheries that depend on such species.
