By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THE Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will convene in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for its 206th meeting to decide on management options for implementing President Donald Trump’s Proclamation 10918, which would lift commercial fishing prohibitions in Pacific marine national monuments, including the Marianas Trench.
Ahead of the meeting, a leader of the Refaluwasch group in the CNMI wrote to the Council’s chairman, Nathan Ilaoa, urging him and the Council to protect the local culture and livelihoods of community-based fishermen who could be affected by the restoration of large-scale commercial fishing in the Marianas Trench.
In an email to Ilaoa on Monday, URAALI Refaluwasch Association senior advisor and cultural practitioner Melvin L.O. Faisao reminded the Council that the ocean is more than a resource for indigenous communities in the Pacific. “It is part of who we are, our culture, and how we pass knowledge from one generation to the next,” he said.
At its 204th meeting on Sept. 16-17, 2025, the Council recommended lifting commercial fishing prohibitions in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument areas in response to Trump’s proclamation. In its 205th meeting in December, the Council reviewed a draft analysis of management options for implementing the proclamation.
“U.S. fishermen need to fish in our healthy U.S. waters. The bottom line is eating our own fish,” said Will Sword, who was the Council chairman at the time.
The decision on management options will be made during the 206th Council Meeting, which starts Tuesday at the Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu.
Faisao told the Council that members of the NMI’s Refaluwasch community understand the need to balance marine conservation, food security, and economic opportunity. He acknowledged that “these are real issues our communities continue to face, and we recognize the effort to address them.”
But he stressed that “any changes should make sure that local fishermen are not pushed aside by larger commercial operations.” Small-scale and community-based fishing, he said, should be protected and supported.
He added that fishing is not only an economic activity for indigenous people like the CNMI’s Refaluwasch; it is cultural. “It connects families, teaches our youth, and keeps traditions alive. This should be recognized in how policies are shaped,” he said.
“We support fishing that is well-managed, with clear rules and proper monitoring. At the same time, conservation must remain a priority, especially in sensitive areas,” Faisao said. He added that as monitoring and new technologies are expanded, there should be respect for indigenous data and knowledge. “Our communities should have a say in how information about our ocean is collected and used,” he said.
“If access to the Marianas Trench is restored for commercial fishing, the benefits should reach local communities, not just larger operators. There should be clear opportunities for our people to participate and benefit,” Faisao said.
“We encourage continued outreach with CNMI and other Pacific Island communities. Decisions like these should include the voices of the people who are directly affected. URAALI remains committed to caring for our ocean and preserving our culture. We support solutions that are fair, practical, and respectful of our communities. We ask that these points be taken into account as decisions are made,” he added.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
