Overfishing has not been declared on any stocks in West Pacific, but many bottomfish species in the Main Hawaiian Islands fishery are believed to be severely depleted. A stock assessment prepared by NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) in 2006 indicated that overfishing was occurring on bottomfish in the Main Hawaiian Islands, the primary species of concern being the so-called “Deep 7” bottomfish species, a complex of snappers, groupers and jacks. According the stock assessment information at that time, fishing mortality on the Deep 7 bottomfish stocks needed to be reduced 24% to end overfishing, but such a level of fishing would still equal the overfishing level (OFL).

Amendment 14 to the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish FMP (December 2007) was intended to end bottomfish overfishing in the Hawaiian archipelago with a “phased management approach” that included the seasonal closures and commercial catch limits as well as bag limits for the non-commercial sector in 2008. In 2009 and beyond, a single fleetwide total allowable catch (TAC) applies to both the commercial and non-commercial sectors. NMFS has just published the final 2008-2009 catch specifications for the “Deep 7” bottomfish species with a TAC of 241,000 lb. When the TAC is projected to be reached, NMFS will close the non-commercial and commercial Deep 7 bottomfish fisheries until the end of the fishing year. According to the final rule, the TAC is precautionary measure to prevent localized stock depletion in the Main Hawaiian Islands subarea of the Hawaiian Archipelago. The published regulations can be found at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-3049.pdf

Although bottomfish stocks in the Main Hawaiian Islands are considered badly depleted, NMFS says that the bottomfish stocks in the Hawaiian Archipelago as a whole are not overfished. With respect to the Main Hawaiian Islands subarea alone, however, the updated stock assessment indicates that this TAC would have 40% risk of localized stock depletion (read: “overfishing”) – far too high to be considered “precautionary.” NMFS justifies the TAC on the basis of balancing the need to protect the stocks of fish and consider the needs of fishermen, but many consider the status of Hawaii’s fish stocks far worse than officials suggest. For another view, see the Honolulu Weekly article on the sorry state of Hawaii’s fisheries: http://honoluluweekly.com/cover/2009/02/woe-fish/