Federal fisheries official optimistic
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer
Swordfish and tuna fisheries in Hawai'i and around the Pacific are generally healthy and should be significant parts of the regional economy in coming years, according to Bill Hogarth, assistant administrator for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries.
He said it is notable that for the first time in six years, the regional swordfish fishery is not operating under restrictions generated by lawsuits.
Hogarth has been in Hawai'i during the past week to meet with federal agencies and to introduce his department's two new management teams for the new Pacific Islands Region, which was established last year as one of six NOAA Fisheries regions nationwide. NOAA Fisheries is also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The new region was established, with the backing of U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, to provide more local support and management of the roughly $1 billion Pacific tuna fishery as well as swordfish and other target species, he said.
Hawai'i plays an important role in the region, but not necessarily the biggest one. More tuna are landed in American Samoa, which is part of the Pacific Islands Region, than at any other port in the world.
"This region has a tremendous future in fisheries. We got more and more concerned about managing from the local area up than from the top down. We needed more decisions made here," Hogarth said.
William L. Robinson, with deputy Michael D. Tosatto, will administer the new Pacific Islands Regional Office, along with protected resources division assistant administrator Tamra Faris, habitat and conservation assistant administrator Gerald Davis and sustainable fisheries assistant administrator Alvin Katekaru.
Samuel Pooley has been named acting science director of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, with Michael Seki as deputy.
The regional office will conduct management activities and the science center will do fisheries research. They report independently to superiors in Washington, D.C. The agencies provide support to the policy-making activities of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
Hogarth said that some of the key issues for NOAA Fisheries in Hawai'i and the Pacific are managing fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, protecting turtles from being caught in longline fishing operations, helping the Hawaiian monk seal recover, and making sound decisions about the future of commercial lobster and coral harvesting. He said cultural fishing issues and community development programs are also within the region's mandate.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808)245-3074.
