Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to consider restoring fishing in Pacific Marine Monuments

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will deliberate on two major actions at its 206th meeting next week allowing US fishermen to fish in US Pacific marine national monuments.

The first action concerns the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument expansion area around Wake and Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll. The Council will take final action on managing commercial fishing from 50-to-200 nm following Presidential Proclamation 10918 (April 17, 2025). The Proclamation directed the Secretary of Commerce to revise regulations to allow appropriately managed US commercial fishing in those waters. US longline and purse seine vessels would be allowed to fish in these areas following strict federal fishery requirements. These include permits, catch limits, gear restrictions, logbooks and observer coverage for monitoring catch and protected species interactions, and vessel monitoring systems for enforcing closed areas.

The second action involves the Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll and Marianas Trench Marine National Monuments. Executive Order (EO) 14276 (April 17, 2025) directed federal agencies to review monument fishing restrictions and recommend changes to support sustainable US seafood production, while maintaining conservation objectives. The Council will also consider recommendations restoring regulated commercial fishing access under existing Magnuson-Stevens Act authorities as requested by the EO.

In making its decisions, the Council will determine the impacts of the alternatives on the affected environment, and consider recommendations from industry and science advisory bodies, and comments from the public. The meeting is expected to draw broad interest because the decisions sit at the intersection of fishing access, seafood security and marine conservation. In Hawaiʻi, for example, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands fishery once provided nearly half of the bottomfish sold in the Hawaiʻi market before its closure in 2011. 

The Council meeting provides the public an opportunity to learn about proposed fishery actions, hear reports from around the region and provide input on decisions affecting fishing communities, local seafood supply and marine resource management across the US Pacific Islands. 

How to Join – March 24-26, 2026

• In-Person: Ala Moana Hotel, Hibiscus Ballroom (410 Atkinson St., Honolulu, HI)
• Online: Join remotely via Webex: https://tinyurl.com/206CouncilMtg, Event password: CM206mtg
• Get the Full Agenda & Documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/206th-council-meeting