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Notice of public meetings.
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 161st Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Executive and Budget Standing Committee (SC), and 208th Council meetings to take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.
The meetings will be held between September 8 and September 17, 2026. For specific times and agendas, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION . Written public comments on final action items at the 208th Council meeting should be received at the Council office by 5 p.m. HST, Thursday, September 10, 2026, see ADDRESSES .
161st SSC will be held as hybrid meetings for members and the public, with a remote participation option available via Webex. In-person attendance for the 161st SSC meeting will be hosted at the Council office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813. ( printed page 54697)
The Executive and Budget SC will be held as an in-person meeting at the Council office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.
The 208th Council Meeting will be held by web conference via Webex. The following venues will be host sites for the 208th Council meeting: Council office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii; Tedi of Samoa Building, Suite 208B, Fagatogo Village, American Samoa; Cliff Pointe, 304 W O'Brien Drive, Hagatna, Guam; and BRI Building, Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St. Garapan, Saipan, CNMI.
Specific information on joining the meetings and connecting to the web conference will be posted on the Council website at https://www.wpcouncil.org. For assistance with the web conference connection, contact the Council office at (808) 522-8220.
Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; phone: (808) 522-8220.
The 161st SSC meeting will be held between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) on September 8, 2026, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. HST on September 9, 2026, and between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. HST on September 10, 2026. The Executive and Budget SC meeting will be held between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. HST on September 14, 2026. The 208th Council meeting will be held between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. HST on September 15, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. HST on September 16, 2026, and between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. HST on September 17, 2026. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items will be held between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. HST on September 15, 2026.
Background documents for the 208th Council meeting will be available at https://www.wpcouncil.org. Written public comments on final action items at the 208th Council meeting should be received at the Council office by 5 p.m. HST, Thursday, September 10, 2026, and should be sent to Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone: (808) 522-8220 or fax: (808) 522-8226; or email: info@wpcouncil.org. Written public comments on all other agenda items may be submitted for the record by email throughout the duration of the meeting. Instructions for providing oral public comments during the meeting will be posted on the Council website.
Agenda items noted as “Final Action” refer to actions that may result in Council transmittal of a proposed fishery management plan, proposed plan amendment, or proposed regulations to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, under Sections 304 or 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). In addition to the agenda items listed here, the Council and its advisory bodies will hear recommendations from Council advisors. An opportunity to submit public comment will be provided throughout the agendas. The order in which agenda items are addressed may change and will be announced in advance at the Council meeting. The meetings will run as late as necessary to complete scheduled business.
This meeting will be recorded (audio only) for the purposes of generating the minutes of the meeting. As public comments will be made publicly available, participants and public commenters are urged not to provide personally identifiable information at this meeting. Participation in the meeting by web conference, or by telephone, constitutes consent to the audio recording.
1. Introductions
2. Approval of Draft Agenda and Assignment of Rapporteurs
3. Status of the 160th SSC Meeting Recommendations
4. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Director's Report
5. Program Planning and Research
A. Options for the Management of Restored Commercial Fishing in Pacific Marine National Monument Waters
A.1. Overview of Proclamation 11035 Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific
A.1. Next Steps for Management of Fishing in waters of the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
A.2. Options for Amending the Large Vessel Prohibited Area in American Samoa (Action Item)
A.3. Options for Amending Fishing Regulations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Action Item)
B. SSC Special Projects Social Valuation Working Group Report
C. Council Research Prioritization
D. Review and Update of the 3-year SSC Plan
E. Review and Update of the SSC Special Projects List
F. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Project Updates on Regulatory Review and Community Consultation
G. Public Comment
H. SSC Discussion and Recommendations
6. Island Fisheries
A. American Samoa Bottomfish Management Unit Species Acceptable Biological Catch for 2027-2030 (Action Item)
B. American Samoa Fish Flow Project
C. Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) Terms of Reference for the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Stock Assessment Update
D. Council Coral Reef Project Updates
D.1. Marianas Ecosystem Based Indicators
D.2. Ecosystem Component Species Framework
E. Public Comment
F. SSC Discussion and Recommendations
7. Pelagic & International Fisheries
A. Electronic Monitoring Implementation Update
B. Seafood Executive Order Priority Actions for Reducing Burdens on Domestic Fishing
B.1. Options for Revising the Hawaii Shallow-set Longline Fishery Sea Turtle Measures
B.2. Revising the American Samoa Longline Fishery Sea Turtle Measures
B.3. Revising the Swordfish Retention Limit in the Hawaii Deep-set Longline Fishery
C. IRA Scenario Planning for Hawaii and American Samoa Longline Fisheries
D. International Fisheries
D.1. Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Scientific Committee Report
D.2. Bigeye Tuna Management Workshops
D.3. South Pacific Albacore Allocation Workshop
D.4. Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Science Advisory Subcommittee Report
E. Public Comment
F. SSC Discussion and Recommendations
8. Protected Species
A. SSC Special Projects Protected Species Working Group
B. IRA Protected Species Project Phase 2 Update
C. Public Comment
D. SSC Discussion and Recommendations
9. Other Business ( printed page 54698)
A. SSC Meeting Schedule and Potential WGs
10. Summary of SSC Recommendations to the Council
1. Introduction and Approval of Agenda
2. Financial Reports
3. Administrative Reports
A. Statement of Organization Practices and Procedures Changes
4. Council Family Changes
A. Advisory Panel 2027-2030
B. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
C. Other
5. Meetings and Workshops
6. Other Business
7. Public Comment
8. Discussion and Recommendations
1. Welcome and Introductions/Land Acknowledgment
2. Oath of Office
3. Approval of the 208th Council Meeting Agenda
4. Approval of the 207th Council Meeting Minutes
5. Opening Remarks
6. Executive Director's Report
7. Action Items
A. Update on Restoring Commercial Fishing in Pacific Marine National Monument Waters and Next Steps for Fishing Regulations
A.1. NMFS Update
A.2. National Ocean Service Update
A.3. Next Steps for Management of Fishing in Waters of the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
A.4. Options for Amending the Large Vessel Prohibited Area in American Samoa (Final Action)
A.5. Options for Amending Fishing Regulations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Initial Action)
B. Seafood Executive Order Priority Actions for Reducing Burdens on Domestic Fishing
B.1. Options for Revising the Hawaii Shallow-set Longline Fishery Sea Turtle Measures
B.2. Revising the American Samoa Longline Fishery Sea Turtle Measures
B.3. Removing the Swordfish Retention Limit in the Hawaii Deep-set Longline Fishery
C. American Samoa Bottomfish Management Unit Species Annual Catch Limit Specifications for 2027-2030 (Initial Action)
D. WPSAR Terms of Reference for Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Update Assessment
E. Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
E.1. Advisory Panel/Bottomfish Advisory Review Board
E.2. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
E.3. Social Science Planning Committee
E.4. Scientific & Statistical Committee
F. Public Comment
G. Council Discussion and Action
8. Program Planning and Research
A. Council Member Round Robin Updates
B. Agency Updates on Program Planning and Research Matters
C. National Legislative Report
D. Seafood Promotion
D.1. Small Business Administration
C.2. U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Seafood
E. Seafood Executive Order Priorities and NMFS Actions
F. Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive
G. Alignment of Science and Management Priorities—SSC Social Valuation Working Group Report
H. Council Research Prioritization
I. Social, Economic, Ecological, and Management Uncertainty Process Revision
J. Regional Communications & Outreach Report
K. Inflation Reduction Act Project Reports
K.1. Report on IRA Regulatory Review Project
K.2. IRA Disaster Relief Workshop
K.3. Malesso Community-based Fishery Management Plan
K.4. Rota/Tinian Data Collection Workshop
L. Consultation on Proposed Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Activities in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act
M. Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
M.1. Advisory Panel
M.2. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
M.3. Social Science Planning Committee
M.4. Scientific & Statistical Committee
N. Public Comment
O. Council Discussion and Action
9. Pelagic & International Fisheries
A. Agency Updates on Pelagic and International Matters
B. IRA Project Updates: Scenario Planning
C. Electronic Monitoring Implementation Updates
D. International Fisheries Issues
D.1. WCPFC Scientific Committee Report
D.2. Bigeye Tuna Management Workshop
D.3. South Pacific Albacore Allocation Updates
D.4. IATTC Report
E. Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
E.1. Advisory Panel
E.2. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
E.3. Social Science Planning Committee
E.4. Scientific & Statistical Committee
F. Public Comment
G. Council Discussion and Action
10. Protected Species
A. Agency Updates on Protected Species Matters
B. IRA Project Updates: Protected Species
C. Green Sea Turtle Activity Update
C.1. NMFS
C.2. Report on Council Activities
D. Advisory Group Report and Recommendations
D.1. Advisory Panel
D.2. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
D.3. Scientific & Statistical Committee
E. Public Comment
F. Council Discussion and Action
11. Administrative Matters
A. Financial Reports
B. Administrative Reports
B.1. Statement of Organization Practices and Procedures Changes
C. Council Family Changes
C.1. Advisory Panel 2027-2030
C.2. Fishing Industry Advisory Committee
D. Meetings and Workshops
E. Executive and Budget Standing Committee Report
F. Public Comment
G. Council Discussion and Action
12. Other Business
Non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before the Council for discussion during its 208th meeting. However, Council final decisions will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any regulatory issue arising after publication of this document that requires emergency ( printed page 54699) action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.
These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kitty M. Simonds, (808) 522-8220 (voice) or (808) 522-8226 (fax), at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority:16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 19, 2026.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-17247 Filed 8-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P