Western Pacific Council SSC Addressing American Samoa Tuna Longliner Issues
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [PACNews] - March 10, 2015 -
HONOLULU, The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council will meet this week, to consider and make recommendations on three issues concerning American Samoa, including an exemption for the American Samoa longliner fleet to temporarily operate in the Large Vessel Prohibited area.
The proposed regulatory amendment to the Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) would temporarily allow permitted American Samoa longline vessels of 50 feet or greater to operate within the Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) located within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters around American Samoa.
The proposed action would provide relief to the American Samoa longline fishery, which has not been profitable the past several years.
An influx of heavily subsidized Chinese longline vessels across the region is mostly responsible for reducing regional catch rates and lowering wholesale prices.
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