This Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP), developed by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council as an FMP in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), concerns ecosystem approaches to fishery management in the Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) of Baker, Jarvis, Wake and Howland Islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston and Palmyra Atolls. This FEP, in conjunction with the Council's American Samoa Archipelago, Hawaii Archipelago, Mariana Archipelago and Pacific Pelagic FEPs, replaces the Council's existing Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish, Coral Reef Ecosystems, Crustaceans, Precious Corals and Pelagic Fishery Management Plans. It reorganizes their associated regulations into a place-based structure aligned with all FEPs of the Council. This FEP does not establish any new fishery management regulations at this time but rather consolidates existing fishery regulations for demersal species. It identifies topics in ecosystem approaches to management and identifies ten overarching objectives to guide the Council in further implementing ecosystem approaches to management. Community input and local knowledge into the management process approaches to management are incorporated in the management process. This FEP and actions taken under it shall be in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other applicable laws and statutes. The FEP is based on eight principles of the Ecosystem Principles Advisory Panel (EPAP) of the NMFS. The overall goal of the FEP is to establish a framework under which the Council will improve its abilities to realize the goals of the MSA through the incorporation of ecosystem science and principles. To achieve this goal, the Council has adopted the following ten objectives, which include, amongst others: To maintain biologically diverse and productive marine ecosystems and foster the long-term sustainable use of marine resources in an ecologically and culturally sensitive manner through the use of a science-based ecosystem approach to resource management; to provide flexible and adaptive management systems that can rapidly address new scientific information and changes in environmental conditions or human use patterns; to encourage and provide for the sustained and substantive participation of local communities in the exploration, development, conservation, and management of marine resources; to minimize fishery bycatch and waste to the extent practicable; to manage and co-manage protected species, protected habitats, and protected areas. Management unit species (MUS) are those species that are managed under each FEP (formerly under the FMPs). he primary impact of inclusion of species in an MUS list is that the species (i.e., the fishery targeting that species) can be directly managed. Under the adaptive approach that utilizes the best available scientific information, the Council, in coordination with NMFS, will continue to develop and refine estimates or proxies of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for managed species when sufficient data are available. The Archipelagic FEP Plan Team oversees the ongoing development and implementation of the American Samoa, Hawaii, Mariana, and PRIA FEPs and is responsible for reviewing information pertaining to the performance of all the fisheries and the status of all the stocks managed under the four Archipelagic FEPs. Topics in ecosystem approaches to management include, among others: precautionary approach, adaptive management, ecological effects of fishing and non-fishing activities, ocean zoning, community-based management, and community participation and development. Management measures concern, among other things, gear restrictions, bycatch, observer coverage, protection of coral reef and marine protected areas, designation of habitat areas of particular concern (HAPCs), overfishing criteria, permit and reporting requirements and an indigenous program.
美国 · 2009-09-24