Amendment 9 Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Modifications to the American Samoa Longline Fishery Limited Entry Program including Final Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review (0648-BH65)

The American Samoa longline fishery primarily targets albacore tuna and is managed under the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FEP). In 2002, the Council established a limited entry program with criteria for participation in the fishery to manage capacity in the then-rapidly developing fishery. In 2005, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented the program and issued 60 limited access permits to qualified candidates distributed among four vessel classes based on size. The management objectives of the limited entry program are to: 1) prevent localized depletion of fishery resources, 2) maintain sustained community participation in the fishery, 3) ensure opportunities for participation by indigenous American Samoans, 4) reduce gear conflicts, and 5) minimize fish bycatch. Over time, the small vessel (less than 50 ft) fleet within the longline fishery has steadily contracted due to multiple external sources, including the economic costs incurred to go fishing, reduced albacore catch rates, and lower prices. In 2001, there were 43 small vessels participating in the fishery, but from 2010 to present, only one small vessel has been operating. This combined FEP amendment and environmental assessment (EA) describes proposed modifications to the limited entry program that are intended to reduce programmatic barriers that are believed to be hampering small vessel participation in the fishery.