National Marine Fisheries Service - Pacific Islands Regional Office

How Do I?

The Pacific Islands Regional Office of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Pacific Islands Regional Office manages programs that support both domestic and international conservation and management of living marine resources within the Pacific. The Pacific Islands Region is comprised of American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, and other U.S. Pacific islands.

What's Hot Now

NOAA Fisheries has four 2013 federal funding opportunities now open for applications:

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Marine Education and Training Mini Grant Program
Pacific Islands Region Marine National Monument Program
Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management Program
Partnerships for the Marine Mammal Response and Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Program

These programs offer great opportunities for furthering the conservation, protection, management, research and education of various marine resources, species and issues throughout the region. The request for proposals all close mid-March, so don't miss this opportunity to apply for these grants!

Direct links to these opportunities can be found on the Federal Programs Office website located here.

Keith Bigelow, Fishery Biologist with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), has been named NOAA Employee of the Month for December 2012. Keith received this award because of his work with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) that resulted in protection for whitetip sharks. We congratulate Keith on this recognition and for his many contributions to the PIFSC and WCPFC. More information concerning his nomination can be found here.

NOAA publishes final rule to establish WCPFC transshipping, bunkering, reporting and purse seine discard requirements. This final rule becomes effective January 2, 2013. Please see the International Fisheries Division Proposed and Final Rules web page for more information here. View the Federal Register notice and supporting documentation here.

A copy of the Compliance Guide for the 2012 WCPFC transshipping, bunkering, reporting and purse siene discard requirements is available on our website here.

NOAA Proposes Listing 66 Reef-building Coral Species under the Endangered Species Act

NOAA Fisheries is proposing Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings for 66 coral species: 59 in the Pacific and seven in the Caribbean.

In the Pacific, seven species would be listed as endangered and 52 as threatened.
In the Caribbean, five would be listed as endangered and two as threatened.

In addition, we are proposing that two Caribbean species—elkhorn and staghorn corals—already listed under the ESA be reclassified from threatened to endangered. For more information please click here.

NOAA Fisheries published two final rules to protect false killer whales in the Pacific Islands Region. The first implements measures to reduce bycatch of false killer whales in the Hawaii-based commercial longline fisheries, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (77 FR 71260). The second lists the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale as an endangered distinct population segment, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (77 FR 70915). Please see the Protected Resources Division False Killer Whale page for more information here.

For a news release announcing the final rules, please click here.

Free Dolphin SMART training to be held on Maui November 15 and on Oahu November 17. Program participation is for commercial businesses conducting and booking wild dolphin tours or any commercial vessel that may opportunistically view wild dolphins. The Dolphin SMART program offers participation incentives for businesses that follow the program criteria and educate their customers about the importance of minimizing wild dolphin harassment. It also includes an important research component that provides insight about the daily lives of the local, wild dolphin populations. For more information about Dolphin SMART and the training, please click here.

NOAA Fisheries Publishes 12-month Finding on Petition to List Bumphead Parrotfish. In response to a petition to list bumphead parrotfish, NOAA Fisheries completed a comprehensive status review of the species. Based on the best available scientific and commercial information, it was determined that bumphead parrotfish are not warranted for listing under the ESA. Federal Register Notice: Bumphead Parrotfish 12-Month Finding, Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 216 / Wednesday, November 7, 2012 (November 2012, pdf 274.62 kB). Please see the Protected Resources Division Bumphead Parrotfish page for more information here.

Community input sought on potential cultural impacts and effects on historic properties from NOAA's proposed Hawaiian Monk Seal recovery actions. For more information, please click here.

NOAA Fisheries publishes a final rule revising the annual interaction limits for leatherback and North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles in the Hawaii shallow-set longline fishery (77 FR 60637). This rule is effective on November 5, 2012. Please see the Sustainable Fisheries Division Recent and Final Rules and Notices web page for more information here.

Stay Connected

Announcements & Events

Pacific Islands longline and receiving vessel permits expire March 3, 2013.
Click here for renewal information.

Schedule of Public Hearings for NOAA's Proposed ESA Listing Determinations for 82 Species of Corals

Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii
Tuesday 1/22/13 - Mokupapapa Discovery Center
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 308 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720

Kailua Kona on the Big Island, Hawaii
Thursday 1/24/13. - Kahakai Elementary School
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 76147 Royal Poinciana Drive, Kailua Kona, HI 96740

Kaunakakai on Molokai, Hawaii
Monday 1/28/13. Mitchell Pauole Center
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 90 Ainoa Street Kaunakakai, Molokai, HI 96748

Wailuku on Maui, Hawaii
Wednesday 1/30/13. - J. Walter Cameron Center
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 95 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, HI. 96796

Lihue on Kauai, Hawaii
Monday 2/4/13. - Kauai Veteran's Center
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 3125 Kapule Highway Lihue, HI 96766

Honolulu, Hawaii
Thursday 2/7/13. - Tokai University
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 2241 Kapiolani Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96826

Hagatna, Guam
Monday 2/11/13 - Guam Hilton
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: 202 Hilton Road, Tumon Bay, Guam 96913

Saipan
Tuesday 2/12/13 - Multipurpose Center on Beach Road, Susupe
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30 pm/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: Beach Road, Susupe, Saipan, MP 96950

Pago Pago
Wednesday 2/13/13 - Sadie's by the Sea
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: Main Rd, Pago Pago, Tutuila 96799, American Samoa

Tinian
Wednesday 2/13/13 - Fleming Hotel
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: P.O. Box 68 Tinian, MP 96952

Rota
Friday 2/15/13 - Mayor's Office
Time: Town hall: 5-6:30/ Official public hearing: 6:30-9:30 pm
Address: Tatachog Road, Rota, CNMI 96951

Supplemental documents click here.

How can I submit comments?
click here.