1 PIRO’s Pelagic Ecosystem Management Needs PIFSC External Science Review April 5, 2016

Presentation Overview Describe PIRO’s priority pelagic ecosystem management issues Highlight PIFSC ecosystem science products we currently use Identify high priority ecosystem science needs to address ongoing and emerging pelagic ecosystem management issues and timing considerations U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

Disclaimer This presentation does not discuss PIRO science needs for assessing the abundance, distribution and the status of pelagic fish stocks. For more information on pelagic fish stock assessment science needs, please see: 2013 PIFSC Program Review of Data Collection and Management for Fish Stock Assessments; and 2014 PIFSC Program Review of Fish Stock Assessment Programs. U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3

Disclaimer PIRO presented its priority management needs for protected species science at the 2015 PIFSC Program Review of Protected Species Science. This presentation briefly re-iterates high priority ecosystem science needs related to fisheries/protected species management. However, for more information on all protected species science needs, please see: U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

Issue 1. Predicting sea turtle interactions in longline fisheries, and understanding the causes for increased rates of interactions U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5 NMFS places observers on 20% of all trips in the American Samoa and Hawaii deep-set longline fisheries NMFS estimates total interactions by multiplying observed interactions by 5.

PIFSC Products we Use U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6

7 Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the Hawaii Deep-set Longline Fishery Incidental Take Statements (ITS) Sea Turtle Incidental Take Statement What is the cause for high rate of interactions given fishing operations in terms of participation, effort, hooks set and fishing locations are not significantly different from previous years? Turtle Species 3-Year ITS in 2005 BiOp Estimated Take Oct to Sept (36 month period) 3-Year ITS in 2014 BiOp Estimated Take Oct to Mar (6 month period) Green Loggerhead Olive ridley Leatherback3950 (25 in Jan/Feb 2014)7248

Normal Conditions : - Thermocline and sea turtles found closer to the surface above typical longline gear set-depth; relatively fewer sea turtle/ gear interactions Does climate change play a role?

El Nino Conditions : - Thermocline and sea turtles found deeper and within the typical longline gear set-depth; potentially more sea turtle/gear interactions Does climate change play a role?

Priority Science Need: Map and understand the environmental conditions that influence the spatial and temporal distribution of sea turtles as they relate to fisheries U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10 Product Timeframe: 1-5 years

Issue 2: Understanding the effects of climate change on distribution and abundance of target and non- target fish stocks (and prey species) U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11 A skipjack tuna caught off the Copper River in Alaska. There has been one confirmed documentation of such a fish in Alaska in the 1980s. (Courtesy of Alaska Department of Fish and Gam)

South Pacific Albacore Tuna U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12 Despite a relatively healthy stock, both catch and CPUE of albacore tuna in the American Samoa longline fishery has been declining since Where have the albacore gone?

Priority Science Need: U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13 Product Timeframe: 5-10 years Develop models that use environmental data to help predict the effects of climate change on marine fisheries - Short-term variability (El Nino) - Intermediate to decadal scale changes (PDO) - Long-term changes Incorporate information into stock assessment models for important pelagic species

14 Issue 3: Effects of the U.S. longline fishery on the composition and structure of pelagic fishery resources Changes in: Ave. fish size Catch composition

Context of U.S. Longline Fisheries U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 15 Total Fishing Vessels: 5,700 Total Longline Vessels: 3,700 Total U.S. Hawaii Longline Vessels: 150

Context of U.S. Longline Fisheries U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 16 Fish StockTotal catch by all fishing nations in Western Pacific Ocean (mt) Catch by HI longline (mt) HI longline catch as a % of total catch Bigeye160,755 (2014)< 5,000 (2014)3.1% N. Pacific Albacore 128,050 (2014)177 (2014)< 1% Yellowfin tuna611,876 (2014)565 (2014)< 1% Swordfish9,863 (2012)1,400 (2012)14% Striped marlin2,984 (2013)384 (2013)13% Blue marlin17,400 (2011)374 (2011)2.1%

PIFSC Products we Use (Catch Data) U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 17

PIFSC Products we Use (CPUE Data) U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 18

Priority Management Questions: U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 19 Are changes in fish size, catch or CPUE indicators of ecosystem-level effects of the HIfishery, or is the HI fishery simply observing the ecosystem effects of other larger distant water fishing fleets? What role does climate play in these changes? How can ecosystem approaches in the HI longline fishery benefit pelagic ecosystem resources if the larger international fleets do not follow the same rules?

Issue 4: Understanding the status, threats and indicators of ecosystem change for Monument resources U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 20

Priority Science Needs: To support monument management planning, PIRO needs a suite of information to characterize the full range of the ecosystems in each the Papahānaumokuākea American Samoa, Pacific Remote Islands, and Marianas Trench Monuments. - Continue interdisciplinary monitoring through CRED - Distribution and abundance of fish, cetaceans etc. - Studies in oceanographic patterns driving larval distribution - Continued ocean acidification research and monitoring as CO update can affect both coral reef and pelagic environments Product Timeframe: Ongoing U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 21

Priority Science Needs: Do these large no-take areas provide fishery benefits for highly migratory species? If so, how can we quantify and account for such benefits in pelagic fish stocks assessments that the international community uses to establish conservation and management measures applicable to U.S fisheries (i.e., catch quotas)? Product Timeframe: Ongoing U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 22

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 23 Questions?