Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and represents the first step in an incremental and collaborative approach to implement ecosystem approaches to fishery management in the Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) of Baker Island, Johnston Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Wake Island and Palmyra Atoll. Since the 1980s, the Council has managed fisheries throughout the Western Pacific Region through separate species-based fishery management plans (FMP) – the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish FMP, the Crustaceans FMP, the Precious Corals FMP, the Coral Reef Ecosystems FMP and the Pelagic FMP. However, the Council is now moving towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management and is restructuring its management framework. | WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pacific Remote Island Areas Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop Street Suite 1400 Honolulu Hawaii 96813 December 1 2005 Cover Artwork Courtesy of Kellen Mae Igtanloc St. Anthony Catholic School Tamuning Guam EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Pacific Remote Island Areas Fishery Ecosystem Plan FEP was developed by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and represents the first step in an incremental and collaborative approach to implement ecosystem approaches to fishery management in the Pacific Remote Island Areas PRIA of Baker Island Johnston Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Wake Island and Palmyra Atoll. Since the 1980s the Council has managed fisheries throughout the Western Pacific Region through separate species-based fishery management plans FMP - the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish FMP the Crustaceans FMP the Precious Corals FMP the Coral Reef Ecosystems FMP and the Pelagic FMP. However the Council is now moving towards an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management and is restructuring its management framework from speciesbased FMPs to place-based FEPs. Recognizing that a comprehensive ecosystem approach to fisheries management must be initiated through an incremental collaborative and adaptive management process a multi-step approach is being used to develop and implement the FEPs. To be successful this will require increased understanding of a range of issues including biological and trophic relationships ecosystem indicators and models and the ecological effects of non-fishing activities on the marine environment. This FEP in conjunction with the Council s American Samoa Archipelago Hawaii Archipelago Mariana Archipelago and Pacific Pelagic FEPs reorganizes and amends the Council s existing Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Coral Reef Ecosystems Crustaceans Precious Corals and Pelagic Fishery Management Plans. The .
