Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, headquartered in Honolulu, Hawai`i manages fisheries within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Hawai`i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and 8 remote islands (more than 1.7 million square miles). The Western Pacific Council's managed areas span both sides of the dateline and both sides of the equator, it encompasses three archipelagos and eight remote islands that together account for approximately half of the nation’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Politically, the region includes the State of Hawai`i and 10 unincorporated territories.
The Council has 13 voting members and three non-voting members:
Eight members who are appointed by the governors of Hawai`i, Guam, American Samoa and CNMI and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce;
Four designated state officials; and
Four designated federal officials representing the National Marine Fisheries Service (voting) and U.S. Department of State, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (latter three non-voting).
Managed Fisheries
The Western Pacific Council manages thousands of species under five Fishery Ecosystem Plans (FEPs):
