Implementation of an Exemption for Longline Vessels to Fish in Portions of the Large Vessel Prohibited Area in American Samoa (RIN 0648-BH62)

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) propose to provide a four year exemption for longline vessels 50 ft and longer holding an American Samoa longline limited entry permit to fish within certain portions of the large vessel prohibited area (LVPA). The LVPA currently prohibits vessels over 50 ft from operating approximately 3-50 nautical miles (nm) around the Swains, Tutuila, and Manua Islands of American Samoa. The proposed action would generally reduce the prohibition from 50 nm to 12 nm for eligible vessels around Swains, Tutuila, and Manua Islands, with the exception of maintaining a 2 nm prohibition to longline vessels around designated offshore banks. The proposed action is needed to promote greater operational efficiency in the American Samoa longline fishery by improving fishing yields and reducing operating costs, and will protect and preserve the continuation of fishing practices that are an important facet of American Samoan culture and the local economy.