Federal Programs Office

2022 Annual Report

National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office
A Message from the Regional Administrator

We are pleased to announce that in fiscal year 2022 (FY22), the 

Federal Programs Office of the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands 

Regional Office (PIRO) funded 33 project activities totaling 

$8,294,694 in grants and cooperative agreements to constituents 

in support of the NOAA Fisheries mission. We issued the awards 

through competitive and non-competitive financial assistance 

programs. Recipients of the federal awards included 22 U.S. and 

international agencies and organizations from American Samoa, 

the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), 

Guam, Hawai‘i, and the greater Pacific.

PIRO manages programs that support both domestic and 

international conservation and management of living marine resources within the 

Pacific Islands region (PIR), which comprises American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam, 

Hawai‘i, and other U.S. Pacific Islands. Our vision is to achieve healthy marine 

ecosystems that provide:

• Stability for fishery resources

• Recovery of threatened and endangered species

• Enhanced opportunities for commercial, recreational, and cultural activities 

in the marine environment

PIRO assists the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (WPFMC) in developing 

fishery management plans and amendments for offshore fisheries based in the Western 

Pacific region. In addition to PIRO and the WPFMC, the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries 

Science Center (PIFSC) and the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) collaboratively 

support the conservation and management of marine fisheries, protected species, and 

marine habitat. Working together and employing regional expertise, these offices are 

committed to providing improved customer service and stewardship of living marine 

resources within this expansive geographic region.

Going forward, our efforts will continue to focus on capacity building and proposaldevelopment training for Hawai‘i and the territories. We will also work with 

communities to develop innovative projects that help NOAA Fisheries provide 

stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and 

management in our region.

Sarah Malloy

Acting Regional Administrator

NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands 

Regional Office

Front cover: Chef Mark “Gooch” Noguchi, co-founder and Executive Chef at Pili Group, and U.S. National 

Spearfishing Champion Kimi Werner show off their taʻape catch. In 2022, Conservation International Hawaiʻi 

wrapped up their Saltonstall-Kennedy grant to increase production and market demand for local and 

sustainable fish in Hawaiʻi, like the invasive taʻape. Credit: © Justin Turkowski

Back cover: A school of invasive reef species taʻape (bluestripe snapper), now a sustainable seafood option 

thanks to a NOAA-supported project focused on successful market-based strategies. Credit: © Brian Greene
Students in a Kupu program learn pono fishing practices at Kapapapuhi Point, Oʻahu. Credit: Kupu

Table of Contents

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Federal Programs Office

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

Saltonstall-Kennedy Program

Hawai‘i Marine Wildlife Response, Outreach, and Population Monitoring Program

Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program

Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986

Marine Education and Training Program

Congressionally Directed Community Projects

2022 Unfunded Federal Programs
The NOAA research ship, Hi‘ialakai, docked outside of the NOAA Inouye Regional Center on Ford Island, O‘ahu. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Federal Programs Office 

The Federal Programs Office is located at the NOAA 

Inouye Regional Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. With 

technical assistance from PIRO and PIFSC staff, Federal 

Program Officers administer financial assistance 

agreements throughout the award period, from the 

initial solicitation through post-award management.

They also work closely with the NOAA Grants 

Management Division, technical monitors, and grant 

recipients throughout the award period. This helps 

to facilitate the successful completion of each grant’s 

project objectives.

The Federal Programs Office supports the NOAA 

Fisheries mission through competitive and noncompetitive grants, and cooperative agreements. PIRO 

funded the following grant programs during FY22:

• Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

• Saltonstall-Kennedy Program

• Hawai‘i Marine Wildlife Response, Outreach, 

and Population Monitoring Program

• Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management 

and Conservation Program

• Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986

• Marine Education and Training Program

• Congressionally Directed Community Projects

PIRO Federal 

Program Officers

Scott Bloom

Hideyo Hattori

Tori Dodd

To view available funding opportunities, 

go to: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/

funding-opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Summary of Fiscal Year 2022 Funding

A local fisherman measures the length of an ulua (giant trevally) for a study on seasonal spawning. Credit: Poseidon Fisheries Research, LLC

Western 

Pacific Fishery 

Management 

Council

$4,788,520

SaltonstallKennedy Program $1,693,777

Hawai‘i Marine Wildlife 

Response, Outreach, 

and Population 

Monitoring Program

$685,149

Pacific Islands 

Region Marine Turtle 

Management and 

Conservation Program

$368,197

Interjurisdictional 

Fisheries Act 

of 1986

$359,051

Marine Education 

and Training 

Program

$210,000

Congressionally 

Directed Community 

Projects

$190,000

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (WPFMC) prepares, monitors, and revises fishery management 

plans for domestic and foreign fishing within the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Western and 

Central Pacific Ocean. PIRO is in charge of implementing the management measures created by WPFMC and NOAA 

OLE; the U.S. Coast Guard 14th District and local enforcement agencies enforce the measures. 

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Cooperative Agreement ($4,227,829)

In FY22, PIRO funded the third year of a 5-year cooperative agreement to support the WPFMC base 

administration and operations. The WPFMC received $4,227,829 for the following 12 activities under this 5-year 

cooperative agreement:

1. Council Base Administration and Operations 

($3,308,417)

2. Annual Catch Limits Implementation ($197,528)

3. Fisheries Information Network ($163,000)

4. Council Peer Review ($142,075)

5. Magnuson-Stevens Act Implementation ($89,235)

6. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

($88,998)

7. Shallow-Set Tori Line Trials ($63,200) 

8. Scientific and Statistical Committee Stipends 

($55,764)

9. Council Education Committee Scholarship/

Internship Program ($50,000)

10. SAFE Report Coordinator ($30,000)

11. Fishing App Augmentation ($24,612)

12. Vietnamese Translation Support for Tori Line 

Project ($15,000)

These bird-scaring lines, also called tori lines, can be effective 

at reducing seabird bycatch, according to preliminary results 

from WPFMC and Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery field trials. 

Credit: WPFMC/Holly Naholowaa.

Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund 

($560,691)

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act, when reauthorized in 1996 and 

2006, included authorities in Section 204(e) to permit 

foreign fishing within the EEZ in the Pacific Islands 

region. Before permitting foreign fishing under a 

Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement, the WPFMC 

must develop a 3-year Marine Conservation Plan (MCP) 

that describes the uses for any funds collected by the 

Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). The CNMI and the 

Territories of Guam and American Samoa must develop 

similar MCPs.

Funding for the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries 

Fund is authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens 

Conservation and Management Act (Section 204(e)

(7)(A)). Funds are derived from Specified Fishing 

Agreements between U.S. Participating Territories 

of American Samoa and CNMI and vessels permitted 

under the Council’s Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pacific 

Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region. 

Regulations covering Specified Fishing Agreements 

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and associated deposits into the Western Pacific 

Sustainable Fisheries Fund can be found at 50 CFR 

665.819.

The Sustainable Fisheries Fund serves as a 

repository for:

• Permit payments the Secretary receives for foreign 

fishing in the EEZ around Johnston Atoll; Kingman 

Reef; Palmyra Atoll; and Jarvis, Howland, Baker, and 

Wake Islands

• Fines and penalties the Secretary receives, in the 

case of violations by foreign vessels occurring in the 

EEZ around these Pacific Islands

• Funds or contributions received in support of 

conservation and management objectives under 

an MCP, as well as payments made pursuant to 

specified fishing agreements with the Territories

In FY22, PIRO awarded three awards for the Western 

Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund in the amount of 

$560,691 to support the following nine activities 

described in CNMI, American Samoa, and the Pacific 

Remote Island Areas (PRIA).

THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN 

MARIANA ISLANDS ($372,544)

Palapala Open Market ($149,000)

This project will build a series of 12 steel pavilion 

structures, or palapala, at the Garapan Fishing Base 

in Saipan, CNMI. The palapala will provide local fish 

vendors a central, shaded, and convenient area to 

market their fresh, locally caught fish. It will also 

provide vendors with an area to actively monitor and 

receive fish from fishermen returning to Garapan 

Fishing Base. The stands will be co-located with 

the central public market that will support fisheries 

development and marketing on the island of Saipan. 

For the project, a contractor will complete a feasibility 

study with local agencies; vet the purpose through 

community stakeholders; review and gather existing 

information; and support collection of relevant 

historical, social, and environmental information that 

will be required to complete the local and federal 

construction-related permits. The public will be able 

to access the palapala via Beach Road, with parking 

available at the fishing base. 

U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity-Building Scholarship 

recipient Leilani Sablan (Guam) conducts an independent creel 

survey to track changes in target reef fish. Students return home 

after graduation to work for their local fishery management agency, 

building capacity in the region. Credit: Leilani Sablan

North Island Mooring Project ($67,544)

This project will look into the possibility of installing 

vessel mooring site locations off the coast of the 

island of Pagan in the Northern Island chain. The 

CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources 

will conduct site surveys within the Pagan lagoons to 

identify suitable locations that could support a vessel 

mooring system. The project will also use contracted 

services to launch in-water surveys to collect 

information about the environment through real-time 

video, photos, and measurements. This information 

will support environmental reviews, other assessments 

and analyses, and permitting required to deploy a 

mooring system in the Pagan lagoon area. The review 

will take into consideration protected resources, such 

as Endangered Species Act-listed species, critical 

habitat, and other sensitive species.

Marine Conservation Plan Coordinator ($58,000)

The CNMI will hire a half-time MCP Coordinator 

to oversee projects funded under the Sustainable 

Fisheries Fund for 2 years. This Coordinator will report 

directly to the Secretary of the CNMI Department of 

Land and Natural Resources, who in turn will prioritize 

and manage the Coordinator’s workload and determine 

the day-to-day scope and duties of the position. In 

addition to administering this grant and related 

projects, the individual will facilitate updates and 

revisions deemed necessary for the overarching 

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CNMI MCP. This position is key to successfully 

promoting responsible domestic fisheries development 

to provide long-term economic growth and stability, 

grow local food production, and meet grant 

deliverables and related administrative requirements. 

U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity-Building 

Scholarship Program ($50,000)

In the Western Pacific region, the understanding of and 

engagement in fisheries stewardship and management 

is low due to limited resources and expertise in the 

island areas. This project will support one student 

from the CNMI to participate in the Council’s Capacity 

Building Scholarship/Fellowship program for 1 

year (two semesters and one summer internship). 

The selected student will be transitioning from a 

community college to a 4-year college or university 

in Hawaiʻi or Guam to complete their junior or senior 

year toward earning a fishery-related bachelor’s 

degree. Alternatively, the student will already 

have a Bachelor of Science degree and be working 

to complete a master’s degree. The participating 

student, upon graduation, will be required to work for 

their local fishery-related agency for 1 year for each 

year the scholarship was received. The scholarship 

program provides support for the recipient’s 

travel-related expenses to attend the university, as 

well as to participate in the internship and subsequent 

employment with a fishery-management agency. It 

also provides financial support for tuition, books, and 

fees; internship compensation; housing/dormitory 

accommodations; and other related expenses.

The U.S. Pacific Territories Fisheries Capacity Building 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was finalized 

in 2014. It was signed by federal and territorial 

agencies with fisheries management responsibilities in 

the U.S. Pacific Islands Territories, as well as six higher 

education institutions based in Hawai‘i, American 

Samoa, Guam, and the CNMI. In the ensuing 5 years, 

representatives from these agencies/institutions 

participated in the Education Committee of the 

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council to reach 

goals set out in the MOU. Through the 2014 MOU, 

the U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity Building 

Scholarship was developed and has been running with 

financial support from the Council, PIRO and PIFSC. 

Rota and Tinian Data Support ($48,000)

This project will hire one data collector for each 

island area of Tinian and Rota. The data collectors 

will train in survey protocol and implementation, 

strictly follow survey protocol to collect the fisherydependent data, and transmit the collected data to 

the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) main 

office. This project will also: promote the use of the 

Catchit Logit application suite to comply with the 

mandatory license and reporting regulation; recruit 

and train local fishermen on the use of Catchit Logit; 

and review the submitted data and accept if the data 

is accurate. Data collectors work to improve fisheries 

data collection and reporting. They conduct resource 

assessment, monitoring, and research to gain a better 

understanding of marine resources and fisheries. 

AMERICAN SAMOA ($100,000)

U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity-Building 

Scholarship Program ($50,000)

This project will support one student from American 

Samoa for two semesters and one summer internship. 

The selected student will be transitioning from a 

community college to a 4-year college or university 

in Hawai‘i or Guam to complete their junior or senior 

year toward earning a fishery-related bachelor’s 

degree. Alternatively, the student will already have a 

Bachelor of Science degree and be working to complete 

WPFMC staff and contractors encouraged CNMI fishermen to 

register and use the Catchit Logit fishery data electronic reporting 

app at tournaments. The app was developed to improve fishery data 

collection and stock assessments. Credit: Lino Tenorio

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a master’s degree. The participating student, upon 

graduation, will be required to work for their local 

fishery-related agency for 1 year for each year the 

scholarship was received. The scholarship program 

provides support for recipient travel-related expenses 

to attend the university, as well as to participate in the 

internship and subsequent employment with a fisherymanagement agency. It also provides financial support 

for tuition, books, and fees; internship compensation; 

housing/dormitory accommodations; and other 

related expenses.

Marine Conservation Plan Coordinator ($50,000)

This project will hire a 2-year half-time MCP 

Coordinator to oversee projects funded through the 

Sustainable Fisheries Fund in support of the American 

Samoa MCP. This Coordinator will report directly 

to the Director of the American Samoa Department 

of Marine and Wildlife Resources, who in turn will 

prioritize and manage the Coordinator’s workload 

and determine the day-to-day scope and duties of the 

position. In addition to administering this grant and 

related projects, the individual will facilitate updates 

and revisions deemed necessary for the overarching 

American Samoa MCP.

PACIFIC REMOTE ISLAND AREAS ($88,147)

U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity-Building 

Scholarship Program ($47,500)

In the Western Pacific region, the capacity of 

individuals and local communities to understand 

and become engaged in fisheries stewardship and 

management is low due to limited resources and 

expertise in the island areas. This project proposes 

to support one student from the Pacific Remote 

Island Areas to participate in the Council’s Capacity 

Building Scholarship/Fellowship program for 1 year 

(2 semesters and one summer internship). The student 

will be transitioning from a community college to 

a 4-year college/university in Hawai‘i or Guam to 

complete their junior or senior year toward earning 

a fishery-related bachelor’s degree. Alternatively, 

the student will already have a Bachelor of Science 

degree and be working to complete a master’s degree. 

The participating student, upon graduation, will 

be required to work for their local fishery-related 

agency for 1 year for each year the scholarship 

was received. The scholarship program provides 

support for recipient travel-related expenses to 

U.S. Pacific Territories Fishery Capacity-Building Scholarship 

recipient Alphina Liusamoa (American Samoa) learns valuable 

laboratory skills during her summer internship. Scholarship 

recipients return home after graduation to work for their local 

fishery-related agency for at least one year. Credit: Fuamai Tago

attend the university, as well as to participate in the 

internship and subsequent employment with a fisherymanagement agency. It also provides financial support 

for tuition, books and fees, internship compensation, 

housing/dormitory accommodations, board and other 

related expenses.

Community Engagement ($40,647)

This project will support community engagement 

and dialogue around fisheries management issues 

and the implementation of activities listed in the 

Pacific Remote Island Areas MCP. The Council will 

host meetings to re-engage underserved fishing 

communities to define their needs. The meetings 

will also allow communities to identify any 

proposed changes to process, policy, or regulations 

that the Council can advance to increase equity in 

the fisheries management realm. For example, as 

part of the WPFMC’s Equity and Environmental 

Justice Assessment held in 2021 and 2022, fishing 

communities identified several mechanisms and 

regulations in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act that could better 

serve the community. The meetings will be held 

in a location and venue convenient for community 

members, to encourage maximum participation. 

Subject matter experts may be invited to participate in 

meetings to provide varied perspectives and additional 

context for discussions. 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Saltonstall-Kennedy Program

The Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) Program is a nationally 

competitive program administered by NOAA Fisheries. 

The program provides financial assistance through 

grants and cooperative agreements for research and 

development projects that benefit the U.S. fishing 

industry. The program’s statutory authority is the 

S-K Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 713c-3). The S-K Act 

established a fund for the Secretary of Commerce 

to provide funding support for projects addressing 

aspects of U.S. fisheries, including, but not limited to, 

harvesting, processing, marketing, and associated 

infrastructures. In FY22, PIRO allocated $1,693,777 

for eight projects.

Soft corals at Aguijan Island. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Ocean Era, Inc. — Most Likely To Succeed: 

Demonstrating Commercial Viability of Hawaiian 

Snapper ($299,890)

This project will determine if the Hawaiian snapper 

Aprion virescens meet the five requirements for the 

commercial culture of a new marine species in offshore 

mariculture. The fish must: 1) provide abundant and 

predictable spawns from captive broodstock, either 

naturally or induced by hormone introduction; 2) be 

capable of large-scale larval rearing in a hatchery; 

3) grow to market size efficiently, on diets that are 

nutritious and affordable (i.e. feed costs and time-tomarket are in line with product quality and price); 4) 

be able to be cultured in offshore pens or high-density 

land-based systems; and 5) have broad market 

acceptability and be able to command a price-point that 

reflects the costs and risks involved in production. To 

determine the viability of this species for commercial 

culture, this project will determine the spawning 

potential of A. virescens in captive conditions, either by 

way of spontaneous and natural spawns or hormonal 

induction. The project will also conduct larval-rearing 

trials to understand what to expect from larvae grown 

in the hatchery, and perform grow-out trials of juvenile 

A. virescens to understand the fish’s growth when fed 

on selected commercial diets in selected fish densities.

University of Hawai‘i — Collaborative Fishing 

Community Assessment for Sustainable 

Management of the Coral Reef Fishery in the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 

($269,329)

University of Hawai‘i (UH) will work with the CNMI 

fishing community and the CNMI Division of Fish 

and Wildlife (DFW) to use the FishPath tool to guide 

the development of data-limited stock assessments. 

Ultimately, the project will determine a communityfocused fishery management strategy for the five most 

caught fish species and/or most vulnerable fish species 

in the CNMI coral reef fishery. Coral reef fisheries in 

the Pacific Islands region are a critical resource for 

the livelihoods and food security of island fishing 

communities. In the CNMI, the coral reef fishery has 

commercial and non-commercial sectors that target 

multiple species. Unfortunately, many of the targeted 

species lack reliable catch and effort data or sufficient 

life history information including age, growth, 

maturity, and reproduction. This data deficiency, 

coupled with a lack of local institutional capacity to 

perform stock assessments, calls into question the 

fishery sustainability in the region and emphasizes 

the need for better scientific information to manage 

these fisheries. This project will lead communitybased meetings to: enhance decision-making; develop 

institutional assessment and management capacity 

among the local fishing community and fishery agency; 

and generate stock assessments and fishery-harvest 

advice for these data-limited species. For species that 

lack life history information, the project will collect 

data to supplement existing information.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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University of Hawai‘i — Mitigating Shark 

Depredation in Guam Fisheries ($251,799)

This project seeks to build local capacity in Guam to 

understand shark interactions with the local fisheries 

and identify strategies to reduce catch loss. UH will 

train and equip the local fishing community with new, 

easy-to-use tools to gather data on shark depredation. 

This is when a shark tries to “steal” a fish caught 

on the line. The project will also collect DNA swab 

samples from depredated catches, deploy underwater 

cameras to document depredation events, identify 

species involved, and quantify shark behavior during 

interactions. In addition, the project will develop 

simple guidelines for avoiding shark interactions 

and reducing catch loss by first identifying and 

understanding how sharks are using fishing areas. 

This will improve fishermen’s profit margins and 

fishery sustainability. UH will disseminate project 

information and results through education and 

outreach efforts. 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Group — Development 

of Mariana Islands Ika and Monchong Fishery 

($229,702)

Monchong, a highly regarded and valuable seafood 

product in Japan, is commonly available in Hawai‘i, 

Guam, and the CNMI, but it is not targeted as a directed 

and local fishery. The Pacific Islands Fisheries Group 

(PIFG) completed a 2-year project that identified the 

potential to develop a monchong fishery, specifically 

for the sickle pomfret, for export to international 

markets as a high-value fresh seafood product. This 

project furthers fishery development in the region 

by shipping and test marketing fresh monchong to 

Project Update

Starting in 2020, nonprofit Conservation International Hawai‘i 

(CI Hawai‘i) received a 2-year NOAA Saltonstall-Kennedy 

grant to team up with O‘ahu-based Chef Hui and other chefs, 

fishermen, and seafood businesses. The task: flip the script 

and show that invasive ta‘ape (bluestripe snapper, Lutjanus 

kasmira) can be tasty. The goal: increase demand for ta‘ape 

to boost local food security, support local fishermen, and 

decrease pressure on native species. 

The movement to promote ta‘ape as a sustainable seafood 

option started with a series of online cooking demos, free 

recipes, an augmented reality experience and Instagram game, 

and innovative value-added products. In 2021, CI Hawai‘i and 

Chef Hui teamed up with chefs from five local restaurants to 

host a Hawai‘i Seafood Month campaign dinner series and a 

3-month virtual statewide fishing and cooking challenge. The 

“Virtual Ta‘ape Throw Down” challenge awarded prizes to 

residents who submitted dishes made with ta‘ape. 

The project’s market-based strategies and methods 

demonstrated the widespread benefits of increased 

collaboration between our fishing, culinary, conservation, 

and private sector communities. This includes measurable 

conservation results and impacts that benefit the environment, 

economy, and livelihoods.

View The Ta‘ape Project video series:

Kimi Werner brings her taʻape harvest to the surface. 

Credit: © Justin Turkowski

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Asian seafood markets. The fishing community of 

Guam and the CNMI’s small boat fishermen, seafood 

distributors/producers, and tackle suppliers will 

benefit by receiving practical information needed to 

participate in an unexploited fishery. Tackle shops 

will be able to carry new fishing tackle to support the 

developing fishery, fishermen, and seafood dealers. The 

local economy will have a new locally produced and 

high-value exportable seafood product. The local and 

visitor communities will have access to fresh highvalue seafood products that align with current efforts 

to eat local and support Guam and CNMI’s diversified 

economy. The project will also produce informational 

materials to support these activities, and it will 

work with project participants to evaluate activities 

and outcomes.

Oceanic Institute of Hawai‘i Pacific University

— Development of an Integrated Multi-Trophic 

Aquaculture System To Restore Hawai‘i’s 

Vulnerable Limu (Seaweed) Populations ($187,669)

This project will develop an integrated multi-trophic 

aquaculture (IMTA) system for the culture of native 

seaweeds, known locally in Hawai‘i as limu. The 

system will use nutrients supplied by effluent from 

“fed” aquaculture systems and an “unfed” Hawaiian 

fishpond. Results from this project will provide aqua 

farmers in Hawaiʻi a tool to offset negative impacts 

of nutrient-rich effluent while creating a consistent 

source of limu for communities involved in limu 

restoration. The Oceanic Institute (OI) will evaluate 

biofiltration efficiency of three limu species belonging 

to the genera Gracilaria, Grateloupia, and Ulva, selected 

for their potential ecosystem service and cultural value 

in Hawai‘i. OI will evaluate biofiltration efficiency 

using effluent from two different fed aquaculture 

systems (one for marine shrimp culture and one 

for carnivorous marine fish culture), and one unfed 

Hawaiian fishpond used for the culture of herbivorous 

striped mullet. Each fed system will receive a speciesspecific diet varying in biochemical composition, and 

limu culture systems will receive effluent from these 

systems. In addition, the limu culture systems will 

receive effluent from an unfed mullet pond. The project 

will then monitor nutrient concentrations entering 

and exiting the limu systems to assess how well the 

systems remove dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus 

(biofiltration). Understanding the relationships 

between effluent quality and limu biofiltration 

efficiency will help inform aqua farmers on how to 

manage nutrient-rich effluent using local limu as a 

biofilter. Limu can also serve as a secondary cash crop 

for aqua farmers, providing additional revenue.

Pacific Islands Fisheries Group — Development, 

Promotion, and Marketing of Locally Caught 

Alfonsin in Hawai‘i’s Seafood Market and 

Restaurants ($163,156)

This project will benefit the Hawai‘i fishing community 

by broadening opportunities for fishermen to 

commercially target a new high-value species aimed 

at supporting local seafood markets and consumers. 

Project principals will work with local fishermen 

to deliver alfonsin to seafood distributors to test 

market the local species in restaurants currently 

using imported alfonsin, also known as kinmedai in 

Japan. The development and test marketing of locally 

produced, value-added alfonsin products will expand 

local business opportunities. This project will assess 

the potential for fishery development and distribution 

through surveys and evaluation forms shared with 

fishermen, seafood distributors, and consumers. 

Development of an alfonsin fishery can provide 

restaurants with a sustainable local product and 

promote U.S. commercial fisheries, while also reducing 

the reliance on foreign imports.

Sea Grapes (Caulerpa racemosa), a type of Limu. 

Credit: NOAA Fisheries. 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Mariana Islands Nature Alliance — Optimizing 

Economic Benefits for Fishing Communities Across 

the Pacific by Enhancing Artisanal Pelagic Fishing 

Through Smart-aFADNetworks ($161,000)

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) will 

directly address challenges that are hampering the 

development of local pelagic (open-ocean) fishing 

fleets and local production. This project will pilot a 

complete Smart anchored Fish Aggregating Device 

(aFAD) network in Guam by enhancing the existing 

aFAD network with echosounder buoys. This will 

allow for live, daily, and long-term measurements 

of fish biomass and species composition. The data 

associated with each Smart-aFAD will be available 

to managers and fishermen. MINA will also develop 

a replicable web-based data-sharing platform that 

provides fishermen and managers live feeds regarding 

stock dynamics around aFADs and other capabilities. 

This will include: live and summary fish biomass (by 

species and depth) at each aFAD; live aFAD locations; 

live aFAD detachment and vandalizing alarms; fishing 

success predictions based on modeling; and useful 

fishing information, such as weather reports. MINA 

will assess the stock dynamics of pelagic species 

across Guam’s Smart-aFAD network, and then provide 

guidance for how to improve the design of the aFAD 

networks to maximize aggregation potential and 

fisheries productivity. In addition, MINA will conduct 

a fisheries assessment and associated training 

based on fishermen’s self-monitoring data. It will 

also conduct fishing experiments to build models 

that predict fishing success based on live aFAD 

biomass information streams, and provide additional 

guidance to fishermen to maximize productivity and 

profitability. Finally, this project will implement a 

local awareness campaign aimed at increasing both 

artisanal pelagic fishing participation and demand for 

pelagic fish.

Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo — Collective Grassroots 

Pathways Toward Restorative Aquaculture: 

Removing Invasives and Bringing Back Native 

Species ($131,232)

This project will support cross-consultation and 

training among kiaʻi loko to accelerate and amplify the 

development of nursery systems for puaʻama (juvenile 

mullet) and other hatchery-raised native finfish. 

Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA) will conduct a 3-day 

A diver retrieves an acoustic receiver from a fish aggregating device, 

or FAD. Credit: WPFMC/Melanie Hutchinson

workshop for kiaʻi loko from up to 25 fishponds on 6 

different islands. These workshops will have hands-on 

opportunities to learn about the nursery system 

setup, including plumbing and solar integration, and 

techniques to acclimate fingerlings to specific fishpond 

conditions (e.g., water quality, predator evasion) to 

increase survival of finfish transferred from hatchery 

facilities. The project will provide lessons learned 

and updates from the existing nursery site through 

coordinated communication efforts. It will also develop 

new and collaborative distribution models for loko iʻa 

(Hawaiian fishpond) products in the community, to 

include island-based co-ops, inter-island collaborative 

sales, and indigenous aquaculture branding. To 

accomplish this, it will hold two annual gatherings 

of the statewide network of loko iʻa to have focused 

and facilitated discussions about socioeconomic 

pathways for fishpond sustainability, including sales 

and marketing techniques for various fishpond species. 

As a pilot case study of network collaboration for one 

particular invasive species, KUA will hold a public 

educational and outreach event about the negative 

impacts and wide availability of invasive kanda 

(Marquesan mullet). It will share techniques among 

kiaʻi loko to catch and sort kanda, which mix with the 

native ʻamaʻama (Hawaiian striped mullet).

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

11
Hawai‘i Marine Wildlife Response, Outreach, 

and Population Monitoring Program

In FY22, the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery and 

Marine Mammal Response Program, Pacific Islands 

Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation 

Program, and the Promoting Responsible Wildlife 

Viewing Program funding were combined under 

a single competition called the Hawai‘i Marine 

Wildlife Response, Outreach, and Population 

Monitoring Program. 

This program supports priorities related to in-field 

response, educational outreach, management, 

recovery, population monitoring, conservation, and 

habitat use for Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, and 

spinner dolphins in the state of Hawaiʻi. Projects in 

this program promote the recovery of endangered 

Hawaiian monk seals, support responses to marine 

mammal strandings in the main Hawaiian Islands, 

and develop community-based and integrated 

projects designed to elevate public awareness and 

build capacity in the community. Projects in this 

program also implement recovery plans by supporting 

programmatic activities for Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) listed sea turtle species either residing in or 

migrating through the Pacific Islands region. In FY22, 

PIRO allocated a total of $685,149 to 10 projects. 

Trained response volunteers from The Marine Mammal Center’s 

Hawaiian monk seal hospital and visitor center, Ke Kai Ola, release a 

seal that was treated for an ingested fishing hook. Credit: The Marine 

Mammal Center/Carmelita Villalobos

Hawaii Marine Mammal Alliance doing business 

as Hawaii Marine Animal Response — Hawaiian 

Monk Seal and Sea Turtle Management Support, 

Field Response, and Outreach on O‘ahu ($230,277)

Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles are some of the 

most iconic and beloved marine protected species 

in Hawaiʻi. However, they are vulnerable to key 

threats that are challenging their recovery. In this 

project, Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) will 

provide capacity to support field response, escalated 

and directed surveys/responses, and interventions 

and strandings for Hawaiian monk seals and sea 

turtles on Oʻahu. They will also support effective 

community outreach and collaboration, maintain staff 

and volunteer capacity, provide training programs 

and operational procedures, and build effective 

communications and reporting protocols.

The Honu Project — Population Monitoring and 

Conservation of Hawaiian Hawksbill Sea Turtles on 

Hawai‘i Island ($97,501)

Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are 

among the rarest sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean. They 

are classified as endangered under the U.S. Endangered 

Species Act, and as Critically Endangered by the 

International Union for Conservation of Nature. The 

overall goal of the Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project is 

to support the management, conservation, protection, 

and enhancement of hawksbill sea turtle populations 

and their nesting habitats in Hawai‘i. To achieve this, 

the program carries out research and conservation 

activities at the most important nesting habitats along 

the southern coast of Hawai‘i Island. Efforts in this 

project include monitoring nesting beaches to identify 

and count nesting females and nests; determining 

hatching success and hatchling production; protecting 

nests to maximize the number of hatchlings that 

safely reach the ocean; controlling non-native species 

on nesting beaches to reduce predation on nests, 

eggs, and hatchlings; improving nesting habitat 

through habitat restoration activities; measuring 

nest temperature during the incubation period in 

different zones on the beach to assess the impact of 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

12
climate change; and promoting public stewardship of 

hawksbills and coastal marine ecosystems through 

educational outreach.

The Marine Mammal Center — Strengthening 

Hawaiian Monk Seal Response and Community 

Engagement on Hawai‘i Island ($81,443)

The last surviving species in its genus, Hawaiian 

monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi) are one 

of the most endangered seal species in the world. 

The Marine Mammal Center’s (“The Center”) Ke Kai 

Ola facility is a hospital designed solely to provide 

long-term medical care and rehabilitation to sick, 

injured, and orphaned Hawaiian monk seals from 

anywhere in the archipelago. Ke Kai Ola also provides 

significant education and outreach aimed at inspiring 

and empowering visitors and residents alike to care 

for the Hawaiian monk seal. In this project, the Center 

will continue strengthening its Hawaiian monk seal 

response and community engagement on Hawai‘i 

Island, in addition to providing volunteer training 

and increased communications. This project will also 

fill a capacity need for sea turtle response in west 

Hawai‘i Island.

Hawaii Marine Mammal Alliance doing business 

as Hawaii Marine Animal Response — Hawaiian 

Monk Seal Management Support, Field Response, 

and Outreach on Moloka‘i ($78,715)

Hawaiian monk seals face many threats, including 

inappropriate interactions with and disturbances 

from people due to lack of public understanding 

and support. HMAR will provide support for field 

response, escalated and directed surveys/response, 

and interventions and strandings of Hawaiian monk 

seals on Molokaʻi. This project will conduct field-based 

community outreach, public engagement, and hotline 

response; triage; dispatch; multi-agency coordination; 

and information collection, transfer, and reporting. 

The Marine Mammal Center — Building Hawaiian 

Monk Seal Response and Community Engagement 

on Maui ($71,958)

Ke Kai Ola, The Marine Mammal Center’s Hawaiian 

monk seal hospital, provides long-term care and 

rehabilitation to monk seals and significant education 

and outreach about the seals to visitors and 

residents. With just over 1,500 individuals remaining, 

conservation efforts to protect and increase the 

population are critical to this species’ survival. In 

this project, The Center will continue strengthening 

its Hawaiian monk seal response and community 

engagement on Maui, in addition to providing 

volunteer training and increased communications. 

Two Hawaiian monk seals battle it out at the water’s edge.

Credit: NOAA Fisheries 

Did You Know?

Male Hawaiian monk seals sometimes “cruise” 

beaches and get into scuffles with one another—and 

it all has to do with mating. If a male seal comes 

upon an adult male-female pair on the beach, he may 

approach the wave wash and then roll back into the 

water. Or he may come onto the beach to challenge 

the male to a duel for mating rights to the female—the 

combatants attempt to assert dominance through 

bites and body slams. Males appear to recognize 

each other and establish dominance hierarchies, and 

the most successful males (those who most often 

get to mate) usually go unchallenged. On the other 

hand, some males appear to never cruise beaches for 

females, possibly because they’ve given up competing. 

Learn more about this interesting facet of male monk 

seal behavior: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/

science-blog/monk-seal-behavior-spotlightmale-dominance-displays

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

13
Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute — Sea 

Turtle Management Support, Field Response, 

and Outreach on Maui ($40,000)

The Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI) 

provides a comprehensive sea turtle conservation 

program on the island of Maui. Through support 

from this funding opportunity, MOCMI will respond 

to reports of sick, injured, distressed, or otherwise 

compromised sea turtles. Using the data obtained 

through stranding response, MOCMI aims to improve 

understanding of the issue within the community and 

reduce threats impacting sea turtles by establishing 

easily adaptable conservation initiatives and accessible 

environmental education. This project will allow 

MOCMI to increase sea turtle stranding response 

capabilities and expand community education and 

outreach efforts.

The public views green sea turtles from a responsible and 

respectful viewing distance at Ho’okipa beach park on Maui. 

Credit: NOAA Fisheries

The Ocean Foundation — Improving Hawksbill 

Turtle Research at the Most Important Hawksbill 

Nest Beach in Hawai‘i; A 3-year Proposal for 

Halawa, Moloka‘i ($39,941)

Hawaiian hawksbill turtles represent one of the 

world’s most endangered sea turtle populations. A 

recent study indicated that an average of only 14 

nesting females and 48 nests are documented across 

the Hawaiian archipelago each year. The study was 

largely dependent on data collected from Hawai‘i 

Island, but recent monitoring carried out in 2018 and 

2021 at Halawa Beach Park on Moloka’i Island suggests 

the site might be the single-most important hawksbill 

nesting beach in Hawai‘i. This 3-year proposal seeks 

to improve research activities at Halawa during the 

2022–2025 nesting seasons, with a focus on solidifying 

the project’s initial successes. The project will also 

initiate new, high-priority research activities. These 

activities will include night monitoring to identify 

and count nesting females and post-hatching nest 

excavations to confirm nests, calculate hatching 

success, and maximize hatchling survival. Combined, 

these activities will generate urgently needed 

demographic information on this data-deficient 

population that is critical to informing population 

assessments and identifying conservation actions to 

support population recovery. 

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund — Ho‘okipa Honu Watch: 

Outreach, Education, and Monitoring of Maui’s Most 

Significant Basking Turtle Site ($20,174)

Hoʻokipa Beach Park is one of the most important 

beach parks on Maui’s north shore, both for human 

usage and for the threatened green sea turtle (Chelonia 

mydas). This project seeks to increase the survival 

of the Hawaiian green sea turtles, or honu, that bask 

and nest at Mauiʻs Hoʻokipa Beach Park by protecting 

them from human disturbance, while simultaneously 

educating the public about how they can help with 

this effort.

Mālama i nā Honu — Mālama i nā Honu Sea 

Turtle Management and Outreach Project ($18,000)

The Mālama i nā Honu project focuses on conducting 

public outreach and education to promote responsible 

viewing of green turtles at Laniākea Beach, O‘ahu. 

The structured and maintained program provides a 

viable orientation, on-site training, and monitoring 

instruction for volunteers. This cadre of trained 

volunteers then conducts daily outreach and education 

with an ever-increasing number of visitors at the 

location. Volunteers teach about the species life cycle, 

foraging habits, migration, and nesting behavior to 

schools, clubs, service groups, and tourist venues. The 

project strives to bring awareness and implementation 

of strategies to mitigate turtle boat strikes. It collects 

and analyzes data on basking turtles at Laniākea and 

makes it available on Mālama i nā Honu’s website. 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

14
Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy — Hawai‘i 

Marine Wildlife Response and Educational 

Outreach ($7,140)

The Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (HPA) will support 

the conservation and recovery of sea turtles in Hawaiʻi 

by operating a stranding program that covers the coast 

from ʻUpolu Point to Honokōhau Harbor on Hawai‘i 

Island. HPA will receive, vet, and document public 

reports and respond as appropriate to mediate the 

problem of sea turtle strandings. HPA will facilitate 

and deliver rapid and effective response to reported 

turtle strandings, injuries, and other situations. It will 

also provide education and advocacy for sea turtles 

with local organizations, visitors, and residents alike.

Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management 

and Conservation Program

The PIR Marine Turtle Management and Conservation 

Program (MTMCP) implements the recovery plans for 

the U.S. Pacific sea turtle populations by supporting 

programmatic activities for Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) listed sea turtle species. These species may occur 

entirely within the PIR or have documented linkages 

to the region. This includes sea turtles that originate 

from areas outside of U.S. jurisdiction but migrate 

through or forage within the PIR, and sea turtles that 

are impacted by PIR federally-managed activities and 

therefore relevant to NOAA Fisheries management 

and recovery obligations. Projects supported by the 

MTMCP aim to implement regional management 

priorities and species-specific monitoring, protection, 

or conservation needs as outlined in the recovery 

plans. They also complement ongoing federal, state, 

or international activities and align with current 

agency initiatives. In FY22, PIRO allocated $368,197 

to four federal assistance awards to help progress and 

complement multi-agency domestic and international 

sea turtle recovery efforts.

World Wildlife Fund, Inc. — Implementing a 

Strategy to Address the Direct Take of Leatherbacks 

(Dermochelys coriacea) in the Kei Islands, 

Indonesia ($101,501)

The Western Pacific leatherback turtle subpopulation 

has decreased by more than 80 percent and is 

projected to decline by 96 percent by 2040. In the Kei 

Islands of Maluku Province, Indonesia, nine villages 

hunt and consume turtles that gather to forage on 

large groups of jellyfish. The World Wildlife Fund 

(WWF) has worked to develop a multi-layer strategy 

to reduce the ongoing leatherback hunt. It has formed 

a robust regional monitoring program and engaged in 

broad outreach efforts that have reduced leatherback 

take from a high of 103 turtles in 2017 to 5 in 2019. 

Through close collaborations with government 

agencies and civilian sectors, early conservation 

gains are promising. The continued support for these 

activities will be instrumental in achieving a more 

permanent solution.

The Nature Conservancy — Effective 

Co-Management of Leatherback Turtle Nesting 

Beaches in Solomon Islands ($96,786)

Under this project, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) 

supports community efforts to protect and monitor 

leatherback turtle nesting beaches in the Solomon 

Islands and the Isabel Provincial Government (IPG). 

Activities raise local awareness of the plight of the 

A community-based ranger for World Wildlife Fund Indonesia 

measures a nesting leatherback sea turtle at Buru Island, Indonesia. 

Credit: © Yayasan WWF Indonesia/Idham Farsha

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

15
Newly appointed rangers attend the Sasakolo Monitoring Protocol Rangers’ training. It includes presentations on the importance of gender 

equity and social inclusion in conservation. Credit: The Nature Conservancy

leatherback turtles. The project will encourage 

and strengthen communities in Haevo, Sosoilo, and 

Sasakolo in conservation competency to effectively 

protect and monitor leatherback nesting beaches 

during peak nesting seasons. It will also increase 

capacity to further develop turtle conservation in the 

IPG by establishing and monitoring a position for a 

turtle conservation officer. The TNC project increases 

understanding of leatherback turtle conservation by 

supporting a local women’s group, KAWAKI. To conduct 

community outreach, KAWAKI is producing a short 

film on leatherback conservation at Sasakolo.

World Wildlife Fund, Inc. — An Analysis of the 

Status of Sea Turtles in the Philippines ($88,625)

By increasing and improving the data available to 

governments, conservationists, and fisheries, this 

project seeks to reduce the removal of marine turtles 

in the Philippines. Through research and knowledge 

sharing, the project will address the two main means 

of turtle removal: fishery bycatch and illegal wildlife 

trade. Staff will conduct a series of rapid bycatch 

assessments to measure the level of interaction 

and bycatch of marine turtles in both small-scale 

fisheries and small commercial fisheries. Using these 

results, the project identifies and implements bycatch 

mitigation strategies with the buy-in of stakeholders 

and local communities, all the while continuing to 

support Filipino authorities tasked with combating 

illegal wildlife trafficking.

World Wildlife Fund, Inc. — Leatherback Sea 

Turtle Nesting Dynamics in the Maluku Region 

($81,285)

WWF closely monitors the critical habitat for the 

surviving population of leatherback sea turtle nesting 

sites on Buru Island. The Indonesian archipelago is a 

critical habitat for the surviving population, but their 

numbers have dramatically declined due in part to egg 

harvesting and direct take from nesting beaches and 

foraging grounds. The protection of adult females and 

nests made Buru Island turtles the first substantial 

nesting population discovered outside of Papua in the 

last decade. For continued conservation, WWF works 

to expand nest characterization, monitoring, and 

satellite tag deployment for further research. Striving 

to improve and extend the community and government 

outreach, WWF will ultimately transition conservation 

responsibility over to capable and enthusiastic local, 

provincial, and regional governments.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

16
Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986

The Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 assists 

states in managing interjurisdictional fisheries 

resources. Apportionment to states is based on the 

average value and volume of raw fish that domestic 

commercial fishermen land. The data obtained is 

the principal source of information and analysis for 

fisheries activities and management options that are 

used to address federal requirements for fisheries 

management plans under NOAA Fisheries’ jurisdiction. 

In FY22, PIRO allocated $359,051 to four projects.

American Samoa Government: Department 

of Marine and Wildlife Resources — American 

Samoa Interjurisdictional Fisheries Stock 

Assessment and Monitoring Program ($220,909) 

The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources 

(DMWR) of the American Samoa Government assesses 

and monitors the status of interjurisdictional fish 

species caught within the American Samoa EEZ. 

The data obtained is the main source of information 

used to address local and federal requirements for a 

Fishery Ecosystem Report under the jurisdiction of the 

American Samoa DMWR and NOAA Fisheries through 

the WPFMC. Through the cooperative efforts between 

federal and local agencies, fisheries information 

provides a timely developed, implemented, and 

evaluated Fisheries Ecosystem Report for the territory 

of American Samoa and the WPFMC.

State of Hawai‘i: Department of Land and 

Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic 

Resources — Fisheries Act Award Application - 

State of Hawai‘i ($101,324)

The Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is 

modernizing the commercial marine licensing and 

fisheries reporting systems (CMLS) for the State 

of Hawai‘i. The agency has nearly 3,800 fishermen 

required to obtain commercial marine licenses to sell 

fish in the state. About 3,000 commercial fishermen 

submit monthly fishing reports. Per Hawai‘i Revised 

Statute §189-10, DAR also collects transaction 

purchase reports from 255 active primary commercial 

marine dealers. Both federal and state fisheries 

agencies use this integrated best available data to 

assess the status of marine resources and to establish 

fishery regulations in state and U.S. EEZ waters. 

It is essential, therefore, that timely and accurate 

fisheries data is available for fisheries agencies to 

make informed management decisions. This award 

will support the continued maintenance and support 

of an online reporting system for fisheries data. Funds 

will also support the modified online CMLS, which will 

allow the state to easily issue and renew licenses to 

both commercial fishermen and marine dealers.

Students from the University of Hawaiʻi Marine Option 

Program (MOP) attend the Honolulu Fish Auction to 

learn about seafood safety standards. Credit: UH MOP/ 

Jeff Kuwabara

Did You Know?

Located at Pier 38 of the Commercial Fishing Village, 

the Honolulu Fish Auction is the only fish auction 

between Tokyo and Maine. Independent fishermen sell 

their catch at the auction, encouraging fair pricing for 

a range of fish species and quality based on market 

conditions. Regulated fish auctions that support local 

fishermen and promote fresh, quality seafood are key 

to sustainable fisheries management in the Pacific 

Islands region.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

17
Fishermen Connie Camacho (left) and Mars Taman (right) show 

their catch during a fishing instruction class with Lino S. Tenorio 

& Associates in CNMI. Credit: 500 Sails

Government of Guam: Department of 

Administration, Bureau of Statistics 

and Plans — Data Collection and Entry in the 

Management of Guam’s Interjurisdictional Fishery 

Resources ($18,409)

Data collection of the interjurisdictional fisheries 

provides local and federal officials with vital 

information to effectively manage and sustain 

Guam’s fisheries. Guam has collected data of 

transshipped species offloaded by longline vessels 

at Guam’s commercial port. It has entered this data 

into a computer-based data processing system, in 

coordination with the NOAA Fisheries Western Pacific 

Fishery Information Network program. While the tuna 

transshipment company closed on December 31, 2020, 

the Bureau of Statistics and Plans requests to maintain 

this program objective on the data collection and entry 

of transshipped species offloaded at Guam’s maritime 

port of entry, should operations resume. This project 

will also collect and computerize fisheries-dependent 

data from the domestic fisheries on Guam under the 

Commercial Landings Data Collection program.

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands: Division of Fish and Wildlife — Data 

Collection and Entry in Interjurisdictional Fishery 

Resources ($18,409)

During fishing tournaments, the CNMI Division of 

Fish and Wildlife collects, processes, and shares 

important fisheries monitoring data. This principle 

source of information provides the CNMI with an 

analysis of fisheries activities and management 

options of pelagic landings during tournaments. Data 

further equips federal and local fisheries management 

programs in the CNMI and assists in addressing federal 

requirements for Fisheries Management Plans under 

the jurisdiction of NOAA Fisheries through WPFMC. 

A record of fisheries data guides in the development, 

implementation, evaluation, and amendment of fishery 

management plans in the Western Pacific region.

Marine Education and Training Program

In 2007, the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act 

was amended to include §305 (j), which provides 

guidance on the development of a marine education 

and training program. Public Law 109-479 states: 

“the Secretary shall, in cooperation with the Western 

Pacific Fishery Management Council, establish 

programs that will improve communication, education, 

and training on marine resource issues throughout 

the region and increase scientific education for 

marine-related professions among coastal community 

residents, including indigenous Pacific Islanders, Native 

Hawaiians, and other underrepresented groups in the 

region.” The Pacific Islands region Marine Education 

and Training Program was established to meet 

Congressional intent. In FY22, PIRO allocated $210,000 

to two projects. 

University of Hawai‘i: Department of Biology

— Support of Marine Option Program (2020-2025) 

($150,000)

The Marine Option Program (MOP) provides 

experiential opportunities for students with oceanrelated interests. It offers marine education programs 

and activities for undergraduates across more than 

40 disciplines. MOP continues to provide career 

counseling, help students identify and implement 

hands-on internships and research projects to meet 

their MOP certificate requirements, liaise with project 

mentors, and monitor student progress. MOP also 

provides scientific diving opportunities, which help 

to teach aspects of hands-on underwater-surveying 

practices and principles courses.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

18
Hawai‘i Academy of Science — Hawai‘i State 

Science & Engineering Fair ($60,000)

Every student in the State of Hawai‘i has the 

opportunity to participate in a science fair activity, 

helping build interest in marine and natural sciences. 

The science fair provides a platform for students to 

use the scientific method to investigate questions and 

solve problems in the real world. High school students 

interact with leading scientists in Hawai‘i to conduct 

in-depth and comprehensive science investigations. 

Exposure to science activities could provide a catalyst 

to increase the number of students in Hawai‘i pursuing 

advanced degrees in areas of study related to STEM 

(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). The 

Hawai‘i State Science and Engineering Fair connects 

students, scientists, and teachers by leveraging partners 

and donors and offering scholarships and awards to 

winners. The Hawai‘i State Science and Engineering Fair 

has temporarily moved to a virtual format, requiring an 

innovative approach to this effort.

Master navigator and senior canoe builder Mario Benito 

(center right) discusses the model prototype with his 

canoe builders Lolobeyong Benito (far right) and Beouch 

Ngirchongor (center left), and volunteer Joshua Onopey 

(far left). Credit: 500 Sails

Project Update

500 Sails completed the final 3D fiberglass prototype 

that will be used to make a full-scale Carolinian fishing 

canoe. 500 Sails will provide the final canoe to the 

CNMI community for sustainable fishing programs 

led by prominent Carolinian traditional navigators and 

cultural leaders. 500 Sails is using this unique and 

novel approach to merge traditional and contemporary 

fishing conservation practices. The University of Hawaiʻi MOP conducts coral disease surveys using 

an underwater camera during the Quantitative Underwater Surveying 

Techniques (QUEST) course. Credit: UH MOP/Jeff Kuwabara

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

19
Congressionally Directed Community Projects

In March of 2022, the FY22 Commerce Appropriations 

Law established appropriate funds for “NOAA 

Community Project Funding/NOAA Special Projects.” 

Public Law 117-103 states: “NOAA is directed to provide 

... NOAA Community Project Funding/NOAA Special 

Projects consistent with NOAA’s existing authorities, 

jurisdictions, and procedures, as appropriate. NOAA 

shall perform the same level of oversight and due 

diligence regarding these projects as with any other 

external partners.” In FY22 PIRO allocated $190,000 to 

one project.

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural 

Resources — Makai Watch Program Neighbor 

Island Coordinator Pilot ($190,000)

The Hawaiʻi DLNR’s Division of Conservation and 

Resources Enforcement’s (DOCARE) Makai Watch 

program engages community members in the 

protection of nearshore and coastal resources in their 

area by raising awareness of natural and cultural 

resources rules and regulations. Since 2013, these 

community members have served as DOCARE’s “eyes 

and ears.” They work with resource managers and 

enforcement officers to watch over their area resources. 

In recent years, the program has expanded from 

training people in a designated community to providing 

training on a wider scale to educate any member of the 

public who would like to learn. Currently, there is only 

one Makai Watch coordinator based on the island of 

Oʻahu, despite community involvement on each of the 

neighboring islands. This project will establish two new 

island coordinators—one on Maui and one on Hawaiʻi 

Island—to expand the capacity for training across each 

island and increase the number of trained citizens. 

Once established, it is expected that further long-term 

funding from alternative sources will be sought to 

continue the important and impactful work of the 

Makai Watch program.

Did You Know?

The Makai Watch program originally started as a 

community-led effort in the early 2000s. Since then, it 

has evolved into a collaborative, statewide program. It’s 

similar in concept to a neighborhood watch, but focuses 

more narrowly on marine resources. The program 

engages community members who use, deal with, or 

live closest to marine resources to help protect these 

resources for their long term health. These community 

“eyes and ears” work closely with resource managers and 

conservation enforcement officers to report what they’re 

seeing and protect marine resources. Makai Watch sites 

are currently found on four of the eight main Hawaiian 

Islands. And with the help of grant funding, DLNR is 

planning to increase the number of trained citizens across 

the state. 

To learn more, visit: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/

makaiwatch/

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Makai Watch volunteers overlooking marine recreational 

activities on the North Shore of Oʻahu. Credit: Mālama 

Pūpūkea-Waimea 
The Kapiʻolani Community College Culinary Arts Department 

develops casual dining recipes to bring seafood from high-end 

restaurants to home kitchens. Credit: UH Systems/Kapiʻolani 

Community College

2022 Unfunded Federal Programs

The following programs were not funded in FY22 due 

to budgetary constraints:

Sustainable Recreational and Non-Commercial 

Fishing Program: This program supports recreational 

and non-commercial fishing projects in the Pacific 

Islands region that improve sustainable fishing 

opportunities, maintain stability of fish stocks, and 

protect cultural fishing traditions. 

Western Pacific Demonstration Projects: Public Law 

104-297 (16 U.S.C. 1855) authorizes grants for Western 

Pacific Demonstration Projects that foster and promote 

the involvement of communities in the Western Pacific. 

Native Fishery Observer Program: The NOAA 

Fisheries Observer Program is responsible for 

providing longline observers, who obtain data on 

incidental sea turtle takings and collect fishing 

effort data. The observers document interactions 

of all protected species; tally fish that are kept and 

discarded: and process selected specimens for life 

history. The Native Fishery Observer Program targets 

Native Hawaiian, American Samoan, and other Pacific 

Islander residents for employment as fishery observers 

in the Hawai‘i and American Samoa fisheries. 

Hawai‘i Seafood Program: The Hawai‘i Seafood 

Program strengthens the economic viability of the 

Hawai‘i fishing and seafood industry through activities 

that promote Hawai‘i fisheries as high-quality, safe 

domestic seafood produced by a responsible and wellmanaged fishery.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service

Pacific Islands Regional Office | FEDERAL PROGRAMS OFFICE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

21
U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Gina M. Raimondo

Under Secretary of Commerce for 

Oceans and Atmosphere

Rick W. Spinrad

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Janet Coit

October 2022

www.fisheries.noaa.gov

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

National Marine 

Fisheries Service

NOAA Inouye Regional Center

1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176

Honolulu, HI 96818