77 



Figure 17-2.— Catch per unit of 

 effort of pelagic ai mot heads 

 caught in the commercial 

 Japanese trawl fishery on Pacific 

 seamounts, 1970-84. 



Figure 17-3— Catch per unit of 

 effort of pelagic armorheads 

 taken on longlines during 

 research cruises to Hancock 

 Seamount, 1985-90. 



ISSUES 



Adequacy of the biological and catch data 

 collected is a primary management con- 

 cern for the Western Pacific bottomfish 

 fishery. For example, the reproduction of 

 many of the important species in Guam, 

 CNMI, and Samoa is unknown, and spawn- 

 ing numbers cannot be computed. The 

 primary issue now for the pelagic 

 armorhead and its seamount fishery is how 

 to halt the armorhead harvest outside the 



U.S. EEZ via some form of international 

 agreement so the stock can recover. 



The spawning stocks of at least four 

 important MHI fishes (opakapaka, ehu, 

 onaga, and ulua) appear to be at about 

 20-30% of original levels. Thus, overutiliza- 

 tion is a concern and management has 

 been recommended by the Western Pacific 

 Fishery Management Council. 



