Fisheries Management – Western and Central Pacific Striped Marlin

Current understanding

NOAA sets annual U.S. catch and retention limits on striped marlin in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean north of the equator to implement conservation measures adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). For 2026, the U.S. cap is 393.4 metric tons, with Hawaii-based longline vessels required to stop retaining striped marlin once landings reach 381.6 metric tons to keep the fishery under the national limit. The rule mainly affects the Hawaii deep-set longline fleet and is a routine implementation of an existing international stock-rebuilding framework.

Evidence log

• 2026-09-15 — Pacific Island Fisheries; Catch and Retention Limits for Striped Marlin in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean North of the Equator: cross-connection with highly-migratory-species-fisheries: Striped marlin is a WCPFC-managed highly migratory species; the U.S. cap implements an international conservation and management measure. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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