Western Pacific Fishery Management Council outlines two‑year plan to study climate impacts and engage Guam fishers

Mark Mitsuyasu, chief program officer for the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, told the Mayor’s Council that the council’s jurisdiction covers the Western Pacific and that it manages fisheries through fishery ecosystem plans.

Mitsuyasu described four projects the council plans to support over the next two years: small‑boat scenario planning to assess future conditions for local small‑boat fleets; a regulatory review of fishery ecosystem plans for the Mariana Archipelago; a study of interactions between fisheries and protected species; and enhanced engagement with Pacific Island communities to document how climate change affects fisheries and local livelihoods.

“We’re hoping to come out twice” for community engagement, Mitsuyasu said, with an initial visit followed by fall meetings and a repeat of that cycle the following year. He said the council’s funding for the award ends at the end of next year and that the goal is to wrap the project and provide recommendations to improve fishery ecosystem plans and management processes.

Mitsuyasu said the council will hire a contractor to help review plans and that the process will examine how territorial agencies’ management of fishery resources aligns with federal management (three to 200 nautical miles offshore). He said the council has previously supported community‑based management planning in southern Guam and is open to working with village governments on assessments, priorities and planning.

Mayors asked about grant opportunities and local assistance for reviving small fishing areas such as Pago Bay; Mitsuyasu said grants exist but vary by criteria and alignment with council priorities, and noted the council does not directly fund all projects but can share information on opportunities.

This presentation was informational; no formal action or vote by the Mayor’s Council was recorded.