Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Mariana Archipelago. Country/Territory United States of America Document type Miscellaneous Date 2009 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Fisheries, Wild species & ecosystems Keyword Policy/planning Marine fisheries Fishery management and conservation Fishing authorization Climate change Marine fishes Crustaceans Cartilaginous fishes Landing Bycatch Total allowable catch Fishing gear/fishing method Seasons Data collection/reporting Monitoring Artisanal fishing Stock enhancement/repopulation Non-commercial fishing Traditional rights/customary rights Community management Indigenous peoples Aquatic animals Authorization/permit Management/conservation Protection of habitats Ecosystem preservation Marine mammals Endangered species Coral Turtles Protection of species Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP), developed by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council as an FMP, concerns ecosystem approaches to fishery management in the archipelago of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It is made pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and in accordance with national legislation and standards (including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act). The FEP establishes the framework under which the Council will manage fishery resources, and begin the integration and implementation of ecosystem approaches to management in Guam and the CNMI. It does not establish any new fishery management Regulations at this time but rather consolidates existing fishery regulations for demersal species. Specifically, this FEP identifies as management unit species those current management unit species known to be present in waters around Guam and the CNMI and incorporates all of the management provisions of the Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish FMP, the Crustaceans FMP, the Precious Corals FMP, and the Coral Reef Ecosystems FMP that are applicable to the area. Pelagic fishery resources, although important in the biological and socioeconomic environment of these islands, they will be managed separately through the Pacific Pelagic FEP. In addition, under the FEP, the organizational structure for developing and implementing Fishery Ecosystem Plans explicitly incorporates community input and local knowledge into the management process. It also identifies topics in ecosystem approaches to management and identifies ten overarching objectives to guide the Council in further implementing ecosystem approaches to management. Full text English Website www.wpcouncil.org