NMFS Approves Management Area Beyond EEZ For Pelagic False Killer Whale Population.

The article discusses the management plan for the Hawai'i-based longline fishing fleet in relation to the pelagic false killer whale population. The fleet is limited in the number of false killer whales it can seriously injure or kill within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The trigger for closing a large portion of the fishing area is based on the number of observed takes within the EEZ. The article also mentions the calculation of the potential biological removal (PBR) and the need for better information on the population outside the EEZ. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed a new management area for the pelagic false killer whale stock, but there are concerns about the available scientific information and the impact of foreign fishing fleets. The article concludes by mentioning the record fishing effort in 2023 and the number of observed false killer whale takes. [Extracted from the article]