If FADs Could Talk

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HAWAII FISHING NEWS

If FADs Could Talk

by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC)

In 1980, the state of Hawai‘i implemented a fish aggregating device (FAD) program to promote fishing opportunities statewide. Various types of FADs have been used throughout the Pacific Islands for decades as an effective method to attract pelagic species, like tuna and mahimahi, targeted by commercial and noncommercial fisher men. More recently, agencies and organizations around the Pacific have begun to upgrade their FAD designs to take advantage of technologies able to collect realtime information about ocean conditions such as sea surface temperature, wave height, wind speed and even fish biomass. These devices are referred to as “smart FADs.”

Sofar’s Spotter buoy can record and report wave height, direction, speed and sea surface temperature in near real-time. Source: Sofarocean.com.

The Hawai‘i Advisory Panel (AP) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (the Council) has been working to establish a community smart FAD that could support cooperative research and provide community benefits. The AP has explored different technologies, platforms and partnerships with the goal of monitoring, comparing and correlating environmental conditions with catch data.

Information collected could help fishermen, scientists and resource managers better understand impacts from environmental changes. The AP heard presentations from the Pacific Community (SPC), Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on similar projects that were deployed in other Pacific Island areas.

Off the coast of New Caledonia, the SPC and PacIOOS deployed several FADs with a Sofar Spotter—a solar-powered self-contained buoy that can record the waves (speed, direction, height), wind speed and direction, sea surface temperature, and sea surface current and direction.

This FAD system provides real-time data for users. In New Caledonia, the Spotter buoy monitors coastal hazards in real-time and measured a wave height of 23.5 feet as Tropical Cyclone Niran passed through the area in early 2021.

In Guam, TNC is collaborating with local agencies to develop a smart FAD network to provide information to fishermen and managers.

The system attaches small echosounder buoys to FADs that are able to: – Identify fish at depths of more than 100m with a resolution of 0.05m; – Identify different species and produce biomass estimates; and – Provide remote customized data products.

On November 23, 2021, a team from the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, along with Council member Monique Amani, deployed the first echosounder buoy in Guam attached to FAD #3, located north of Ritidian Point. The echosounder detected a tuna biomass peak on December 26 of up to 105,000 lbs at a depth between 195 and 360 feet—the largest of several large peaks observed since the echosounder buoy was deployed. However, the weather was too rough for fishermen to fish the FAD when the school was detected.

A data-sharing framework is in the works so that fishery management agencies can easily access the information received from the smart FADs and share it with the fishing community through a web portal. continued. . .

The cone shows the widening of the underwater beacon coverage down to 115 m (~380 feet). Image courtesy of Javier Cuetos-Bueno, TNC.

FEBRUARY APRIL 20222022

Splash! . . continued If FADs Could .Talk

JACK ATTACK GREAT GUYS

17 11 . . . continued

BOEM fishing communication and engagement can be accessed at <https://www.

Meet Our Members boem.gov/renewable-energy/fishing-industryContinuing the Hawai‘i AP’s series to introduce its members, Council staff communication-and-engagement>. interviewed AP chair and vice chair, Clay Tam and Gil Kuali‘i.

The Alpha Wind Energythe lease application can be found online at <https://www.boem. g o v / s i t e s / d e f a u l t / f i l e s / r e n e w a b l e - e n e r g y Clay is a Hawai‘i-born and raised fisherman p r o g r a m / S t a t e - A c t i v i t i e s / H a w a i i / H a w awho i i - learned how to fish from his elders. They Northwest-Oahu-Offshore-Lease-Applicationtaught him to always fish responsibly, respect Winter-2015.pdf>. our precious resources and never waste what our For more information, please contact Parker creator has given us. Clay is an avid fisherman, McWilliams, <parker.mcwilliams@boem.go>, scientist and project leader. He has been involved or visit <www.boem.gov/hawaii>. Visit in thethe near-shore, bottomfish and pelagic fisheries Hawaii State Energy Office at <https://energy. through fish tagging and collecting and processing hawaii.gov/>. fisheries data and information. He worked for many years with state and federal fisheries Shark Fishing Kapu agencies, and now with the nonprofit Pacific Islands Fisheries Group. Clay encourages fishermen, Since January 1, 2022, it is illegal scientists to and agencies to work together to better knowingly capture, entangle, or kill any species manage our fisheries for future generations, as it of shark in state marine waters. Act 51 (House is everyone’s kuleana (responsibility)!

Bill 533) passed in the last legislative session.

Gil is a commercial fisherman from Hilo. The The new law does not apply to those with ocean Ulua playsleaping a tremendous role in his in the out of the water tohis feedlife. on aSince satin gull permits or “sharks captured, entangled, or Republic of Seychelles. Photos courtesy of BBC. retirement from the U.S. Navy in 2003 and the killed for self-defense or the defense of another. purchase of his brand-new custom Force 21’ boat Commercial permits for the take of sharks Survivors in 2004, he hasShipwreck made it a priority to learn how includes ‘native Hawaiian cultural protocol.’”

Washed Over Breakwall to be a better waterman. Gil and his wife enjoy Messing with sharks carries significant the camaraderie and excitement of tournament penalties: $500 for a first offense; $2,000 for A 29’ Force with the captain and one crew fishing and participate whenever their schedule and a second offense; $10,000 for a third offence— member onboard, heading out for predawn pocketbook allow.

His ultimate desire as a fisherman and forfeiture of commercial marine license, fishing, capsized in heavy north swell surf off is to be an active participant in the management vessel and fishing equipment and assessment the Hilo Breakwall. Reports indicated that of ourthe natural He in believes thatwhen sittingbeing of administrative fees and costs and attorneys’ materesources. took a hook the hand silently on the sidelines does not do anyone justice. fees and costs. overturned and was fearful of being dragged to Gil feels that it is his Smartly, kuleana tohe remain involved and free.

For information about sharks in Hawai‘i’s the bottom. yanked the barb engaged with his community and that involvement waters, visitAPthe shark website at Surfers, who were eyewitnesses, watched the Hawai‘i ChairDLNR Clay Tam in American is key boat to seeing positive changes. <hawaiisharks.org>. get mercilessly pummeled on the breakwall.

Samoa with a nice-sized onaga. Photo

. . the courtesy of Clay Tam. The Hilo Breakwall .was builtCouncil on Blonde Ulua Launch To Eat Reef. The fishermen, seemingly unaware of the high-surf advisory and normal wintertime Birds on the Wing course headings, ventured into the danger zone.

BBC Blue Planet II set off for the Republic Evidently, the shipwrecked were not rescued of Seychelles. There were undocumented by another boat precariously entering the reports of ulua leaping out of the water to surf impact zone. feed on wuyou gulls. The director and a crew Miraculously, the massive swells washed the of four took 1,763 lbs of filming equipment to two men over the breakwall, which is 10 feet the remote atoll in the Indian Ocean. The film above the waterline, landing them in the calm crew could see the ulua feeding. It took several waters of Hilo Bay. Reportedly, a small boater weeks to finally capture the rare fish shots—and in the bay heard cries for help and brought then it was only after they set up their gear in the two to shore where the captain was picked a confined channel where they could capture up and the crew was brought to the hospital the above- and below-water action. Massive by first responders. ulua with fins aflare and mouths agape are Later that afternoon, the upside-down boat seen in slow motion swallowing ocean birds. was towed to Wailoa River Boat Ramp. The cab Don’t try this in Hawai‘i where using sea was gone, and the outdrive and engines were birds as bait would be frowned upon, though missing. The DLNR did not respond with details traveling to the Seychelles to fly fish using bird on the sinking, if a leaking oil response was flies might work. necessary, or if the boat had insurance, which Check outAP the <https://www. is required foroffboats 26Photo feet. courtesy There were Hawai‘i Vice action Chair Gilat Kuali‘i shows off his 117-lb ‘ahi caught Hilo, over Hawai‘i. of Gil Kuali‘i. youtube.com/watch?v=ANxlmqF0wj8>. no reports of a salvage job. . . . Robert

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