Trigger Change for Hawaiian Islands Southern Exclusion Zone

NOAA Fisheries announces a revision to the trigger that would require closure of the Hawaiian Islands Southern Exclusion Zone to deep-set longline fishing. We are changing the trigger from four to three observed mortality or serious injuries of false killer whales incidental to the deep-set longline fishery within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.

This revision is necessary due to a change in observer coverage levels for the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery, in accordance with the NOAA Fisheries False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan for the Hawaiian Islands and the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.