Meeting to Review Main Hawaiian Islands Uku Stock Assessment Update

NOAA Fisheries and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council are holding a public meeting to review the stock assessment update for gray/green jobfish, or uku, in the main Hawaiian Islands.

Consistent with National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review Policy requires a review of the application of recent data, on an as-needed basis, that will be used in the benchmark stock assessment update. 

 Scientists from the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center have developed an update to the stock assessment for uku (Aprion virescens) in the main Hawaiian Islands. Like the previous stock assessment in 2020, this update incorporates several different types of information: catch per unit effort, total catch, size frequency, and diver survey data. This information goes into a mathematical model, which estimates changes in uku biomass through time. It compares the biomass and fishing effort to established criteria to evaluate the health of the stock, also referred to as the stock status. The criteria are based on the maximum sustainable yield and are published in the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council's Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaii Archipelago. 

 Once the 2024 assessment update has been reviewed and revised if needed, results will be used to inform management decisions. Information on biomass and past fishing effort allows scientists to make projections about how much catch is sustainable over the next several years. The Council and NOAA Fisheries will use these projections to make recommendations on levels of catch that balance fishery performance, productivity and long-term sustainability.

This meeting is open to the public. We encourage you to attend to learn more and provide comments.

Remote Event Link

Webinar number: 2633 952 7361
Webinar password: ukuWPSAR0909mtg