Western Pacific Fishery Management Council back to annual meetings, addressing island's fishing needs

Culture, tradition and a main source of protein. It’s an industry with potential to support the island’s economy.

 Making sure such an industry is propelled by the local fishing community, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council is back in the region resuming its yearly meetings for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

"We have discussions with the Port Authority because they want to start a fishing industry on Guam and utilize resources at the port to accommodate those who want to invest in the industry," said Judi Guthertz who represents Guam on the council. "We are very pro-tradition and pro-culture. And what we try to do is marry up policies that affect our fishing communities and our resources in our ocean areas."

One of those efforts in the works– the council met with military partners earlier this week over the live fire training range at Northwest Field.

"Part of their plans will be the closure of the fishing grounds of our fishermen up north that surround the areas where the rifle ranges and the hand grenade practices will be occurring," Guthertz explained. 

The council is trying to establish a regular schedule for fishermen to access fishing grounds in the northern waters when the range is not in use.

"This is a very sensitive issue that the areas where our fishermen fish up north are accessible to them," Guthertz said. "If they can’t have a regular schedule of access to those areas, they’ll be forced to fish farther away, which is dangerous."

She says the talks have been going well as the military seems to be agreeable to work with the council.