Alex Filardo

Hawai'i Fisheries Extension Program 2023 Annual Report

2023

National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office

"The Hawai'i Fisheries Extension Agent (HFEA) acts as a liaison between the fishing community and scientists and resource managers. The HFEA is a source of accurate and neutral information regarding local fisheries science and management while building and fostering positive relationships with individuals and key stakeholders in the fishing community. One of the primary goals is to promote pono (responsible) fishing practices and help explain the importance of coral reef resource conservation. The HFEA is critical for advancing fishery management actions to protect coral reefs and coral reef resources. It has been shown that communicating in small groups or in one-on-one interactions is more effective with the fishing community than large, formal meetings. The HFEA conducts various projects that engage the fishing community in different aspects of outreach and education. The HFEA is responsible for hosting regular Scientist and Fishermen Exchange (S.A.F.E.) meetings, attending fishing club meetings and tournaments, serving as a member for fisheries and education related groups, developing and assisting with fisheries related projects, and assisting with projects to mitigate interactions with protected species. The Hawai'i Fisheries Extension Program (HFEP) is housed in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) Habitat Conservation Division (HCD) and is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). In fiscal year 2023 (FY 23), the HFEA's activities helped advance the NOAA CRCP Strategic Plan goals, objectives, and targets for the Fisheries (F) Pillar. These targets are identified throughout this report."

Hawaii, fisheries, outreach, sustainable fishing, collaboration, resource management

NMFS

PIRO

FY2023 CRCP Project ID 177; Project Title: Hawaii Fisheries Extension Program; Principal Investigator: Kristine Bucchianeri