The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is calling for cuts to fishing limits on three species caught around the US Pacific Islands.
The body, which had been meeting in Honolulu, said annual catch limits for Guam jacks, crustaceans such as white crab, and molluscs, primarily the day octopus, have been exceeded at least for the past three years.
The body says annual catch limits have also been exceeded for the American Samoa rabbitfish but the Council suggests these figures may be due to improved reporting.
It also believes the improved supply of data may be behind a surge over the catch limit for the CNMI slipper lobster and the Council was not suggesting tighter limits at this stage.
