The following document presents the result of a project aimed at improving the hydrodynamics of the volumetric array design for towing at faster speeds of 10 knots from large research vessels. The document explains the theory behind the design considerations for each prototype presented, sea trial results and subsequent modifications, and discuss improvements for future designs.

The following document is a compilation of reports of marine mammal interactions with the Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries during 2009-2013, including the assessments of the number of marine mammal deaths, serious injuries, and non-serious injuries by fishery, species, and management areas.

From abstract: This report conducts a strict stock assessment update of the Bottomfish Management Unit Species (BMUS) complexes in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, using the same base case production model as used in the previous stock assessment (Brodziak et al., 2012), but with an additional 3 years of catch and nominal catch-per-unit-effort as input data...This paper also conducts stock projections for 2016 and 2017.

The following document examines the importance of spearfishing as a traditional fishing method in Hawaii. The purposes of the research behind this report were to develop a better understanding of the spearfish fishery and community; identify key players and organizations associated with the fishery; provide information to assist the State of Hawaii and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in making decisions based on increased understanding of the ways people are socioeconomically affected by fishery policies; document the perspectives/concerns of local spearfishermen and resources users; and contribute to the development and refinement of the fishing community profiles for Hawaii in response to The Magnuson-Stevens Act, National Standard 8.

From abstract: In 1995, 12 undersized, weaned female Hawaiian monk seal pups were captured at French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands... Eleven of the pups developed clinical signs of an eye disease between 12 and 46 days after capture... The cause of the eye disease and the site where it originated remain unknown.

The following document provides information from the 2003 field studies of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These studies evaluate the status and trends of monk seal subpopulations, natural history traits such as survival, reproduction, growth, behavior, and feeding habits, and the success of various activities designed to facilitate population growth.

This report documents a series of steps taken at the National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in response to the Order issued by Chief U.S. District Court Judge David Alan Ezra, District of Hawaii, in the case of CMC et al. versus NMFS et al.; CIVIL BO. 99-00152; dated November 23, 1999, to complete an analysis of the temporal and spatial distribution of interactions between Hawaii-based longline vessels and sea turtles to determine time and area closures that would provide the greatest benefit to the turtles.