Injury Determinations for Marine Mammals Observed Interacting with Hawaii and American Samoa Longline Fisheries During 2017

Data on marine mammal interactions (i.e., hookings and entanglements) with the Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries observed during 2017 were compiled, and the number of marine mammal deaths, serious injuries, and non-serious injuries by fishery, species, and management area were assessed. These values are used to compute the mortality and serious injury estimates included in the stock assessment reports of stocks impacted by these fisheries. Injury determinations were made using a nationally standardized process and established criteria for distinguishing serious from non-serious injuries (National Marine Fisheries Service, 2012). In the Hawaii deep-set fishery, 14 marine mammal interactions were observed in 2017; most involved false killer whales (57.1%), resulted in death or serious injury (64.3%), and occurred outside the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) (85.7%). In the Hawaii shallow-set fishery, 6 marine mammal interactions were observed in 2017; 3 involved Guadalupe fur seals (50.0%), while most resulted in death or serious injury (66.7%) and occurred outside the U.S. EEZ (100.0%). In the American Samoa deep-set fishery, 2 marine mammal interactions were observed in 2017; one involving a seriously injured false killer whale and the other a nonseriously injured rough-toothed dolphin, both within the U.S. EEZ.