The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has instructed its staff to find ways to reduce overfishing of onaga, ehu, 'opakapaka and other bottom fish with the least possible impact on fishermen.

Fisheries surveys suggest that in the main Hawaiian Islands, bottom fish are being harvested at an unsustainable rate, although they do not yet qualify for being "overfished."

The council at its meeting last week in Guam called for federal fishery scientists to work with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and other agencies to find ways to reduce fishing activities and the catch, but to find ways of doing so that are relatively painless to those who fish.

One suggestion could be to modify no-fishing areas that may not be effective.

Alvin Katekaru, NOAA Fisheries assistant regional administrator for sustainable fisheries, said the state Division of Aquatic Resources has tentatively concluded there's not much good bottom-fish habitat in some of its zones designated for no bottom fishing.

Another suggestion is to place restrictions on bottom-fishing areas in federal waters, including Penguin Bank, a shallow area that extends halfway from Moloka'i to O'ahu. A federal report says that 40 percent of the state's bottom fish are reportedly caught at Penguin Bank, most of which is in federal waters. Middle Bank, a submarine peak between Nihoa and Kaua'i, also is in federal waters and contains 2 percent to 3 percent of the state's main Hawaiian Islands bottom-fish habitat.

"There are a number of alternatives" for reducing fishing pressure, Katekaru said. The federal government could simply ban bottom fishing entirely in federal waters, establish seasonal closures for bottom fish, create bag limits for bottom fishers, work to establish a joint state-federal bottom-fish management plan, or establish some other means of reducing fishing pressure.

Katekaru said the council has until mid-2006 to recommend a new regulatory framework for the bottom fishery.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.