The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has produced traditional lunar
calendars for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) since 2007.
The intent is to raise awareness about traditional ecological knowledge and enhance
community involvement in fishery management. The 2023 Eskaleran Pulan Chamorro/2023
Refaluwasch Pápáál Maram (Chamorro/Refaluwasch Lunar Calendar) shares information
about different ways that fisheries are monitored, assessed and kept healthy.
The CNMI is a 300-mile archipelago consisting of 14 main islands, with a total land area of
183.5 square miles. The principal inhabited islands are Saipan, Rota and Tinian, with the
uninhabited Island of Aguiguan (Goat Island) located southeast of Tinian. The northern,
largely uninhabited islands are Farallon de Medinilla, Anatahan, Sariguan, Guguan,
Alamagan, Pagan, Agrihan, Asuncion, Maug Islands and Farallon de Pajaro (Uracas).
