Amendments to U.S. Caribbean Reef Fisheries Management Plans
This draft amendment from August 2016 focuses on the timing of accountability measure-based closures for Caribbean reef fish, spiny lobster, corals, and associated plants and invertebrates. It includes actions to modify closure implementation timing and specifies the frequency for revisiting the chosen approach.
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Amendments to the U.S. Caribbean Reef Fish, Spiny Lobster, and Corals And Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plans Timing of Accountability Measure-Based Closures Draft Amendment/Environmental Assessment August 2016
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Actions and Management Alternatives Amendment consists of two actions: - Action 1: Modify the timing for the implementation of AM- based closures in the EEZ - Action 2: Specify how often to revisit the approach selected in Action 1 2
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Action 1 Alternative 1: No Action. December 31 going backward (All FMUs) Preferred Alternative 2: September 30 going backward (DAP s input) (All FMUs). If Alt 5 also chosen, for FMUs that include species with seasonal closures, Alt 5 regs govern those FMUs affected. Alternative 3: January 1 going forward (All FMUs). If Alt 5 also chosen, for FMUs that include species with seasonal closures, Alt 5 regs govern those FMUs affected. Alternative 4: Different fixed dates for individual or a group of FMUs. AM-based closure dates would end the last day of the month that has the highest or the lowest landings based on monthly average landings through time, using 2012-2014 as the most recent three years of available landings data. 3
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Action 1 Alternative 4 Sub-alternatives (by island management area): Dates identified in Alts 1-5 would apply for any year AMs need to be implemented for that particular FMU, unless and until the chosen closure dates are revised as described in Action 2. Alternatives 4a (PR comm.), 4c (PR rec.), 4e (STT/STJ), 4g (STX), 4i (Caribbean-wide). Closure to end the last day of the month with highest average landings Alternatives 4b (PR comm.), 4d (PR rec.), 4f (STT/STJ), 4h (STX), 4j (Caribbean-wide). Closure to end the last day of the month with lowest average landings - Tables 2.2.1 2.2.5 in Document, Pages 16-19 4
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Action 1 Alternative 5: For FMUs that include species with seasonal closures in U.S. Caribbean federal waters, AM-based closures resulting from an ACL overage for these FMUs would be timed to be continuous with the seasonal closure. The AM- based closure will extend either forward or backward from the seasonal closure into the year as specified in Sub- Alternatives 5(a) through 5(n) for the number of days necessary to achieve the required reduction in landings. - Pages 22-23 in Document (includes Table 2.2.6) 5
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Alternative 5 Sub-alternatives 5a-5n (by FMU and island management area): Sub- Alternative Island Mgt. Area or PR sector Date Date Seasonal Closure/species Applicable FMU for AM 5a PR - Commercial Feb 1 Apr 30: Black, red, yellowfin, tiger, yellowedge 5c PR-Recreational May 1st going forward Grouper Complex 5e STT/STJ 5f STX 5b PR Commercial Dec 1 last day Feb: Red hind west of Puerto Rico Nov 30th going backward Grouper Complex 5d PR Recreational 5g PR Commercial Snapper Unit 3: mutton, lane, gray, dog, schoolmaster, mahogany 5i PR Recreational July 1st going forward Apr 1 Jun 30: Mutton and lane snappers 5k STT/STJ Snapper Complex 5m STX 5h PR Commercial SU1 (all + wenchman) 5j PR Recreational Oct 1 Dec 31: Silk, black, blackfin, vermillion Sep 30th going backward 5l STT/STJ Snapper Complex 5n STX 6
7 Public Hearing Results San Juan Deponents (#present=17) Mayaguez Deponents (#present=33) ACTION 1 Alt. 1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 4 1+ 4 1 Lowest 4b n=7 1=NO Lowest 4B n=1 +1 ACLs are too low and should be revised Improve data Closures during months of lowest landings
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Action 2: Specify how often the approach to set the timing of AM-based closures selected in Action 1 should be revisited. Alternative 1. No Action. Do not specify how often the approach chosen should be revisited. Preferred Alternative 2. Revisit the approach selected no longer than 2 years from implementation and every 2 years thereafter. Alternative 3. Revisit the approach selected no longer than 5 years from implementation and every 5 years thereafter. Revisiting the approach that sets the timing for AM closures can involve revisiting the dates selected, criteria for choosing the dates, or any other aspect of the rule. 8
9 Public Hearing Results San Juan Deponents (#present=17) Mayaguez Deponents (#present=33) ACTION 2 Alt. 1 Alt.2 Alt.3 NEW = annual 5 1 2 3
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Codified Text: As described in the respective FMPs, for each species or species group in this paragraph, any required fishing season reduction will be applied from September 30th backward, toward the beginning of the fishing year. If the length of the required fishing season reduction exceeds the time period of January 1st through September 30th, any additional fishing season reduction will be applied from October 1st forward, toward the end of the fishing year. 10
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Draft Timeline Today Council discusses Public Hearings, reviews document. NOAA publishes Amendment/ Final Rule Council reviews and approves codified text Council approves Amendment for Secretarial Review Final Rule Effective Amendment and Proposed Rule Comment Period 2016 2017 11
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment August 2016 Next Steps: Review results of the Public Hearings Deem codified text Consider taking final action Motion to submit to the Secretary Motion to give staff editorial license to finalize the document
Number of days a fishery would be closed under Alternatives 1 and 2 for FMUs that will have AMs applied in 2016 in federal waters of Puerto Rico (PR) (Source: Table 2.2.1.1) Days Fishery would be closed Annual Catch Limit (pounds [lbs]) ACL Overage in pounds1 in a Fishing Year 2016 Preferred Alt. 2 (Sep 30 backward) Fishery Management Unit Alt. 1 (Dec 31 backward) Snapper Unit 2 (Commercial PR) Wrasses (Commercial PR) Triggerfish and Filefish (Commercial PR) Spiny Lobster (Comm and Rec PR) Parrotfish (Comm PR) 145,916 9,973 36 days 18 days 54,147 5,047 46 days 22 days 58,475 12,451 77 days 57 days 327,920 18,077 22 days 17 days 52,737 9,973 13 days 10 days 51,001 11,536 58 days 96 days Jacks (Rec PR) For the FY 2016, ACL overages were determined from analyses conducted using reported landings from 2012 -2014. This same overage was used to estimate closure days under Alternatives 1 and 2 for species/species groups with AMs in FY 2016.
Days Fishery would be Closed under each Alternative ACL Overage in lbs1 in a FY Sub-Alts. 4: 4a, 4c, 4e, 4g, 4i (date varies by FMU)1 Jun 30 back 178 days Alt. 1 (Dec 31 bwd) Pref. Alt. 2 (Sep 30 bwd) Alt 4 (date varies by FMU)1 Alt. 5 (if appl.) ACL (lbs) Alt. 3 FMU (Jan 1 fwd) Dec 31 back 102 days 2013 FY 132,063 2016 FY 9,973 102 days 96 days 172 days Snapper Unit 2 (Commercial PR) 145,916 NA 36 days 18 days 25 days 23 days 36 days Wrasses (Rec PR) 2013 2013 Oct 31 back Dec 31 back 5,050 72 days 11 days 67 days N/A 489 11 days Aug 31 back 72 days May 31 back Wrasses (Comm PR) 2016 54,147 46 days 22 days 36 days NA 22 days 39 days 5,047 2016 Triggerfish and Filefish (Comm PR) Spiny Lobster (Comm and Rec PR) Parrotfish (Comm PR) May 31 back Aug 31 back 58,475 77 days 57 days 69 days NA 12,451 61 days 63 days 2016 Sep 30 back May 31 back 327,920 22 days 17 days 20 days NA 18,077 17 days 21 days 2016 9,973 2016 11,536 2013 Mar 31 back 7 days Feb 28 back 41 days May 31 back Aug 31 back 11 days Oct 31 back 112 days Dec 31 back 52,737 13 days 10 days 13 days NA 51,001 58 days 96 days 42 days NA Jacks (Rec PR) Triggerfish & Filefish (all sectors, STX) Spiny Lobster (all sectors, STX) Groupers (all sectors, STT/STJ) 32 days 24,980 41 days 20 days N/A 1,473 18 days 41 days 2013 2,401 2013 Mar 31 back 7 days Dec 31 back 13 days 107,307 13 days 13 days 5 days N/A May 1 fwd 36 days Jan 31 back Dec 31 back 51,849 12 days 7 days 5 days 4,984 5 days 12 days
15 Sub-Alternative 4a (highest landings) Sub-Alternative 4b (lowest landings) Alternative 4 - Commercial FMUs FMU Mar 31 Aug 31 Parrotfish Jan 31 Nov 301 Snapper Unit 1 (silk, black, blackfin, vermilion, and wenchman) Jun 30 Dec 31 Snapper Unit 2 (queen and cardinal) Mar 31 Aug 31 Snapper Unit 3 (mutton, lane, gray, dog, schoolmaster, and mahogany) Snapper Unit 4 (yellowtail) Mar 31 Dec 31 Feb 28 Dec 312 Groupers No Landings3 Angelfish Mar 31 Oct 31 Boxfish Sep 30 Apr 30 Goatfish May 31 Sep 30 Grunts Aug 31 May 31 Wrasses Jul 31 May 31 Jacks Mar 31 Nov 30 Scups & Porgies July 31 Sep 30 Squirrelfish Dec 31 No Landings Jan-Oct Surgeonfish May 31 Aug 31 Triggerfish & Filefish Sep 30 May 31 Spiny Lobster4
16 Sub-Alternative 4c (highest landings second month in wave) Sub-Alternative 4d Alternative 4 Recreational FMUs (lowest landings second month in wave) FMU Jul/Aug (Aug 31) March/Apr (April 30) Parrotfish May/Jun (Jun 30) No landings Nov-Dec1 Snapper Unit 1 Jan /Feb (Feb 28) No landings for the rest of the year Snapper Unit 2 May /Jun (Jun 30) Sep/Oct (Oct 31) Snapper Unit 3 May /Jun (Jun 30) Sep/Oct (Oct 31) Snapper Unit 4 Jan/Feb (Feb 28) Nov/Dec (Dec 31) Groupers Jan/Feb (Feb 28) No landings for rest of the year Angelfish Sep/Oct (Oct 31) Jul/Aug (Aug 31) Boxfish May/Jun (Jun 30) No landings for the rest of the year Goatfishes May/Jun (June 30) Nov/Dec (Dec 31) Grunts Sep/Oct (Oct 31) No landings Nov-Dec Wrasses Jan/Feb (Feb 28) Sep/Oct (Oct 30) Jacks Jul/Aug (Aug 31) No landings Sep/Oct Porgies May/Jun (Jun 30) No landings Jul/Aug (Aug 31) Squirrelfish No Landings4 Surgeonfish Sep/Oct (Oct 31) No landings Nov-Dec Triggerfish & Filefish
17 Motion. Move to approve the Timing of AMs amendment, with the selected preferred alternatives, and submit the amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for approval. Motion. Give staff the authority to make any changes to the Timing of AMs amendment in response to decisions made by the Council at this meeting, and give staff the editorial license to make editorial changes. Any changes will be reviewed and approved by the Council Chairman.
18 Motion. Give the Council Chairman the authority to deem as necessary and appropriate any modifications made to the proposed rule.
