COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT (ACL) AMENDMENT

407 Pages·2011·5.18 MB·English

COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT (ACL) AMENDMENT FOR THE
U.S. CARIBBEAN

Amendment 6 to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan of Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands
Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Queen Conch Resources of
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for Corals and Reef Associated
Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

(Including Final Environmental Impact Statement, Biological Assessment,
Regulatory Impact Review, Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis,
And Social Impact Assessment)

October 25, 2011

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Caribbean Fishery Management Council
National Marine Fisheries Service 268 Muñoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108
Southeast Regional Office San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-1920
263 13th Avenue South [phone] (Phone)
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 [phone] (Fax)
727-824-5301 http://www.caribbeanfmc.com
727-824-5308 (fax)
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
Acronyms/Abbreviations
ABC acceptable biological catch
ACL annual catch limit
ACLG Annual Catch Limit Working Group
ACT Annual catch target
AM accountability measure
APA Administrative Procedure Act
B Biomass
B1 fish filleted or used for bait but identified by interviewer
B2 fish identified but released alive
B current biomass of stock
CURRENT
B Biomass at MSY
MSY
C Average catch
CCA Crustose coralline algae
CEA Cumulative effects analysis
CEQ Council on Environmental Quality
CFMC Caribbean Fishery Management Council
CFR Code of federal regulations
CHTS Coastal household telephone survey
CPUE Catch per unit effort
CY Calendar year
CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act
DEIS Draft environmental impact statement
DQA Data Quality Act
EA Environmental assessment
EEZ Exclusive economic zone
EFH Essential fish habitat
EIS Environmental impact statement
E.O. Executive order
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ESA Endangered Species Act
F Instantaneous fishing mortality rate
FAC Fisheries Advisory Committee
FAG Fish aggregation device
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (United Nations)
F Current fishing mortality rate
CURR
FEIS Final environmental impact statement
FL Fork length
FM Framework Measures
FMP Fishery management plan
F Fishing mortality rate yielding MSY
MSY
FMU Fishery management unit
FONSI Finding of no significant impact
F Fishing mortality rate yielding OY
OY
FR Federal regulations
2
GDP Gross domestic product
GM Genetically modified
GNI Gross national income
GNP Gross national product
HMS Highly migratory species
IPT Interdisciplinary Plan Team
ITCZ Inter-tropical convergence zone
IRFA Initial regulatory flexibility analysis
IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature
MCD Marine conservation district
MFMT Maximum fishing mortality threshold
MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act
MRFSS Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey
MRIP Marine Recreational Information Program
MSA Magnuson-Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act)
MSRA Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Reauthorization Act
MSST Minimum Stock Size Threshold
MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NGO Non-governmental Organization
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
NMSA National Marine Sanctuaries Act
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NS National standard
OFL Overfishing level
OMB Office of Management and Budget
ORCS Only Reliable Catch Stocks
OY Optimum yield
PCE Primary constituent element
PHD Public Hearing Draft
PR Puerto Rico
PRA Paperwork Reduction Act
PRDNER Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
PSE Proportional standard error
RA Regional Administrator of NMFS
RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act
RIR Regulatory impact review
SBA Small Business Administration
SEAMAP Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program
SEDAR Southeast data assessment review (stock assessment)
SEFSC Southeast Fisheries Science Center
SEIS Supplemental environmental impact statement
SFA Sustainable Fisheries Act
SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee
3
STFA St. Thomas Fishermen‟s Association
STJ St. Johns, U.S. Virgin Islands
STT St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
STX St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
TAC Total allowable catch
TMCT Technical Monitoring and Compliance Team
U.S. Caribbean Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. John, and St.
Croix
USCG United States Coast Guard
USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USVI United States Virgin Islands
VEC Valued ecosystem component
VIDPNR Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources

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Table of Contents
Acronyms/Abbreviations .................................................................................................... 2
List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 10
List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 16
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (FEIS) COVER SHEET .......... 20
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................... 21
2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ......................................................................................... 34
2.1 Purpose Statement ................................................................................................ 34
2.2 Need for Action .................................................................................................... 34
3.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 35
3.1 Background .......................................................................................................... 35
3.2 Overview of Data History .................................................................................... 41
3.2.1 Commercial Data History ................................................................................. 41
3.2.2 Recreational Data History ................................................................................. 42
4.0 ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES..................................................................... 60
4.1 ACTION 1: Define Management Reference Points for species not identified as
undergoing overfishing within the Reef Fish FMP. ........................................... 60
4.1.1 Action 1(a). Establish a year sequence for determining average or median
annual landings for each species or species group within the Reef Fish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). ................................................................................. 60
4.1.2 Action 1(b). Establish management reference points for the reef fish species
not identified as undergoing overfishing. ......................................................... 63
4.1.3 Summary Comparison of Management Reference Points Alternatives .......... 74
4.2 ACTION 2: Defining Management Reference Points for the Caribbean Spiny
Lobster ................................................................................................................ 77
4.2.1 Action 2(a). Establish a year sequence for determining average annual
landings for the Caribbean Spiny Lobster. ....................................................... 77
4.2.2 Action 2(b). Establish management reference points for the Caribbean Spiny
Lobster. ............................................................................................................. 80
4.2.3 Summary Comparison of Management Reference Points Alternatives ............ 87
4.3 ACTION 3: Redefine the Aquarium Trade Species Fishery Management Units
(FMUs) within the Reef Fish FMP and the Coral and Reef Associated Plants
and Invertebrates FMP (Coral FMP). ................................................................. 90
4.3.1 Action 3(a): Redefine the aquarium trade species FMU. ................................. 90
4.3.2 Action 3(b). Establish management reference points for the aquarium trade
species FMU. .................................................................................................... 95
4.3.3 Summary Comparison of Redefining Management of the Aquarium Trade
Species FMUs within the Reef Fish and Coral FMPs. ..................................... 97
4.4 ACTION 4: Redefine the Species Composition of the FMU and Modify
Management of all Species Except Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) Within the
Queen Conch Resources FMP. ........................................................................... 99
4.4.1 Summary Comparison of redefining the conch species FMU within the Queen
Conch FMP. .................................................................................................... 100
4.5 ACTION 5. Geographic allocation/management ............................................... 101
5
4.5.1 Summary Comparison of Geographic allocation/management of Management
Reference Points ............................................................................................. 106
4.6 ACTION 6: Annual Catch Limit Allocation and Management. ........................ 107
4.6.1 Action 6(a). Separation of recreational and commercial sectors (Puerto Rico
only) ................................................................................................................ 107
4.6.2 Action 6(b) Establish bag limit restrictions on recreational reef fish harvest. 108
4.6.3 Action 6(c) Establish bag limit restrictions on recreational spiny lobster
harvest. ............................................................................................................ 111
4.6.4 Summary Comparison of Annual Catch Limit Allocation/Management
Alternatives and Recreational Bag Limit Management Measures Alternatives113
4.7 ACTION 7: Accountability Measures for species considered in this
amendment ....................................................................................................... 116
4.7.1 Action 7(a) Triggering accountability measures ............................................. 116
4.7.2 Action 7(b) Applying accountability measures .............................................. 119
4.7.3 Summary comparisons of accountability measures alternatives .................... 119
4.8 ACTION 8: Framework Measures ..................................................................... 121
4.8.1 Action 8(a): Establish Framework Measures for Spiny Lobster FMP ........... 121
4.8.2 Action 8 (b): Amend Framework Measures for Corals and Reef Associated
Plants and Invertebrates FMP (Coral FMP).................................................... 122
4.8.3 Summary Comparison of Framework Measures Alternatives ........................ 125
5.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 127
5.1 Physical Environment ........................................................................................ 127
5.1.1 Geology ........................................................................................................... 128
5.1.2 Oceanography and Climate ............................................................................. 128
5.1.3 Major Habitat Types ....................................................................................... 129
5.2 Biological Environment ..................................................................................... 129
5.2.1 Species Most Impacted by this FMP Amendment .......................................... 129
5.2.2 Protected Species, Including Threatened and Endangered Species ................ 129
5.3 Description of the Economic and Social Environment ...................................... 131
5.3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 131
5.3.2 Puerto Rico Commercial Sector ...................................................................... 131
5.3.3 Puerto Rico‟s recreational sector .................................................................... 162
5.3.4 U.S. Virgin Islands Fisheries .......................................................................... 171
5.4 Administrative Environment .............................................................................. 189
5.4.1 Federal Fishery Management .......................................................................... 189
5.4.2 Territory Fishery Management ....................................................................... 191
6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ........................................................... 192
6.1 ACTION 1: Management Reference Points for species not undergoing
overfishing within the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). ............... 192
6.1.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 192
6.1.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments ......... 196
6.1.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 202
6.2 ACTION 2: Management Reference Points for the Spiny Lobster FMP. ......... 203
6.2.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 203
6.2.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 207
6.2.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 209
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6.3 ACTION 3: Redefine Management of the Aquarium Trade Species Fishery
Management Units (FMUs) within the Reef Fish FMP and Coral and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates FMP (Coral FMP). ................................. 209
6.3.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 209
6.3.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 211
6.3.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 214
6.4 ACTION 4: Redefine the management of the conch species FMU within the
Queen Conch FMP. .......................................................................................... 216
6.4.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 216
6.4.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 217
6.4.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 218
6.5 ACTION 5: Geographic allocation/management. .............................................. 219
6.5.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 219
6.5.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 220
6.5.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 221
6.6 ACTION 6: Annual Catch Limit Allocation/Management. ............................... 222
6.6.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 222
6.6.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 224
6.6.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment. ................... 226
6.7 ACTION 7: Accountability Measures................................................................ 227
6.7.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 227
6.7.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments. ........ 230
6.7.3 Diarect nd Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment .................... 232
6.8 ACTION 8: Framework Measures ..................................................................... 233
6.8.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical and Biological Environment. ..... 233
6.8.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic and Social Environments ......... 234
6.8.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment .................... 234
6.9 Cumulative Effects Analysis ................................................................................. 235
7.0 REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW .................................................................. 252
7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 252
7.2 Problems and Objectives ....................................................................................... 252
7.3 Methodology and Framework for Analysis ........................................................... 252
7.4 Description of Relevant Fisheries ......................................................................... 252
7.5 Economic Impacts of Management Measures ....................................................... 253
7.5.1. Action 1. Management Reference Points for species not undergoing
overfishing within the Reef Fish FMP ............................................................ 253
7.5.2. Action 2. Management reference points for the Caribbean Spiny Lobster ... 255
7.5.3. Action 3. Redefine the management of the Aquarium Trade Species FMU.256
7.5.4 Action 4. Redefine the management of the Conch Species FMU within the
Queen Conch FMP. ......................................................................................... 257
7.5.5 Action 5. Geographic allocation/management ............................................... 257
7.5.6 Action 6. Annual Catch Limit Allocation and Management. ........................ 259
7.5.7. Accountability measures ................................................................................ 263
7.5.8 Framework Measures ...................................................................................... 299
7.6 Public and Private Costs of Regulations ............................................................... 299
7.7 Determination of Significant Regulatory Action .................................................. 299
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8.0 INITIAL REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS ..................................... 301
8.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 301
8.2 Statement of need for, objectives of, and legal basis for the proposed rule .......... 301
8.3 Identification of Federal rules which may duplicate, overlap or conflict with the
proposed rule. ................................................................................................... 301
8.4 Description of the projected reporting, record-keeping and other compliance
requirements of the proposed rule, including an estimate of the classes of small
entities which will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional
skills necessary for the preparation of the report or records. ........................... 302
8.5 Description and estimate of the number of small entities to which the proposed
rule will apply. .................................................................................................. 303
8.6 Substantial number of small entities criterion ....................................................... 304
8.7 Significant economic impact criterion .................................................................. 304
8.8 Description of significant alternatives .................................................................... 307
9.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ........................................................................................ 309
10.0 LIST OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PERSONS TO WHOM
COPIES OF THE STATEMENT ARE SENT ................................................... 310
11.0 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 311
12. APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 333
APPENDIX 1 - Alternatives Considered by Council but Eliminated .......................... 334
APPENDIX 2 – Species in the Reef Fish, Queen Conch, Spiny Lobster and Coral and
Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates FMUs ............................................. 339
APPENDIX 3 – Scoping Hearings Summaries ............................................................ 344
APPENDIX 4 - Other Applicable Laws ....................................................................... 357
APPENDIX 5 - Research Needs .................................................................................. 365
APPENDIX 6 – History of Federal Fisheries Management in the Caribbean ............. 366
APPENDIX 7 – Other Things to Consider .................................................................. 374
APPENDIX 8 – Alternative U.S. Caribbean Management Reference Points or Proxies.378
APPENDIX 9 – Response to Public Comments .......................................................... 383
13.INDEX ....................................................................................................................... 405

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Table of Contents for FEIS

Please note that this action is presented as an integrated document. It addresses different
applicable laws including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Therefore,
the document does not follow a standard FEIS format, however, elements of the FEIS are
present and identified in the following table of contents for the FEIS.

Cover Sheet........................................................................................................................ 20
Executive Summary........................................................................................................... 21
Purpose and Need...............................................................................................................34
Management Alternatives.................................................................................................. 60
Affected Environment.....................................................................................................127
Environmental Consequences..........................................................................................192
List of Preparers...............................................................................................................308
List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons to Who Copies of
This Statement are Sent.............................................................................................. 309
Reference......................................................................................................................... 311
Appendices.......................................................................................................................333
Index................................................................................................................................405

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List of Tables
Table 1.0 Summary of Action and Alternatives. .............................................................. 27
Table 3.1.1. Biological reference points and stock status determination criteria for
member species of the Reef Fish, Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch, and Coral and
Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Units (FMUs) as
described in the Caribbean SFA Amendment and for which ACLs were not
established in the 2010 Caribbean ACL Amendment........................................... 37
Table 3.2.1. St. Thomas/St. John commercial landings during 2000-2008 ...................... 43
Table 3.2.2. St. Croix commercial landings during 1999-2008 ........................................ 44
Table 3.2.3. Puerto Rico commercial landings during 1988-2009. ................................. 45
Table 3.2.4. Puerto Rico recreational landings during 2000-2009 ................................... 47
Table 3.2.5. Recreational landings statistics generated from MRFSS intercept program in
Puerto Rico from inception (2000) to the most recent available year. MRFSS
Database. ............................................................................................................... 56
Table 3.2.6. Recreational sector effort estimates for the U.S. Caribbean during 2008-2010
............................................................................................................................... 59
Table 4.1.1. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 2. .................................. 60
Table 4.1.2. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 3 ................................... 60
Table 4.1.3. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 4. .................................. 60
Table 4.1.4. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 5. .................................. 61
Table 4.1.5. Current MSY proxy, OY and overfishing threshold definitions for
species/species groups. ......................................................................................... 65
Table 4.1.6. Management reference points or proxies proposed for the reef fish species
not determined to be undergoing overfishing under Alternative 2. ...................... 67
Table 4.1.7. Scalar tables for Puerto Rico commercial (top) and recreational (bottom)
FMUs. M= Medium, L= Low and H= High ......................................................... 73
Table 4.1.8. Annual Catch Limit (in pounds) by each island group, FMU, and sector
selected in Action 1(b). ......................................................................................... 76
Table 4.2.1. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 2. .................................. 77
Table 4.2.2. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 3. .................................. 77
Table 4.2.3. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 4. .................................. 77
Table 4.2.4. Year sequences by island group under Alternative 5. .................................. 78
Table 4.2.5. Current MSY proxy, OY and overfishing threshold definitions for spiny
lobster. ................................................................................................................... 82
Table 4.2.6. Management reference points or proxies proposed for spiny lobster under
Alternative 2.......................................................................................................... 83
Table 4.2.7. Scalar tables for the spiny lobster commercial sector Puerto Rico. .............. 86
Table 4.2.8. Annual Catch Limit (in pounds) by each island group for spiny lobster
selected in Action 2(b) (Preferred Alternative 2(o) OY=ACL=[ABC x (0.90)]) . 89
Table 4.3.1. List of all species included in the Aquarium Trade category in both the Reef
Fish and Coral FMPs. ........................................................................................... 92
10