# Presentation: 245933

## Scoping for Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP)

- Highly Migratory Species
- Management Division
- NMFS/NOAA

## Presentation Objectives

_**Purpose**_**: to listen to your ideas on the management issues and options specific to the Caribbean region **
**This presentation will give you:**
**An overview of the amendment process and the purpose of scoping**
**Overview of current Federal regulations**
**Highlight differences in the Caribbean region**
**Outline some potential options and issues for the upcoming amendment **
**Information on where to send comments will be given at the end of this presentation.**

## The Amendment Process

_**Purpose**_**: NMFS is considering changes to some of the regulations in the Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP that would be applicable to the Caribbean region**
**These changes will be done through an amendment**
**NMFS starts the process with scoping**
**Findings from the scoping process are then summarized in a Predraft**
**NMFS develops a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and proposed rule based on the issues summarized in the Predraft.  The public then comments on the draft EIS and proposed rule.**
**NMFS addresses and considers the public’s comments and designates the preferred management measures in a final EIS and implements those measures in the final rule.**

## The Purpose of Scoping

_**Purpose**_**: To gather public input on the issues and options that need be addressed in the upcoming EIS for the amendment **
**NMFS held several scoping meetings around the Caribbean (St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Puerto Rico) to gather public feedback on the issues that need to be addressed **
**The public submits comments/input at these meetings as well as via fax, mail, e-mail, or phone**
**NMFS will summarize the comments received and synthesize the issues raised during the scoping process in a Predraft**
**The issues raised and potential solutions suggested during scoping will be considered as part of management alternatives analyzed in the draft EIS and proposed rule**

## Need for Action

**NMFS believes that interest in HMS resources is increasing in the U.S. Caribbean.  This may be due to depletion of shelf resources.**
**However, NMFS recognizes that many HMS regulations established for the continental United States do not well fit the Caribbean region **
**NMFS is developing an amendment to address the issues that are unique to the Caribbean, such as improving permitting compliance and data collection and enhancing enforcement of regulations **
**Such changes are needed to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations and that the United States is in compliance with multilateral treaties relating to HMS**

## Current Commercial Management Measures

**Permits**
_**Commercial permits**_** - issued to the vessel; some limited access**
_**Dealer permits**_** - issued to a person, company, or entity; open access **
**Authorized gear & species, fishing seasons, & fishing quotas**
**Trip limits, size limits, & landing conditions**
**Vessel reporting, upgrading restrictions, & observer requirements**
**Closed areas**
**Dehooking gear**
**ID certification & handling and release workshops**

## Current Recreational Management Measures

**Permits**
_**Recreational permits**_** - issued to the vessel; open access**
**Authorized gear & species**
**Bag limits, minimum size limits, & landing conditions**
**Reporting requirements**

## Issues Unique to the Caribbean Region

**Small, artisanal fisheries mostly in territorial waters**
**Many fishermen sell their catch directly to restaurants or individuals that are not Federally permitted dealers.**
**Due to the expense of limited access permits, many Caribbean fishermen cannot afford to enter HMS commercial fisheries. **
**If fishermen do not have Federal permits, they do not have to report to NMFS, and NMFS does not receive data on catch amount or catch composition in the Caribbean region.**
**Fish aggregation devices (FADs) are being used in the Caribbean region to target pelagics.  The effect of FADs on pelagic stocks is not well understood.**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Vessel Permitting
_**Options**_**: **
**Maintain current permit program (Status quo)**
**Create a Caribbean handgear permit valid for commercial swordfish and shark fishing – limited to vessels under a certain length**
**Create a Caribbean handgear permit valid for commercial tuna, swordfish, and shark fishing – limited to vessels under a certain length**
**Create a Caribbean HMS permit valid for commercial swordfish, shark, and tuna fishing which allows all authorized gears and is not limited by vessel size**
**Other options?**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Dealer Permitting
_**Options**_**: **
**Maintain current dealer permitting regime - separate swordfish, shark, and tunas dealer permits (Status quo)**
**Create a single Caribbean HMS dealer permit allowing the purchase and sale of swordfish, shark, and tunas in the Caribbean**
**Allow Caribbean handgear permit holders to wholesale/retail catches**
**Other options?**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Commercial Reporting
_**Options**_**: **
**Maintain current reporting regulations (Status quo)**
**Collect catch and effort data from territorial governments**
**Require vessel logbooks for Caribbean handgear permit holders**
**Require vessel logbooks from Caribbean handgear permit holders and collect catch data from territorial governments - if permit holders are allowed to wholesale/retail catch**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Commercial Reporting (continued)
_**Options**_**:**** **
**Require vessel logbooks and bi-weekly dealer report from Caribbean handgear permit holders - if allowed to wholesale/retail catch**
**Monitor fishing effort and catches near FADs (perhaps via a checkbox on dealer forms)**
**Other options?**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Recreational Reporting
_**Options**_**: **
**Maintain current recreational reporting requirements (Status quo) **
**Increase outreach and education regarding recreational reporting requirements **
**Establish mandatory HMS reporting stations in the U.S. Caribbean (dockside reporting)**
**Increase dockside intercept programs such as the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS or its replacement) in the region**
**Other options?**

## Issues and Options

_**Issue**_**:** Authorized Gear
_**Options**_**: **
**Maintain current regulations regarding authorized gears (Status quo) **
**Authorize free-floating handlines (buoy gear) in Caribbean BAYS tuna fishery **
**Allow possession of HMS with certain non-authorized gears onboard (*****e.g*****., reef fish traps or others)**
**Prohibit the possession of HMS in the vicinity of FADs**
**Other options?**

## Scoping Meetings – Summer/Fall 2008

| Date | Time | Meeting Locations | Address |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 8/14/2008 | 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm  | St. Thomas, VI  | USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Cyril E. King Airport, Terminal Building, 2nd Floor, St. Thomas, VI 00802  |
| 9/8/2008  | 3 pm – 5 pm  | San Juan, PR  | Biblioteca Carnegie, Ave. Ponce de León #7, San Juan, PR 00901-2010  |
| 9/9/2008  | 4 pm – 6 pm  | Fajardo, PR  | Salón Centro de Usos Múltiples de Fajardo, Estacionamiento Municipal, Ültimo Piso, Esquina de Calle Dr. López y Calle Celis Aguilera, Fajardo, PR 00738 (Detrás de la Plaza del Mercado de Fajardo) 
For additional location information call the Servicio de Extensión Agrícola at 787-863-0352  |
| 9/10/2008  | 2 pm – 4 pm  | Ponce, PR  | Servicio de Extensión Agrícola, 2440 Ave. Las Americas, Ste. 208, Centro Gubernamental, Ponce, PR 00717-2111  |
| 9/11/2008  | 7 pm – 9 pm  | Mayagüez, PR  | University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Physics Building, Room 310, Mayagüez, PR 00680  |

## Scoping: U.S. Virgin Islands

**Concern about increasing fishing effort with a new Federal fishing permit; territorial permits under moratorium for 8 years**
**St. Croix has a small scale BAYS tuna fishery; St. Thomas fishermen mostly target shelf/reef fish (very little HMS)**
**Few fish dealers currently authorized to purchase HMS**
**Fishermen want the ability to continue to use free-floating handlines to target BAYS tunas**
**Fishermen “multi-fish” and request the ability to possess HMS while non-authorized gears are onboard their vessels**
**FADs were deployed off St. Croix to reduce effort on the shelf resources – local fishermen depend on them for tunas and other pelagics**

## Scoping: Puerto Rico

**Interest in a Caribbean handgear permit that authorizes fishing AND sales of HMS**
**Few fish dealers currently authorized to purchase HMS**
**Interest in using unattached handlines to target swordfish  should a market develop in the region**
**NMFS should use the Puerto Rico trip ticket program (already in Spanish); request modification of the trip ticket to gather more species specific information for HMS**
**Any logbooks or additional reporting would need to be extremely simple and in Spanish**
**NMFS should increase outreach and emphasize the need for timely and accurate reporting; outreach materials need to be available in both English and Spanish**

## Scoping: Puerto Rico Continued

**Requests for shark identification workshops in the region**
**No FADs are currently deployed off Puerto Rico**
**Recreational fishermen are interested in using FADs**
**Commercial fishermen would want FADs restricted to commercial use only**
**NMFS should request that Puerto Rico issue a territorial shark and pelagics permit to help track territorial shark landings**
**NMFS should request that Puerto Rico deny vessel registration renewals if vessel owners have unresolved fishing violations**

## Tentative Timeline

- Scoping: Summer/Fall 2008
- Predraft: Spring 2009
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Proposed Rule: Summer 2009, 60 day comment period
- Final EIS: Winter 2010, 30 day comment period
- Final Rule: Spring 2010, 30 days until effective

## Comments/Questions

- Send Comments by October 31, 2008
**Mail**:
- Greg Fairclough, HMS Management Division, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701 – indicate “Scoping Comments on Amendment 4 to the Consolidated HMS FMP ” on envelope
**Email**:
**noi.hms.caribbean@noaa.gov**
**FAX**:
- (727) 824-5398
- Indicate “Scoping Comments on Amendment 4 to the Consolidated HMS FMP ”

## Issues and Options

- Any additional comments and/or issues and options?