Caribbean Fishery Management Council151st Meeting December 9-10 2014

St. Thomas, USVI

Developing Consistent Regulations for Three Seasonally

Closed Areas off Puerto Rico: Abrir la Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico,

and Tourmaline Bank

Bajo de Sico and Tourmaline Bank are under federal and territorial jurisdiction

Abrir La Sierra is under federal jurisdiction only

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED SEASON

• Alt 1: No Action

• Alt 2: Modify the Bajo de Sico closed season to be Dec 1-Last day of Feb.

• Alt 3: Modify the closed season to be Oct 1-March 31 • Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank • Sub-Alt b: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 4: Modify the closed season to be Dec 1-May 31.• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 5: Modify the closed season to be year-round.• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED SEASON

• Alt 6: Modify the closed season to be Dec 1-March 31 (Preferred)

• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred)• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

• See file Maturity and MPAs SEAMAP.pptx

ACTION 2: MODIFY REEF FISH FISHING ACTIVITIES

• Alt 1: No Action 

• Alt 2: Prohibit fishing for Council-managed reef fish in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

 

• Alt 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of Council- managed reef fish during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 (Preferred)

• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub-Alt b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 3: MODIFY SPINY LOBSTER FISHING ACTIVITIES

• Alt 1: No Action

• Alt 2: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

• Alt 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster during the seasonal closure established in Action 1• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 4: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster year-round• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 5: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster year-round• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 6: Allow fishing for spiny lobster year-round (Preferred)• Sub- Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub- Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred)• Sub- Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 4: PROHIBIT ANCHORING

• Alt 1: No Action

• Alt 2: Prohibit anchoring during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

• Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 3: Prohibit anchoring year-round (Preferred)• Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub-Alternative b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 5: MODIFY HMS FISHING ACTIVITIES

• Alt 1: No Action

• Alt 2: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit bottom longline fishing for HMS year- round in Bajo de Sico (Preferred)

• Alt 3: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit fishing for, and possession of, HMS in some or all of the three areas during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 4: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit fishing for, and possession of, HMS in some or all of the three areas during the seasonal closure established in Action 1, with an exception that would allow surface trolling for all HMS, as defined at §635.21(a)(4)(iv), and speargun fishing gear to fish for bigeye, albacore, yellowfin and skipjack (BAYS) tunas. (Preferred)

• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred)• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 6: MODIFY SPEARFISHING ACTIVITIES

• Alt 1: No Action: Retain the existing spearfishing regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas.

• Alt 2: Prohibit spearfishing for Council-managed reef fish during the seasonal

closure established in Action 1(Preferred)• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred)• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred)• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

• Alt 3: Prohibit spearfishing for all non-HMS-managed species, including

Council-managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics, during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank • Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico • Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

• Alt 4: Prohibit spearfishing for all non-HMS-managed species, including

Council-managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics, year-round• Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank• Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico• Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

NEXT STEPS

• Determine Final Preferred Alternatives

• Spring Meeting• Review codified text• Approve Amendment for Secretarial Review

Management (2014) Bajo de Sico Tourmaline Abrir La Sierra

Seasonal Area ClosureEEZ 1 Oct-30 March

(6 months)1 Dec – 28 Feb (3 months)

1 Dec – 28 Feb (3 months)

PR NONE NONE NONE

Gear BannedEEZ Traps, pots, bottom longlines and nets are prohibited

YEAR ROUNDPR

Species/gears managed during seasonal area

closure

EEZ Reef Fish ONLY ALL Fishing Prohibited (including pelagics, lobster, reef fish, queen conch)

PR NONE NONE NONE

Anchoring

EEZ Prohibited Allowed (retrieval system)

Allowed (retrieval system)

PR Prohibited Prohibited Prohibited (but all EEZ)

Seasonal Closures

EEZ Red hind (Dec-Feb); SU1 (Oct-Dec); GU4 (Feb-April); Mutton (Apr-Jun); Lane (Apr-Jun); QC (Jan-Dec)

PR Red hind (Dec-Feb); Silk/blackfin (Oct-Dec); yellowfin grouper (Feb-Apr); Mutton (Apr-May); QC (Aug-Oct)

OpenClosed

Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecRed Hind*Federal WatersPR State WatersMutton snapperFederal WatersPR State Waters

Lane snapper

Federal WatersPR State WatersGrouper Unit 4Federal WatersRed grouperBlack grouperTiger grouperYellowedge grouper

Yellowfin grouper

PR State WatersYellowfin grouper

Snapper Unit 1Federal WatersBlack snapperVermillionBlackfin snapperSilk snapperPR State WatersBlackfin snapperSilk snapper

Abrir la SierraFederalState (N/A)

TourmalineFederalState

Bajo de SicoFederal State

Federal Waters

Yellowfin only in PR waters

Federal Waters

PR State Waters

FEDERAL AND STATE WATERS - Puerto Rico

SeasonalClosures

AreaClosures

All fishing

Reef fish

     FEDERAL AND STATE WATERS - Puerto RicoOpen

Closed  Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec   Red Hind* F/ S                   F/S   Mutton snapper       F/S F/S F               

Lane snapper       F F F               Grouper Unit 4  Red grouper   F F F                Black grouper   F F F                Tiger grouper   F F F                Yellowedge grouper  

F F F               

Yellowfin grouper  F/S F/S F/S

                  Snapper Unit 1  Black snapper                   F F FVermillion                   F F F

Blackfin snapper                  F/S F/S F/S

Silk snapper                   F/S F/S F/S   Abrir la Sierra F F                   F   Tourmaline* F F                   F   Bajo de Sico* F F F             F F F   *State Open