[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39221-39222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16153]
[[Page 39221]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC081
Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings and Scoping
Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold two public
hearings to obtain input from fishers, the general public, and the
local agencies representatives on the Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (dealing with seagrasses)
and Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (dealing with size
limits for parrotfish); and one Scoping Meeting on Options for Island-
Specific Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S. Caribbean.
DATES: The public hearings and scoping meeting will be held in July.
For specific dates and times see Supplementary Information under the
heading Meetings, Dates, and Locations.
ADDRESSES: The public hearings and scoping meeting will be held in
Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. For specific locations see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading Meetings, Dates, and
Locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
268 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico
00918-1920, telephone (787) 766-5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Meetings, Dates, and Locations
Puerto Rico
July 23, 2012, DoubleTree by Hilton San Juan, 105 De Diego Avenue,
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00914.
July 24, 2012, Asociaci[oacute]n de Pescadores, Villa Pesquera
Playa Hucar, 66.7 Km Highway 3 Naguabo, Puerto Rico 00718.
July 25, 2012, Holiday Inn Mayag[uuml]ez, 2701 Highway 2,
Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico 00680.
July 26, 2012, Ponce Holiday Inn, 3315 Ponce by Pass, Ponce, Puerto
Rico 00731.
U.S. Virgin Islands
July 24, 2012, Windward Passage Hotel, Veterans Drive, Charlotte
Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00804.
July 25, 2012, The Buccaneer Hotel, 5007 Estate Shoys,
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820.
The public hearings will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., for
seagrass; from 7:10 p.m. to 8 p.m., for parrotfish; and the scoping
meeting for island-specific management from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold two public
hearings and one scoping meeting to receive public input on the
following management alternatives:
Public Hearings
Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Public Hearing
Dealing With Size Limits for Parrotfish)
Action 1: Alternatives for Parrotfish Commercial Size Limits
Alternative 1: No Action: Do not establish minimum size limits for
the commercial sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish
fishery.
Alternative 2: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St.
Croix.
No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
a. 9 inches fork length (FL)
b. 10 inches FL
c. 11 inches FL
d. 12 inches FL
Alternative 3: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St.
Thomas/St. John.
a. No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
b. 9 inches FL
c. 10 inches FL
d. 11 inches FL
e. 12 inches FL
Alternative 4: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in
Puerto Rico.
a. No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
b. 9 inches FL
c. 10 inches FL
d. 11 inches FL
e. 12 inches FL
Action 2: Alternatives for Parrotfish Recreational Size Limits
Alternative 1: No Action: Do not establish minimum size limits for
the recreational sector of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish
fishery.
Alternative 2: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reeffish fishery in St.
Croix.
No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
a. 9 inches FL
b. 10 inches FL
c. 11 inches FL
d. 12 inches FL
Alternative 3: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St.
Thomas/St. John.
a. No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
b. 9 inches FL
c. 10 inches FL
d. 11 inches FL
e. 12 inches FL
Alternative 4: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in
Puerto Rico.
a. No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
b. 9 inches FL
c. 10 inches FL
d. 11 inches FL
e. 12 inches FL
Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands (public hearing dealing with seagrasses)
Proposed Action
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council proposes: To modify the
management of seagrass species included in the Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan. There are
four alternatives proposed for this action:
Alternative 1: No Action. Do not modify the management of seagrass
species listed in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and
Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan. Retain current management
reference points or proxies for seagrass species.
Alternative 2: Prohibit the harvest in the U.S. Caribbean exclusive
economic zone of seagrass species listed in the Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan.
Sub-Alternative 2(a): Prohibit harvest and establish an annual
catch limit = 0 for seagrass species listed in the Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan.
Sub-Alternative 2(b): Prohibit harvest and establish an annual
catch limit = 1 lb. wet weight for the seagrass species
listed in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates
Fishery Management Plan to account for harvest associated with
educational or restoration purposes.
Alternative 3: Designate the seagrass species listed in the Corals
and Reef
[[Page 39222]]
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan as
Ecosystem Component species as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Act
National Standard 1 Guidelines.
Alternative 4: (Preferred) Remove all species of seagrass from the
Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management
Plan
Scoping Meetings
Options for Island-Specific Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S.
Caribbean (scoping meeting)
Option 1--No Action
Do not modify the existing species-specific FMPs. NOAA Fisheries
and the Caribbean Council would continue to manage federal fisheries in
the U.S. Caribbean EEZ under the Spiny Lobster, Reef Fish, Coral, and
Queen Conch FMPs.
Option 2--The Four Island FMP Approach
Create new island-specific FMPs for Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St.
Thomas, and St. John. Under this option, the Caribbean Council and NOAA
Fisheries would manage the EEZ resources under separate FMPs for each
of these islands.
Option 3--The Three Island FMP Approach
Create three new island-specific FMPs for Puerto Rico, St. Croix
and St. Thomas/St. John. The Caribbean Council and NOAA Fisheries would
combine management of the St. Thomas and St. John EEZ resources. The
St. Croix and Puerto Rico EEZ resources would be managed under separate
FMPs.
Option 4--The Two Island FMP Approach-Puerto Rican Bank Approach
This option would allow the Caribbean Council and NOAA Fisheries to
develop two island-specific FMPs. The Caribbean Council and NOAA
Fisheries would combine management of the Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and
St. John EEZ resources but would manage the St. Croix EEZ resources
under separate FMPs.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language
interpretation and other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A.
Rol[oacute]n, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
268 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
00918-1920, telephone (787) 766-5926, at least five days prior to the
meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 27, 2012.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16153 Filed 6-29-12; 8:45 am]
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