[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65215-65216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27133]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC); Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings on 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.
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SUMMARY: The CFMC is considering modifying the timing for the
implementation of accountability measure based closures in the EEZ and
specifying how often to revisit the modification. The Council is
considering these management measures in order to ensure AM-based
closures successfully achieve their conservation objective at the least
cost to fishers and the fishing communities, consistent with National
Standard 8 the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act.
Following are the actions and management alternatives:
The Amendment consists of two actions:
Action 1: Modify the timimg for the implementation of AM-based
closures in the EEZ.
[[Page 65216]]
Alternative 1: No action. Continue AM-based closures resulting from
an ACL overage beginning on December 31st of the closure year and
extending backward in the year for the number of days neccesary to
achieve the required reduction in landings.
Alternative 2: Accountability measure-based closures resulting from
an ACL overage will begin on September 30th of the closure year and
would extend backward into the year for the number of days necessary to
achieve the required reduction in landing. This closure start date
would apply to all FMUs for each of Puerto Rico commercial and
recreational sectors, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and Caribbean-
wide. If for any FMU in any year, the number of days left in the year
is not enough to achieve the required reduction in landings, then those
additional days would be captured in the opposite direction.
Alternative 3: Accountability measure-based closures resulting from
am ACL overage will begin on January 1st of the closure year and would
extend forward into the year for the number of days necessary to
achieve the required reduction in landing. This closure start date
would apply to all FMUs for each of Puerto Rico commercial and
recreational sectors, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and Caribbean-
wide.
Alternative 4: Establish a fixed fishing closure start date for the
implememtation of AMs for each FMU (i.e., species/species complex) by
island/island group (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and
Caribbean-wide). A different start date may be chosen for each FMU on
each island/island group, but that start date would apply every year
AMs need to be triggered for that FMU on that island. The start date
will begin on the last day of the identified month and go backward
towards the beginning of the year.
Alternative 4 Sub-alternatives:
Alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month with
highest average landings.
Alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month with
lowest average landing.
Alternative 4--Puerto Rico (Commercial):
Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of
available landings data.
Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available
landings data.
Alternative 4--Puerto Rico (Recreational):
Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of
available landings data.
Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available
landings data.
Alternative 4--St. Thomas/St. John, USVI (Commercial and
Recreational combined):
Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of
available landings data.
Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available
landings data.
Alternative---Caribbean-Wide (Commercial and Recreational combined)
Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of
available landings data (shortest closure time).
Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available
landings data.
Action 2: Specify how often to revisit the approach selected in
Action 1.
Alternative 1: No action. Do not specify how often the approach
chosen should be revisited.
Alternative 2 (Preferred): Review the approach selected no longer
than 2 years from implementation and every 2 years thereafter.
Alternative 3: Review the approach selected no longer than 5 years
from implementation and every five years thereafter.
Dates and Addresses: The meetings will be held on the following
dates and locations:
In the U.S. Virgin Islands:
November 16, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--The Buccaneer Hotel, Estate
Shoys, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI.
November 17, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Windward Passage Hotel,
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI.
In Puerto Rico:
November 23, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Doubletree Hotel, De Diego
Avenue, Santurce, PR.
November 24, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Mayaguez Holiday Inn, 2701
Hostos Avenue, Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico.
November 25, 2015, 2 p.m.-5 p.m.--Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical
Casino, 3315 Ponce By Pass, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-
1903, telephone (787) 766-5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copy of the document, ``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'', can be found at the CFMC Web
page: caribbeanfmc.com.
Written comments can be sent to the Council not later than December
10, 2015, by regular mail to the address below, or via email to
[email protected].
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,
270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
00918-1903, telephone (787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date.
Dated: October 21, 2015.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27133 Filed 10-23-15; 8:45 am]
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