Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings and Meetings, 32697-32699 [2014-13236]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 109 / Friday, June 6, 2014 / Notices
Reef Fish Management Committee
Agenda, Tuesday, June 24, 2014, 8:30
a.m. until 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. until 5:30
p.m.
1. Discussion of the SEDAR 33
Benchmark Assessments for Gag
and Greater Amberjack
2. Review of Amendment 28—Red
Snapper Allocation and
Recreational Accountability
Measures
3. Review of the Red Snapper Slot Limit
and Hook Size Analysis
4. Review of Amendment 40—
Recreational Red Snapper Sector
Separation Public Hearing Draft
5. Final Review of the Correction to
Codified Text for IFQ Species
Complexes
6. Federal For-Hire Red Snapper
Limited Access Privilege Program
7. Discussion of Recreational Red
Snapper Management Feedback
—Recess—
Shrimp Committee Agenda,
Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
until 9:30 a.m.
1. Review of Public Hearing Draft for
Shrimp Amendment 15—Status
Determination Criteria for Penaeid
Shrimp and Adjustments to the
Shrimp FMP Framework Procedure
2. Review of the April 2014 ESA Section
7 Consultation on the Continued
Implementation of Sea Turtle
Conservation Regulations under
ESA and the Continued
Authorization of the Southeast U.S.
Shrimp Fisheries in Federal Waters
3. Update on the Shrimp Workshop
Data Collection Committee Agenda,
Wednesday June 25, 2014, 9:30 a.m.
until 11:30 a.m.
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
1. Discussion of Technical
Subcommittee for Electronic
Charter Boat Reporting
Recommendations
2. Update on Headboat Collaborative
Program
3. Discussion of Southeast Region’s
Electronic Monitoring and
Reporting Implementation Program
4. Discussion of MRIP Methodology to
Monitor Recreational Landings
—Recess—
Outreach and Education Committee
Agenda, Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 1
p.m. until 1:30 p.m.
1. Summary of Outreach and Education
Advisory Panel Meeting
Sustainable Fisheries/Ecosystem
Committee Agenda, Wednesday, June
25, 2014, 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
1. Review of the GOM Ecosystem
Assessment Status Report
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2. Review of the Status Determination
Criteria, Optimum Yield, and Red
Snapper ACL Designation Options
Paper
3. Discussion of the Permits for Veterans
Proposal
—Recess—
Council Session Agenda, Wednesday,
June 25, 2014, 5 p.m. until 8:15 p.m.
5 p.m.—5:15 p.m.: Call to Order,
introductions, adoption of agenda
and approval of minutes
5:15 p.m.—8:15 p.m.: The Council will
receive public testimony on Final
Action—Correction to Codified Text
for IFQ Species Complexes,
Updated Draft Amendment 28—Red
Snapper Allocation and
Recreational Accountability
Measures. The Council will also
hold an open public comment
period regarding any other fishery
issues or concerns. People wishing
to speak before the Council should
complete a public comment card
prior to the comment period.
—Recess—
Council Session Agenda, Thursday,
June 26, 2014, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
8:30 a.m.—10:15 a.m.: The Council will
receive the following presentations:
Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary Status of Management,
RESTORE Act Presentation, Summary of
NOAA Restoration Science Program
Advisory Working Group (RSPAWG),
Discussion of RESTORE Act.
10:15 a.m.—4:30 p.m.: The Council will
receive committee reports from the
Advisory Panel Selection, Red
Drum, Outreach and Education,
Data Collection, Shrimp,
Sustainable Fisheries/Ecosystem
and the Administrative Policy.
—Recess—
Council Session Agenda, Friday, June
27, 2014, 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
9 a.m.—11 a.m.: The Council will
continue to receive committee
reports from the Reef Fish
committee.
11 a.m.—11:30 a.m.: The Council will
discuss other business.
—Adjourn—
The Agenda is subject to change, and
the latest version will be posted on the
Council’s file server, which can be
accessed by going to the Council Web
site at https://www.gulfcouncil.org and
clicking on FTP Server under Quick
Links. The meetings will be webcast
over the internet. A link to the webcast
will be available on the Council’s Web
site, https://www.gulfcouncil.org.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
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32697
before this group for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. Action will
be restricted to those issues specifically
identified in this notice and any issues
arising after publication of this notice
that require emergency action under
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, provided the public has been
notified of the Council’s intent to take
final action to address the emergency.
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Kathy Pereira at
the Council Office (see ADDRESSES), at
least 5 working days prior to the
meeting.
Note: The times and sequence specified in
this agenda are subject to change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 3, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–13237 Filed 6–5–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD325
Caribbean Fishery Management
Council; Public Hearings and Meetings
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings and
scoping meetings.
AGENCY:
The Caribbean Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold public hearings to obtain input
from fishers, the general public and the
local agencies representatives on the
Draft Comprehensive Amendment to the
U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management
Plans (FMPs): Annual Catch Limit
Control Rule. Immediately following,
the Council will hold scoping meetings
on the Scoping Document that addresses
the Timing of Accountability MeasureBased Seasonal Closures in all the U.S.
Caribbean FMPs. These are separate
actions, each of which would amend the
Council FMPs for the Reef Fish
Resources, Corals and Reef Associated
Plants and Invertebrates, Spiny Lobster,
and Queen Conch Resources of Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
SUMMARY:
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32698
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 109 / Friday, June 6, 2014 / Notices
Dates and Addresses: The Public
Hearings and Scoping Meetings will be
held on the following dates and
locations:
In Puerto Rico:
June 23rd, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical Casino,
3315 Ponce By Pass, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
June 24th, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
Doubletree by Hilton San Juan Hotel, De
Diego Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
June 25th, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
´
Club Nautico de Arecibo, Rd. 681 Km
1.4, Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
June 26th, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
Mayaguez Holiday Inn, 2701 Hostos
Avenue, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
June 30th, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
´
Asociacion de Pescadores Unidos de
´
Playa Hucares de Naguabo, Naguabo,
Puerto Rico.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands:
June 23rd, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
Windward Passage Hotel, Charlotte
Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
June 24th, 2014—7 p.m.–10 p.m.—
Buccaneer Hotel, Estate Shoys,
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin
Islands.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
˜
270 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401,
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–1903,
telephone: (787) 766–5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Council will first convene the public
hearing to take comments on the Annual
Catch Limit Control Rule. Immediately
following that public hearing the
Council will convene the scoping
meeting to discuss alternative
approaches for establishing fishing
season closures that are required in
response to overages of an annual catch
limit. Specifically, the Council intends
to receive public input on the following
management actions:
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Public Hearing
Draft Comprehensive Amendment to the
U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management
Plans: Annual Catch Limit Control Rule
Summary: NMFS, in collaboration
with the Council, has developed this
Comprehensive Amendment and its
Draft Environmental Assessment to
establish an ‘‘Annual Catch Limit (ACL)
Control Rule’’ to adjust the current
buffer reduction applied to the
overfishing limit (OFL), or to the
acceptable biological catch (ABC) (if
specified), to derive the ACL for species
managed by the Council in Puerto Rico,
St. Croix, and St. Thomas/St. John
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The
control rule would apply a specific
buffer reduction based on the current
status of the fishery management unit
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13:59 Jun 05, 2014
Jkt 232001
(FMU) as determined by NMFS.
Establishing this control rule would
provide the Council and NMFS the
flexibility to respond quickly to changes
in the fishery.
The alternatives considered in this
Comprehensive Amendment address the
following issue:
The 2010 Caribbean ACL Amendment
(FR 76 82404) and the 2011 Caribbean
ACL Amendment (FR 76 82414), both
implemented in 2012, established ACLs
for all species managed by the Council.
Annual catch limits for managed species
were derived from buffer reductions to
their respective OFL or ABC to account
for scientific and management
uncertainty. The Council considered the
overfishing status of stocks at the time
of preparation of these amendments
when determining how much
uncertainty (percent reduction) should
be applied to the OFL or the ABC (if
specified) to derive the ACL for each
FMU and sector (commercial or
recreational) within the unit.
Since the completion of these
amendments, the overfishing status of
several of these FMUs has changed, and
it is anticipated that future changes in
overfishing status will occur. To
respond to this situation, the Council
requested a modification to the
regulations to ensure that, when the
overfishing status of a stock changes, the
buffer reduction applied to the
appropriate management reference point
to determine the ACL should be
changed accordingly. Establishing an
‘‘ACL Control Rule’’ through this
comprehensive amendment would
provide for a new and straightforward
process that would allow for ACL
revisions based on overfishing status.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
Action: Establish a control rule to
adjust the buffer reduction applied to
the OFL or to the ABC used to derive
the ACL to reflect a change in
overfishing status of the stock. There are
three alternatives for this action:
Alternative 1: No Action. Do not
establish a control rule to adjust the
buffer reduction applied to the OFL or
the ABC to determine the ACL for all
FMUs for which harvest is allowed. The
buffer reductions to the OFL or the ABC
would continue to be those defined in
the 2010 and 2011 Caribbean ACL
Amendments.
Alternative 2: For all FMUs for which
harvest is allowed (or where applicable),
establish an ACL Control Rule where
ACL = [OFL (or ABC) × (0.85)] for FMUs
determined to be subject to overfishing,
and where ACL = [OFL (or ABC) ×
(0.90)] for FMUs determined not to be
subject to overfishing in a specific year.
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Fmt 4703
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Alternative 3 (Preferred): Establish an
ACL Control Rule where ACL = [OFL (or
ABC) × (0.85)] for FMUs determined to
be subject to overfishing, and where
ACL = [OFL (or ABC) × (0.90)] for FMUs
determined not to be subject to
overfishing in a specific year. The ACL
control rule would apply to FMUs for
which harvest is allowed, with the
exception of the following FMUs, for
which buffer reductions to the OFL or
ABC specified in the 2010 and/or 2011
Caribbean ACL amendment would
continue to be applied to derive the
ACL:
Sub-alternative 3a (Preferred).
Parrotfish FMU—As defined in the 2010
Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL =
[ABC × (0.85)]. An additional 5.8822%
reduction to the ACL of the parrotfish
FMU would continue to be applied in
the St. Croix management area to further
reduce harvest from this direct fishery
in recognition of the ecological role of
parrotfish as herbivores. Sub-alternative
3b (Preferred). Surgeonfish FMU—As
defined in the 2011 Caribbean ACL
Amendment, ACL = [ABC × (0.75)] to
reflect the ecological role of surgeonfish
as herbivores in coral reefs.
Sub-alternative 3c (Preferred).
Angelfish FMU—As defined in the 2011
Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL =
[ABC × (0.75)] to reflect the ecological
role of angelfish as spongivores in coral
reefs. Sub-alternative 3d (Preferred).
Queen conch FMU—As defined in the
2010 Caribbean ACL Amendment, for
St. Croix, ACL = ABC specified by the
Caribbean Fishery Management
Council’s Scientific and Statistical
Committee. For Puerto Rico and St.
Thomas/St. John, ACL = 0. Subalternative 3e (Preferred). Aquarium
trade species FMU—As defined in the
2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL
= [ABC × (0.75)] for aquarium trade
species in the Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates
FMP and in the Reef Fish FMP.
Scoping Meeting
Scoping Document To Address the
Timing of Accountability MeasureBased Seasonal Closures in All U.S.
Caribbean Fishery Management Plans
Summary: In U.S. Caribbean federal
waters, accountability measures (AMs)
require NMFS’ Assistant Administrator
to shorten the length of the fishing
season if it has been determined that
prior year(s) landings exceeded the ACL
for an FMU. The fishing season would
be shortened in the year following an
overage determination by the amount
necessary to constrain landings to the
ACL. These AM-based reductions in the
length of the fishing season, for any
E:\FR\FM\06JNN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 109 / Friday, June 6, 2014 / Notices
FMU for which the ACL has been
exceeded, are implemented beginning
on December 31st of the appropriate
year and extending backwards in the
year for the number of days necessary to
achieve the required reduction in
landings. Fishers have expressed to the
Council that the timing of these closures
results in negative socio-economic
impacts. To address this issue, the
Council is proposing to develop a
mechanism that allows them and NMFS
to establish closure dates other than the
standard end of the year closures in the
event of an overage of the ACL for a
specific group of species. There are
several approaches that the Council
could consider to evaluate and
eventually establish a mechanism to
guide the selection of AM-based
seasonal closures:
Default AM-Closure Date—No Action
Accountability measure-based
closures would continue to be
implemented beginning on December
31st of the appropriate year and
extending backwards in the year for the
number of days necessary to achieve the
required reduction in landings.
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
‘‘Customized’’ Approach/Mechanism
Change the default AM-closure date
(closures start from December 31st going
backwards). This procedure to set the
timing of the closures would consist of
performing an analysis every year for
those units that exceeded the ACL over
the average of a chosen number of years,
and choosing the best date to close the
season for the next year based on that
specific analysis.
‘‘Upfront’’ Timing Approach (PreDetermined AM-Based Closure Dates)
This approach would also change the
default AM-closure date but in a
different way than the ‘‘Customized’’
Process/Mechanism. This approach
would consist of a one-time predetermination and establishment of
closure dates (e.g., start or end date) for
all Council FMUs (or alternatively apply
the analysis to a selected group of
FMUs) and implement through
rulemaking. The start or end date would
not have to be the same for each FMU.
The goal of this Scoping Hearing is to
allow the public to comment on the
options listed above and to provide
alternative options not yet considered
by the Council and NMFS, considering
the goals of remaining within the ACL
and lessening the socio-economic
impact of AMs.
Written comments can be sent to the
Council not later than July 25th, 2013,
by regular mail to the address below, or
via email to graciela_cfmc@yahoo.com.
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13:59 Jun 05, 2014
Jkt 232001
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. Rolon, Executive Director,
Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
˜
270 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401,
San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00918–1903,
telephone: (787) 766–5926, at least 5
days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: June 3, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–13236 Filed 6–5–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD022
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Construction
Activities at the Children’s Pool
Lifeguard Station at La Jolla, California
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of an Incidental
Harassment Authorization (IHA).
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), notification is hereby given
that NMFS has issued an IHA to the City
of San Diego to take small numbers of
marine mammals, by Level B
harassment, incidental to construction
activities at the Children’s Pool
Lifeguard Station in La Jolla, California.
DATES: Effective June 28, 2014 through
June 27, 2015.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the IHA and the
application are available by writing to
Jolie Harrison, Supervisor, Incidental
Take Program, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or by
telephoning the contacts listed below
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
An electronic copy of the IHA
application containing a list of the
references used in this document may
be obtained by writing to the address
specified above, telephoning the contact
listed below (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT), or visiting the
Internet at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
pr/permits/incidental.htm. Documents
SUMMARY:
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32699
cited in this notice, including the IHA
application, may also be viewed, by
appointment, during regular business
hours, at the aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Howard Goldstein or Jolie Harrison,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
301–427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), directs
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary)
to allow, upon request, the incidental,
but not intentional, taking of small
numbers of marine mammals, by United
States citizens who engage in a specified
activity (other than commercial fishing)
within a specified geographical region if
certain findings are made and either
regulations are issued or, if the taking is
limited to harassment, a notice of a
proposed authorization is provided to
the public for review.
Authorization for the incidental
takings shall be granted if NMFS finds
that the taking will have a negligible
impact on the species or stock(s), will
not have an unmitigable adverse impact
on the availability of the species or
stock(s) for subsistence uses (where
relevant), and if the permissible
methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring,
and reporting of such takings are set
forth. NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible
impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as ‘‘* * * an
impact resulting from the specified
activity that cannot be reasonably
expected to, and is not reasonably likely
to, adversely affect the species or stock
through effects on annual rates of
recruitment or survival.’’
Except with respect to certain
activities not pertinent here, the MMPA
defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: Any act of
pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i)
has the potential to injure a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the
wild [Level A harassment]; or (ii) has
the potential to disturb a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the
wild by causing disruption of behavioral
patterns, including, but not limited to,
migration, breathing, nursing, breeding,
feeding, or sheltering [Level B
harassment].
Summary of Request
On November 26, 2013, NMFS
received an application from the City of
San Diego, Engineering and Capital
Projects Department, requesting an IHA
for the taking of marine mammals
incidental to construction activities.
NMFS determined that the IHA
application was adequate and complete
E:\FR\FM\06JNN1.SGM
06JNN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32697-32699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13236]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD325
Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings and
Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings and scoping meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
public hearings to obtain input from fishers, the general public and
the local agencies representatives on the Draft Comprehensive Amendment
to the U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management Plans (FMPs): Annual Catch
Limit Control Rule. Immediately following, the Council will hold
scoping meetings on the Scoping Document that addresses the Timing of
Accountability Measure-Based Seasonal Closures in all the U.S.
Caribbean FMPs. These are separate actions, each of which would amend
the Council FMPs for the Reef Fish Resources, Corals and Reef
Associated Plants and Invertebrates, Spiny Lobster, and Queen Conch
Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
[[Page 32698]]
Dates and Addresses: The Public Hearings and Scoping Meetings will
be held on the following dates and locations:
In Puerto Rico:
June 23rd, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical
Casino, 3315 Ponce By Pass, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
June 24th, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Doubletree by Hilton San Juan
Hotel, De Diego Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
June 25th, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Club N[aacute]utico de Arecibo,
Rd. 681 Km 1.4, Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
June 26th, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Mayaguez Holiday Inn, 2701 Hostos
Avenue, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
June 30th, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Asociaci[oacute]n de Pescadores
Unidos de Playa H[uacute]cares de Naguabo, Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands:
June 23rd, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Windward Passage Hotel, Charlotte
Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
June 24th, 2014--7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Buccaneer Hotel, Estate Shoys,
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
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: The Council will first convene the public
hearing to take comments on the Annual Catch Limit Control Rule.
Immediately following that public hearing the Council will convene the
scoping meeting to discuss alternative approaches for establishing
fishing season closures that are required in response to overages of an
annual catch limit. Specifically, the Council intends to receive public
input on the following management actions:
Public Hearing
Draft Comprehensive Amendment to the U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management
Plans: Annual Catch Limit Control Rule
Summary: NMFS, in collaboration with the Council, has developed
this Comprehensive Amendment and its Draft Environmental Assessment to
establish an ``Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Control Rule'' to adjust the
current buffer reduction applied to the overfishing limit (OFL), or to
the acceptable biological catch (ABC) (if specified), to derive the ACL
for species managed by the Council in Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St.
Thomas/St. John Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The control rule would
apply a specific buffer reduction based on the current status of the
fishery management unit (FMU) as determined by NMFS. Establishing this
control rule would provide the Council and NMFS the flexibility to
respond quickly to changes in the fishery.
The alternatives considered in this Comprehensive Amendment address
the following issue:
The 2010 Caribbean ACL Amendment (FR 76 82404) and the 2011
Caribbean ACL Amendment (FR 76 82414), both implemented in 2012,
established ACLs for all species managed by the Council. Annual catch
limits for managed species were derived from buffer reductions to their
respective OFL or ABC to account for scientific and management
uncertainty. The Council considered the overfishing status of stocks at
the time of preparation of these amendments when determining how much
uncertainty (percent reduction) should be applied to the OFL or the ABC
(if specified) to derive the ACL for each FMU and sector (commercial or
recreational) within the unit.
Since the completion of these amendments, the overfishing status of
several of these FMUs has changed, and it is anticipated that future
changes in overfishing status will occur. To respond to this situation,
the Council requested a modification to the regulations to ensure that,
when the overfishing status of a stock changes, the buffer reduction
applied to the appropriate management reference point to determine the
ACL should be changed accordingly. Establishing an ``ACL Control Rule''
through this comprehensive amendment would provide for a new and
straightforward process that would allow for ACL revisions based on
overfishing status.
Proposed Action and Alternatives
Action: Establish a control rule to adjust the buffer reduction
applied to the OFL or to the ABC used to derive the ACL to reflect a
change in overfishing status of the stock. There are three alternatives
for this action:
Alternative 1: No Action. Do not establish a control rule to adjust
the buffer reduction applied to the OFL or the ABC to determine the ACL
for all FMUs for which harvest is allowed. The buffer reductions to the
OFL or the ABC would continue to be those defined in the 2010 and 2011
Caribbean ACL Amendments.
Alternative 2: For all FMUs for which harvest is allowed (or where
applicable), establish an ACL Control Rule where ACL = [OFL (or ABC) x
(0.85)] for FMUs determined to be subject to overfishing, and where ACL
= [OFL (or ABC) x (0.90)] for FMUs determined not to be subject to
overfishing in a specific year.
Alternative 3 (Preferred): Establish an ACL Control Rule where ACL
= [OFL (or ABC) x (0.85)] for FMUs determined to be subject to
overfishing, and where ACL = [OFL (or ABC) x (0.90)] for FMUs
determined not to be subject to overfishing in a specific year. The ACL
control rule would apply to FMUs for which harvest is allowed, with the
exception of the following FMUs, for which buffer reductions to the OFL
or ABC specified in the 2010 and/or 2011 Caribbean ACL amendment would
continue to be applied to derive the ACL:
Sub-alternative 3a (Preferred). Parrotfish FMU--As defined in the
2010 Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL = [ABC x (0.85)]. An additional
5.8822% reduction to the ACL of the parrotfish FMU would continue to be
applied in the St. Croix management area to further reduce harvest from
this direct fishery in recognition of the ecological role of parrotfish
as herbivores. Sub-alternative 3b (Preferred). Surgeonfish FMU--As
defined in the 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL = [ABC x (0.75)] to
reflect the ecological role of surgeonfish as herbivores in coral
reefs.
Sub-alternative 3c (Preferred). Angelfish FMU--As defined in the
2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL = [ABC x (0.75)] to reflect the
ecological role of angelfish as spongivores in coral reefs. Sub-
alternative 3d (Preferred). Queen conch FMU--As defined in the 2010
Caribbean ACL Amendment, for St. Croix, ACL = ABC specified by the
Caribbean Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical
Committee. For Puerto Rico and St. Thomas/St. John, ACL = 0. Sub-
alternative 3e (Preferred). Aquarium trade species FMU--As defined in
the 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment, ACL = [ABC x (0.75)] for aquarium
trade species in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and
Invertebrates FMP and in the Reef Fish FMP.
Scoping Meeting
Scoping Document To Address the Timing of Accountability Measure-Based
Seasonal Closures in All U.S. Caribbean Fishery Management Plans
Summary: In U.S. Caribbean federal waters, accountability measures
(AMs) require NMFS' Assistant Administrator to shorten the length of
the fishing season if it has been determined that prior year(s)
landings exceeded the ACL for an FMU. The fishing season would be
shortened in the year following an overage determination by the amount
necessary to constrain landings to the ACL. These AM-based reductions
in the length of the fishing season, for any
[[Page 32699]]
FMU for which the ACL has been exceeded, are implemented beginning on
December 31st of the appropriate year and extending backwards in the
year for the number of days necessary to achieve the required reduction
in landings. Fishers have expressed to the Council that the timing of
these closures results in negative socio-economic impacts. To address
this issue, the Council is proposing to develop a mechanism that allows
them and NMFS to establish closure dates other than the standard end of
the year closures in the event of an overage of the ACL for a specific
group of species. There are several approaches that the Council could
consider to evaluate and eventually establish a mechanism to guide the
selection of AM-based seasonal closures:
Default AM-Closure Date--No Action
Accountability measure-based closures would continue to be
implemented beginning on December 31st of the appropriate year and
extending backwards in the year for the number of days necessary to
achieve the required reduction in landings.
``Customized'' Approach/Mechanism
Change the default AM-closure date (closures start from December
31st going backwards). This procedure to set the timing of the closures
would consist of performing an analysis every year for those units that
exceeded the ACL over the average of a chosen number of years, and
choosing the best date to close the season for the next year based on
that specific analysis.
``Upfront'' Timing Approach (Pre-Determined AM-Based Closure Dates)
This approach would also change the default AM-closure date but in
a different way than the ``Customized'' Process/Mechanism. This
approach would consist of a one-time pre-determination and
establishment of closure dates (e.g., start or end date) for all
Council FMUs (or alternatively apply the analysis to a selected group
of FMUs) and implement through rulemaking. The start or end date would
not have to be the same for each FMU.
The goal of this Scoping Hearing is to allow the public to comment
on the options listed above and to provide alternative options not yet
considered by the Council and NMFS, considering the goals of remaining
within the ACL and lessening the socio-economic impact of AMs.
Written comments can be sent to the Council not later than July
25th, 2013, by regular mail to the address below, or via email to
graciela_cfmc@yahoo.com.
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: June 3, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-13236 Filed 6-5-14; 8:45 am]
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