Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) Application Applicant: Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PR DNER) 156 th Caribbean Fishery Management Council Meeting St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands June 28-29, 2016

Summary - EFP Application Request PR DNER The projects would collect fishery-independent data on the abundance, distribution, and reproductive condition of reef fish in eastern and western Puerto Rico. The EFP, if granted, would be valid from date of issuance through May The proposed collection for scientific research involves activities that would otherwise be prohibited by regulations at 50 CFR part 622, as they pertain to Caribbean reef fish managed by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. The EFP would exempt this research activity from Federal regulations at § (a) (Seasonal and area closures), § (Size limits), and § (Bag limits). U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2 If granted, the EFP would authorize the use of contracted commercial fishermen aboard research vessels and contracted private fishing vessels to collect reef fish species through two projects in waters of the Puerto Rico exclusive economic zone.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3 Proposed Projects First Project Purpose: Determine spatial and temporal variations in stock abundance of Caribbean reef fish resources off Puerto Rico. Continue the collection of information on reef fish abundance and distribution in waters off eastern and western Puerto Rico as part of the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Reef Fish Monitoring Project. - EFP granted in 2013 (expired in 2015) for previous SEAMAP work. New in 2016: modified methodology. The EFP would authorize the PR DNER to harvest reef fish by hook-and-line and bottom longline gear in federal waters off the west and east coasts of Puerto Rico. All reef fish, including undersized and seasonally prohibited reef fish species, would be retained, except for goliath grouper, Nassau grouper, and all species of parrotfish.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4 Proposed Projects First Project - Methods Approximately 20 stations in the EEZ off the west coast of Puerto Rico (west of 67°00'00" W. long) and 10 stations in the EEZ off the east coast of Puerto Rico. Stations and sampling dates randomly selected (may occur during closed seasons in Federal waters or in areas closed to certain fishing activities (e.g., anchoring)). Sampling would be conducted by bottom longline, hook-and-line, underwater cameras: 1) Bottom longline fishing: - Randomly selected stations at 0-10, 11-20, and fathoms. - Bottom longline would be anchored at each end, with surface buoys attached - Use of circle hooks - Soak time: 45 minutes for each sample, then retrieved and fish collected. - Set to minimize any impacts to bottom habitat by avoiding coral reefs and by fastening small buoys at intervals between hooks to ensure the line remains suspended above the bottom to avoid entanglement.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5 First Project – Methods (Cont.) 2) Hook-and-line fishing: - Randomly selected stations at 0-10, 11-20, and fathoms - Sampling would be conducted by fishing while anchored and drifting. Each sampling area would be sampled twice during the period of the EFP. Sampling: 2 hours drifting and 2 hours anchored - Anchored fishing for 30 minutes at four different sampling stations. - Drift fishing: conducted in 15-minute intervals near the anchor sampling stations for up to a total of 2 hours per sampling site. 3) Underwater camera surveys: - Would allow for reef fish species identification, counts, and size measurements. - Camera array deployed for 60 minutes at sites near those of the bottom longline fishing sites.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6 First Project – Species/Species groups proposed to be collected Species/Species groupsQuantity (Max) red hind grouper240 lb (108 kg) Harvest may occur during their respective spawning seasonal closure periods as described at 50 CFR yellowfin, red, tiger, black (Grouper Unit 4) and yellowedge (Part of Grouper Unit 5) groupers 100 lb (45 kg) silk, black, blackfin, and vermilion snappers (Snapper Unit 1) 100 lb (45 kg) mutton, lane, gray, and schoolmaster snappers (Snapper Unit 3) 600 lb (272 kg) yellowtail snapper500 lb (227 kg) May include individuals under the legal minimum size of 12 inches (30.5 cm), total length Fish collected in the first project would also provide some of the samples to be used in the second project that is part of this EFP request. Schoolmaster, lane, vermilion, yellowtail, mutton, silk, and blackfin snappers; and red hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin, yellowedge, red, tiger, and black groupers.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7 SpeciesQuantity (Max) red hind grouper150 lb (68 kg) Harvest may occur during the seasonal closure (Dec 1 through the last day of February, in Caribbean EEZ waters west of 67°10′00" W. long) mutton snapper150 lb (68 kg) Harvest may occur during the seasonal closure (Apr 1 through June 30, in the Caribbean EEZ). Any other species incidentally caught by hook-and-line fishers would be released, including Nassau and goliath groupers, and all species of parrotfish. Anchoring and fishing activities would not take place in Bajo de Sico, Tourmaline, or Abrir La Sierra, west of Puerto Rico. Approximately 10 trips in federal waters off the west coast of Puerto Rico. The EFP would authorize PR DNER contracted fishers to use hook-and-line gear and spear guns to collect a minimum of 25 samples per trip of the following reef fish species: mutton snapper, red hind, coney, white grunt, tomtate, and pluma porgy. Second Project (Also part of the 2013 EFP (expired)) Purpose: Employ histological methods to describe the annual reproductive cycle and minimum size of sexual maturation of various recreationally important reef fish species.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8 EFP Application Request PR DNER Next Steps: Council to make a recommendation regarding the EFP application through a motion. Public can submit comments to NMFS (EFP application request is published in the Federal Register)

Questions? U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10 EFP Application Request PR DNER Motion: Motion: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council recommends the NMFS SERO Regional Administrator approves the EFP application submitted by PR DNER.