Regulatory Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

St. Croix Quota Closure – May 1, 2009 Federal Regulations Purpose and Need June 2008 U.S.V.I. Regulations 50,000 lb Quota in STX, 50,000 lb Quota in STT/STJ Closed Season (June 1 – Oct 31) St. Croix Quota Closure – May 1, 2009 Federal Regulations No quota Lang Bank Open October 1 – June 30 (closed July 1 – Sept 30) Compatible Regulations In order to eliminate overfishing of queen conch, the U.S.V.I. established a quota for queen conch harvest in June 2008. Separate quotas were enacted for St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John. The St. Croix queen conch quota for the 2008/2009 fishing year was reached on May 1, 2009, therefore the queen conch fishery was closed until the end of the fishing year (November 1). Federal regulations for Lang Bank allow for an overlap with the U.S.V.I. open season but Lang Bank currently remains open when territorial waters close due to the quota being met. On April 21, 2009, the U.S.V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources asked the Council to implement compatible regulations with the U.S.V.I. territorial quota closure.

Background Queen Conch FMP Queen Conch Amendment 1 Prohibit commercial and recreational harvest, possession of queen conch in federal waters of the U.S. Caribbean, with the exception of Lang Bank Queen Conch Amendment 2 Comprehensive ACL Amendment (Under Development) In 2005, Amendment 1 to the Queen Conch FMP was implemented through the Comprehensive Sustainable Fisheries Act Amendment to the Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch, Reef Fish, and Coral and Coral Reefs Fishery Management Plans (Comprehensive SFA Amendment). To implement a rebuilding plan, the Council prohibited commercial and recreational harvest, and possession of queen conch in federal waters of the U.S. Caribbean, with the exception of Lang Bank near St. Croix, which is open for harvest from October 1 through June 30. For the purposes of this amendment, Lang Bank is defined as the area east of 64°34’W bound within the 100 fathom curve. Figure 2.2 illustrates Lang Bank and the location in relation to St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

Queen Conch, Strombus gigas Photo courtesy of: NOAA Fisheries Service Protected Resources Division

Lang Bank is defined as the area east of 64°34’W bound within the 100 fathom curve.

Reported landings of queen conch (lbs). Source: SEFSC. Year St. Croix St. Thomas/ St. John Total U.S.V.I. % St. Croix % St. Thomas/ St. John 2000 76,999 1,083 78,082 98.6% 1.4% 2001 113,444 1,847 115,291 98.4% 1.6% 2002 116,492 2,172 118,664 98.2% 1.8% 2003 108,174 3,339 111,513 97.0% 3.0% 2004 125,258 1,022 126,280 99.2% 0.8% 2005 161,452 429 161,881 99.7% 0.3% 2006 221,966 3,989 225,955 2007 76,086 1,124 77,210 98.5% 1.5% Average 124,984 1,876 126,859

Action 1: Compatible Regulations Alternative 1: No Action. Do not establish compatible regulations with U.S. Virgin Islands Alternative 2: Establish compatible closure regulations with U.S. Virgin Islands (Quota and Seasonal Closures – June 1 through October 31)

Compatible Closure when Territorial Quota is Met Proposed Changes Compatible Closure when Territorial Quota is Met Whenever quota is met to November 1 Closed Season: July 1 through September 30  June 1 through October 31

Questions? Photo courtesy of: Caribbean Fishery Management Council

USVI Trip/Bag Limit Commercial: 150 per person per day  200 per boat per day Recreational: 3 per person per day (no more than 12 per boat)  6 per person per day (no more than 24 per boat)