Draft Species List for Federal Management in the IBFMPs Report from the Panel of Experts

Panel of Experts: Charge To develop the list of species to be include for federal management for each of the island- based fishery management plans. [152 nd CFMC Meeting] The Panel met June , to develop the draft list of species The DAPs reviewed the list of species during their meetings in July 2015

Action 1: Approach 1: Bring everything from the old FMPs into the new FMPs. Approach 2: Choose any combination of the following choice factors: – Species occurrence in State waters-the extent to which the fishery could be or already is adequately managed by the State; – Status of the stock-the condition of the fish and whether an FMP can improve or maintain that condition; – Species as a component of the catch-the importance of the fishery to the Nation and the regional economy; – Ecologically essential species-does the species have an essential ecological role in the coral reef ecosystem (e.g., herbivores, spongivores).

Approach 3: Use a stepwise selection process following these Criteria: – Criterion A: Include for management those species that are classified as overfished in U.S. Caribbean waters based on NOAA Fisheries’ determination, or for which historically identified harvest is now prohibited due to their ecological importance as habitat (corals presently included in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates FMP) or habitat engineers (midnight, blue, rainbow parrotfish), or those species for which seasonal closures or size limits apply; – Criterion B: From the remainder, exclude from federal management those species that have been determined to infrequently occur in federal waters based on expert analysis guided by available data; – Criterion C: From the remainder, include for management those species who are biologically vulnerable, constrained to a specific habitat that renders them particularly vulnerable, or have an essential ecological value, as determined by expert analysis; – Criterion D: From the remainder, include those species possessing economic importance to the nation or regional economy based on a threshold of landings or value separately determined for each of the recreational, commercial, and aquarium trade sectors as appropriate (e.g., top 90%) and those representing an important component of bycatch, as established by expert analysis.

Approach 3: Use a stepwise selection process following these Criteria: – Criterion A: Include for management those species that are classified as overfished in U.S. Caribbean waters based on NOAA Fisheries’ determination, or for which historically identified harvest is now prohibited due to their ecological importance as habitat (corals presently included in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates FMP) or habitat engineers (midnight, blue, rainbow parrotfish), or those species for which seasonal closures or size limits apply;

RegulationsPuerto RicoSt. CroixSt. Thomas Goliath Grouper Banned Nassau Grouper Midnight parrotfish Rainbow parrotfish Blue parrotfish 94 Sp. Coral Queen conch

RegulationsPuerto RicoSt. CroixSt. Thomas Seasonal closuresRed hind Yellowfin grouper Black grouper Red grouper Yellowedge grouper Tiger grouper Silk snapper Black snapper Blackfin snapper Vermillion snapper Mutton snapper Lane snapper

RegulationsPuerto RicoSt. CroixSt. Thomas Size limitsSpiny lobster Yellowtail snapper Stripped parrotfish Redtail parrotfish Stoplight parrotfish Princess parrotfish Queen parrotfish Redband parrotfish Redfin parrotfish Queen conch Area ClosuresRed hind Yellowfin grouper Mutton snapper

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12 Action 4: Ecosystem Species (EC)? To be consider an EC species, the species should:  (A) Be a non-target species or nontarget stock;  (B) Not be determined to be subject to overfishing, approaching overfished, or overfished;  (C) Not be likely to become subject to overfishing or overfished, according to the best available information, in the absence of conservation and management measures; and  (D) Not generally be retained for sale or personal use. Occasional retention of the species would not, in and of itself, preclude consideration of the species under the EC classification.

Regulated SpeciesPuerto RicoSt. CroixSt. Thomas Queen conch1/1 Spiny lobster1/1 Reef fish18/8124/8117/81 Sub-total Corals94/94 Council Decision: Include or exclude in IBFMP all regulated species? List of fish, conch, lobster, coral currently regulated species: Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx

Motion by Council

Approach 3: Use a stepwise selection process following these Criteria: – Criterion B: From the remainder, exclude from federal management those species that have been determined to infrequently occur in federal waters based on expert analysis guided by available data;

Species recommended for exclusion: Criterion B or no Criteria met Puerto Rico excluded species Tables_IBFMPs.xlsx Tables_IBFMPs.xlsx St. Croix excluded species Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx St. Thomas excluded species Tables_IBFMPs.xlsx Tables_IBFMPs.xlsx

Council Decision: accept recommendation of exclusion? Motion by Council

Approach 3: Use a stepwise selection process following these Criteria: – Criterion C: From the remainder, include for management those species who are biologically vulnerable, constrained to a specific habitat that renders them particularly vulnerable, or have an essential ecological value, as determined by expert analysis;

Species recommended for inclusion – Criterion C - Vulnerability Puerto Rico species: Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx St. Croix species Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx St. Thomas species Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx

Approach 3: Use a stepwise selection process following these Criteria: – Criterion D: From the remainder, include those species possessing economic importance to the nation or regional economy based on a threshold of landings or value separately determined for each of the recreational, commercial, and aquarium trade sectors as appropriate (e.g., top 90%) and those representing an important component of bycatch, as established by expert analysis. Tables_IBFMPs.xlsxTables_IBFMPs.xlsx

Council Decision Table Draft Puerto Rico FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docxDraft Puerto Rico FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docx Table Draft St. Croix FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docxDraft St. Croix FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docx Table 1.3.1Draft St. Thomas_St. John FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docxDraft St. Thomas_St. John FMP Actions and Alternatives 2015 July 31.docx

Council Decision: Draft IBFMPs

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 27 Draft Timeline August 2015Council Meeting Approve list of species for management. Discuss additional Actions and Alternatives. Council tasks staff to develop public hearing draft (PHD). October 2015SSC MeetingStart the development of management reference points December 2015Council Meeting SERO presents draft actions and alternatives. SERO works on making final changes to the actions and alternatives based on Council feedback. Completed PHD document by the Council meeting in Spring 2016 January 2016SSC MeetingContinue work developing management reference points March 2016Council Meeting Council selects preferred alternatives, approves public hearing draft, and goes out for public hearings for each FMP and EIS. Provide charge to APs to review and comment June 2016Public Hearings August 2016Council MeetingReview outcomes of public hearings October 2016SEROStaff finalizes FMPs December 2016Council MeetingApprove FMPs for Secretarial submission