1. Landings, ACLs, AMs, and OFLs for the Puerto Rico Commercial Sector
Southeast Regional Office
April 10, 2019

2. Average Landings for ACL Overage Assessment
Assessing for 2015 Fishing Year
Averaging Years = 2011, 2012, 2013
Status of Data Availability:
USVI Reported at December 2014 Meeting
PR Recreational Reported at December Meeting
PR Commercial data for 2013 now available, outcomes presented today

3. Data and Assessment Timeline

4. Data and Assessment Timeline- Late Data

5. Puerto Rico Commercial
No commercial ACLs were exceeded based on average landings
No commercial AMs will be implemented
No commercial closures will be necessary for 2015

6. Puerto Rico Commercial Averages vs. ACL: “2010” Species
Average Puerto Rico Commercial Landings
Stock/Stock Complex
Landings (lbs)
ACL
Percent of ACL
Conch
225,784
n/a
Grouper
48,022
177,513
27.1%
Parrotfish
37,059
52,737
70.3%
Snapper Unit 1 (silk, black, blackfin, vermilion, wenchman)
125,394
284,685
44.0%
Snapper Unit 2 (queen, cardinal)
136,633
145,916
93.6%
Snapper Unit 3 (gray, lane, mutton, dog, schoolmaster, mahogany)
142,792
345,775
41.3%
Snapper Unit 4 (yellowtail)
134,042
373,295
35.9%

7. Puerto Rico Commercial Averages vs. ACL: “2011” Species
Average Puerto Rico Commercial Landings
Stock/Stock Complex
Landings (lbs)
ACL
Percent of ACL
Angelfish
8,984
0.0%
Aquarium trade
8,155
Boxfish
30,892
86,115
35.9%
Goatfishes
7,138
17,565
40.6%
Grunts
25,765
182,396
14.1%
Jacks
27,764
86,059
32.3%
Porgies
18,711
24,739
75.6%
Spiny Lobster
248,188
327,920
75.7%
Squirrelfish
5,649
16,663
33.9%
Surgeonfish
7,179
Tilefish
14,642
Triggerfish & Filefish
46,957
58,475
80.3%
Wrasses
46,044
54,147
85.0% .

8. ACL vs. OFL Overage
OFL = MSYproxy, equivalent to average landings for a set period of years (e.g., for Puerto Rico “2010” species)
ACL = OFL x buffer reduction
For “2010” species, generally (not always) a 15% reduction
For “2011” species, generally (not always) a 10% reduction
Exceeding the ACL is based upon a three-year average of landings
Exceeding the OFL is based on the most recent year of landings only, because overfishing is an annual event
Thus, it is possible to exceed the OFL without exceeding the ACL, although no OFLs were exceeded based on 2013 landings

9. U.S. Commercial Averages vs. OFL: Past and Present
Puerto Rico Commercial
Puerto Rico Recreational
Stock Complex
Total Landings
Overfishing Limit
Percent of OFL
Scups and Porgies
12,582
27,488
46%
155
2,863 5%
Wrasses
37,129
60,163
62%
607
5,611
11% .
St. Croix
St. Thomas/St. John
Stock Complex
Total Landings
Overfishing Limit
Percent of OFL
Angelfish*
8,890
406
2190%
16,202
10,529
154%
Squirrelfish*
490
134
366%
9,502
4,712
202%
Wrasses*
1,903
650
293% .
RECOMMENDATION
For the Puerto Rico scups and porgies complex and the Puerto Rico wrasses complex, change status from subject to overfishing to not subject to overfishing.
For the St. Croix angelfish, St. Croix squirrelfish, St. Thomas/St. John angelfish, St. Thomas/St. John squirrelfish, and St. Thomas/St. John wrasses complexes, maintain their overfishing status as unknown.