1. Recommendations from the ACLG
ACLG Meeting
February
Carolina, Puerto Rico

2. Queen Conch St. Croix
A quota be set for 50,000 lb, 6-month closure [June-Nov], 200 conch per boat, no possession when the season is closed or quota reached. Size limit 9 inches or 3/8” LT (passed unanimously)
ACL (Commercial) STX EEZ+State=50,000 lb
D. Olsen: quotas based on QC FMP

3. Queen Conch
Recommend that the queen conch fishery be closely monitored.
Include fishers in the monitoring effort (AM); monitoring (Pat). Enforcement issues. Federal waters are closed to fisihng

4. Queen Conch St. Thomas/St. John
ACL commercial (STT/STJ): 50,000 lb
ACL EEZ =0 (STT/STJ)
(13 yes)
The USVI has a regulation in place where the quota of 50,000 lb per Island is set.
PR: regulations in place in recent times (4 years). There is no quota established and the government is to wait. Discussion on the spawning season that needs to be revisited (July-September). August 1 – October 31 would be the new season.

5. Queen Conch Puerto Rico
ACL EEZ PR = 0 (passed unanimously)
AS/DO

6. Queen Conch
[Recommend that the] SSC in conjunction with the Commonwealth look at Average catch for conch to develop ACL for PR [state waters.] (passed unanimously)
Time period to look at performance of the fishery and the best estimate for the period selection. DO/PS

7. Nassau Grouper ABC = 0 [all of US Caribbean]
Monitoring of the Nassau grouper aggregations is highly recommended.
(passed unanimously)
Discussion: This covers all US Caribbean. DO/JM

8. METHODOLOGY from Methodologies Working Group
This methodology was presented to the ACLG

9. Methodology Recommendation 1
Approve Scenario 4 as shown [see previous slide] including the advice given when the data fall within this scenario. (passed unanimously)
(JB/PS) [In the cases where we have only catch data and no length data] (all yes)

10. STT/STJ Parrotfish
[ABC] commercial [catch] STT/STJ parrotfish = 50,000 lb
Scenario 4 ( average of catches)
(passed unanimously)
(JM/DO) (all yes)
DO/JM

11. STX Parrotfish [ABC] commercial [catch] STX (1994-2006) = 270,000 [lb]
Parrotfish [in] STX will fall in Scenario 4
Recommend not [to] increase catch more than 270,000 and decrease if the Council was to be precautionary (one vote against)
(TD/JB/GM) Averages prior to this were 81,000 ( or so). Marcia need to look at pre-gillnetting period. What is the wording exactly – Council substantially less. If it says ACL then that is different – Gerson down from 1 000,000 lbs – Wait for the advise of the Council on deciding the action be precautionary. Major regulations in place --

12. Methodology Recommendation 2
Approve Scenario 3 as shown including the advice given when the data fall within this scenario. (In the cases where the demographic data is not useful but have length data, no recruitment anomaly and have catch data) (passed unanimously)
(JB/PS) NOTE need to clarify that OFL cannot be set, but average catch advice can be rpovided.

13. Parrotfish Puerto Rico
Methodology of Scenario 3 for Puerto Rico parrotfish with average catch for (80,000 lbs)
Recommend catches [no higher than] of 80,000 lbs for parrotfish (when OFL cannot be determined) and Council can be more precautionary if they want to be. Setting the most appropriate years to set the level.
(passed unanimously)
Recent catch corrected (0.54 for ) provides an average catch of 73,000 lb
Preliminary analysis shows increase in mean lengths for ; therefore trend in F likely decreasing
Landings information (RG/DM) yes Recent catch corresponds to time period when F is lower

14. STT/STJ GU4
For STT GU4 use scenario 7 [as recommended by the Methodologies Workgroup] with the comments on creating experimental fishery and monitoring
(passed with 1 abstention)
Strike experimental fishery – put monitoring and research for the fishery. Need to establish the limits -- rationale to use the scenario 7 and allow it to go on. (JB/JM) [fishery controlled such that achieves the desired information – requirements to get the information as used in other fisheries]
(do not have the information required and the recommendation is to establish monitoring and research. )
Catch levels not set not knowing what is going on. No information needed to do anything with this fishery. (JB/JM) (1 abstention)

15. STX GU4
For STX GU4 use scenario 7 [as recommended by the Methodologies Workgroup] with the comments on creating experimental fishery and monitoring. {Intent is to collect the data needed, SSC to [develop] the correct language; not as per NMFS’ experimental permits, etc.}
Passed with 2 abstentions (members present = 11)
Strike experimental fishery – put monitoring and research for the fishery. Need to establish the limits -- rationale to use the scenario 7 and allow it to go on. (JB/JM) [fishery controlled such that achieves the desired information – requirements to get the information as used in other fisheries]
(do not have the information required and the recommendation is to establish monitoring and research. )
Catch levels not set not knowing what is going on. No information needed to do anything with this fishery. (PS/JB)

16. PR GU4
Use scenario 7 [as recommended by the Methodologies Workgroup] for Puerto Rico GU4 (passed with 1 abstention)
Recommend setting catch no higher than the average landings.

17. STT/STJ/STX SU1
STT/STX SU1 use Scenario 7 [as recommended by the Methodologies Working Group and create an experimental fishery with monitoring]
Passed with 1 abstention
JB/

18. Methodology Recommendation 3
Approve Scenario 1 [from] Methodolog{ies Working Group} including advice from Scenario 1.
Passed unanimously
Daniel Matos correction factor for DWS selling directly to restaurants – the correction factor 0.5 similar to parrotfish ; recent the correction factor is 0.5 – it is included in the time series assessed. Underreporting. Then how to apply the methodology to SU1. (TG/PS)

19. SU1
Based on analysis scenario 1 for SU1 recommend that set and ABC of 200,000 lb (RG/JB)
See Todd’s
Issues mis id silks and others; most landed species;

20. PR SU1
For PR use Scenario 1 to determine the OFL for snapper unit 1. The SSC should determine appropriate species grouping options for use in determining OFL and use average catch from (Passed with 1 opposed)

21. PR SU1
Based on analysis of scenario 1 for snapper unit 1 in PR we recommend an OFL of 284,400 lbs for PR. (Passed, with 1 opposed and 2 abstentions.)

22. PR SU1 Use Scenario 1 to set OFL for SU1.
SSC to determine appropriate species groupings
Use average catch for
Passed with 1 opposed

23. Recommendation
Recommend STFA be involved in the development of the experimental fishery

24. Summary ACLG Scenario RecommendationsPR
STT
STX QC
ACL EEZ =0
closely monitor
ACL=50,000 lb
ACL EEZ=0
(ACL=EEZ+State=50,000 lb; 200 qc/boat
6-month closed
Nassau
ABC=0
monitor aggregations
NOTE: Commercial Sector

25. Summary ACLG Scenario RecommendationsPR
STT
STX
Parrotfish
3 (99-06) (80,000)
4 (94-06 avg.) (ABC=50,000)
4 (94-06 avg.) (max. 270,000)
GU4 7
SU1
1 (200,000)
NOTE: Commercial Sector