1. Fishery Management Plans
Amendments to the U.S. Caribbean Reef Fish, Spiny Lobster, and Corals And Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates
Fishery Management Plans
Timing of Accountability Measure-Based Closures
Draft Amendment/Environmental Assessment
August 2016

2. Actions and Management Alternatives
Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Actions and Management Alternatives
Amendment consists of two actions:
Action 1: Modify the timing for the implementation of AM- based closures in the EEZ
Action 2: Specify how often to revisit the approach selected in Action 1

3. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Action 1
Alternative 1: No Action. December 31 going backward (All FMUs) Preferred Alternative 2: September 30 going backward (DAP’s input) (All FMUs). If Alt 5 also chosen, for FMUs that include species with seasonal closures, Alt 5 regs govern those FMUs affected. Alternative 3: January 1 going forward (All FMUs). If Alt 5 also chosen, for FMUs that include species with seasonal closures, Alt 5 regs govern those FMUs affected. Alternative 4: Different fixed dates for individual or a group of FMUs. AM-based closure dates would end the last day of the month that has the highest or the lowest landings based on monthly average landings through time, using as the most recent three years of available landings data.

4. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Action 1
Alternative 4 Sub-alternatives (by island management area): Dates identified in Alts 1-5 would apply for any year AMs need to be implemented for that particular FMU, unless and until the chosen closure dates are revised as described in Action 2. Alternatives 4a (PR comm.), 4c (PR rec.), 4e (STT/STJ), 4g (STX), 4i (Caribbean-wide). Closure to end the last day of the month with highest average landings Alternatives 4b (PR comm.), 4d (PR rec.), 4f (STT/STJ), 4h (STX), 4j (Caribbean-wide). Closure to end the last day of the month with lowest average landings - Tables – in Document, Pages 16-19 4

5. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Action 1
Alternative 5: For FMUs that include species with seasonal closures in U.S. Caribbean federal waters, AM-based closures resulting from an ACL overage for these FMUs would be timed to be continuous with the seasonal closure. The AM-based closure will extend either forward or backward from the seasonal closure into the year as specified in Sub-Alternatives 5(a) through 5(n) for the number of days necessary to achieve the required reduction in landings. - Pages in Document (includes Table 2.2.6)
If, for any of these FMUs, in any year, the number of available days running from the date specified by the sub-alternative, is not enough to achieve the required reduction in landings, then the additional days needed would be captured by extending the closure in the opposite direction and continuing for the number of days needed to fulfill the required reduction. 5

6. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Alternative 5 Sub-alternatives 5a-5n (by FMU and island management area):
Sub-Alternative
Island Mgt. Area or PR sector
Date
Date Seasonal Closure/species
Applicable FMU for AM 5a
PR - Commercial
May 1st going forward
Feb 1 – Apr 30:
Black, red, yellowfin, tiger, yellowedge
Grouper Complex 5c
PR-Recreational 5e
STT/STJ 5f
STX 5b
PR Commercial
Nov 30th going backward
Dec 1 – last day Feb: Red hind west of Puerto Rico 5d
PR Recreational 5g
July 1st going forward
Apr 1 – Jun 30: Mutton and lane snappers
Snapper Unit 3: mutton, lane, gray, dog, schoolmaster, mahogany 5i 5k
Snapper Complex 5m 5h
Sep 30th going backward
Oct 1 – Dec 31:
Silk, black, blackfin, vermillion
SU1 (all + wenchman) 5j 5l 5n
Pages Table in document
More species included in the AM than in the seasonal closure, usually. Groupers in USVI and PR always closed at the complex, so does snappers in USVI
PR has one more date proposed for groupers to account for the red hind closure in western PR, USVI does not have a red hind closure
The Sept 30th going backward date is same as Preferred Alt 2. Proposed in here to have a suitable alternative in case Council chooses a different alternative for the rest of the FMU 6

7. Public Hearing Results
San Juan
Mayaguez
Deponents (#present=17)
Deponents (#present=33)
ACTION 1
Alt. 1 4
Alt.2 1+
Alt.3 1
Alt. 4
Lowest 4b n=7
Lowest 4B n=1
Alt. 5
1=NO +1
ACLs are too low and should be revised
Improve data
Closures during months of lowest landings

8. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Action 2: Specify how often the approach to set the timing of AM-based closures selected in Action 1 should be revisited.
Alternative 1. No Action. Do not specify how often the approach chosen should be revisited.
Preferred Alternative 2. Revisit the approach selected no longer than 2 years from implementation and every 2 years thereafter.
Alternative 3. Revisit the approach selected no longer than 5 years from implementation and every 5 years thereafter.
Revisiting the approach that sets the timing for AM closures can involve revisiting the dates selected, criteria for choosing the dates, or any other aspect of the rule.
Under any of the alternatives proposed, the Council has the option to review the approach at any time; however, Preferred Alternative 2 and Alternative 3 of Action 2 ensure that revisiting the approach selected to establish the timing for AM-based closures (Action 1) for a particular species is conducted within a specified timeframe. In both Preferred Alternative 2 and Alternative 3, after the number of years specified, Council staff will present to the Council information about the specific closures, which may include available information on the biological, socio-economic, and administrative environment, discussion, and recommendations regarding the potential need of a more formal review of any aspect of the measures implemented in the amendment. The Council will then decide if such formal review is merited and proceed with next steps. If a formal review is merited, the next steps include potentially amending the FMPs and drafting regulations to modify, as appropriate, the process or the dates to implement AM-based closures on the applicable island-management area.

9. Public Hearing Results
San Juan
Mayaguez
Deponents (#present=17)
Deponents (#present=33)
ACTION 2
Alt. 1
Alt.2 5 1
Alt.3
NEW = annual 2 3

10. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Codified Text:
“As described in the respective FMPs, for each species or species group in this paragraph, any required fishing season reduction will be applied from September 30th backward, toward the beginning of the fishing year. If the length of the required fishing season reduction exceeds the time period of January 1st through September 30th, any additional fishing season reduction will be applied from October 1st forward, toward the end of the fishing year.”

11. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Draft Timeline
Today
Aug Council Mtg and Late Fall 2016
Council discusses Public Hearings, reviews document.
Council reviews and approves codified text
Council approves Amendment for Secretarial Review
Amendment and Proposed Rule Comment Period
Early 2017
NOAA publishes Amendment/ Final Rule
Final Rule Effective
2016
2017 11

12. Timing of AM-Based Closures Amendment
August 2016
Next Steps:
Review results of the Public Hearings
Deem codified text
Consider taking final action
Motion to submit to the Secretary
Motion to give staff editorial license to finalize the document

13. Number of days a fishery would be closed under Alternatives 1 and 2 for FMUs that will have AMs applied in 2016 in federal waters of Puerto Rico (PR) (Source: Table )
Fishery Management Unit
Annual Catch Limit (pounds [lbs])
ACL Overage in pounds1 in a Fishing Year 2016
Days Fishery would be closed
Alt. 1
(Dec 31 backward)
Preferred Alt. 2
(Sep 30 backward)
Snapper Unit 2 (Commercial PR)
145,916
9,973
36 days
18 days
Wrasses (Commercial PR)
54,147
5,047
46 days
22 days
Triggerfish and Filefish (Commercial PR)
58,475
12,451
77 days
57 days
Spiny Lobster (Comm and Rec PR)
327,920
18,077
17 days
Parrotfish (Comm PR)
52,737
13 days
10 days
Jacks (Rec PR)
51,001
11,536
58 days
96 days
For the FY 2016, ACL overages were determined from analyses conducted using reported landings from This same overage was used to estimate closure days under Alternatives 1 and 2 for species/species groups with AMs in FY 2016.

14. ACL Overage in lbs1 in a FY
FMU
ACL (lbs)
ACL Overage in lbs1 in a FY
Days Fishery would be Closed under each Alternative
Alt. 1
(Dec 31 bwd)
Pref. Alt. 2
(Sep 30 bwd)
Alt. 3
(Jan 1 fwd)
Sub-Alts. 4: 4a, 4c, 4e, 4g, 4i (date varies by FMU)1
Alt 4 (date varies by FMU)1
Alt. 5
(if appl.)
Snapper Unit 2 (Commercial PR)
145,916
2013 FY
102 days
96 days
172 days
Jun 30 back
Dec 31 back NA
132,063
178 days
2016 FY
36 days
18 days
25 days
23 days
9,973
Wrasses (Rec PR) 2013
5,050
2013
72 days
11 days
67 days
Oct 31 back
N/A
489
Wrasses (Comm PR)
54,147
2016
46 days
22 days
Aug 31 back
May 31 back
39 days
5,047
Triggerfish and Filefish (Comm PR)
58,475
77 days
57 days
69 days
12,451
61 days
63 days
Spiny Lobster (Comm and Rec PR)
327,920
17 days
20 days
Sep 30 back
18,077
21 days
Parrotfish (Comm PR)
52,737
13 days
10 days
Mar 31 back
7 days
Jacks (Rec PR)
51,001
58 days
42 days
Feb 28 back
41 days
112 days
11,536
Triggerfish & Filefish (all sectors, STX)
24,980
32 days
1,473
Spiny Lobster (all sectors, STX)
107,307
5 days
2,401
Groupers
(all sectors, STT/STJ)
51,849
12 days
Jan 31 back
May 1 fwd
4,984

15. Alternative 4 - Commercial FMUs
Sub-Alternative 4a
(highest landings)
Sub-Alternative 4b
(lowest landings)
FMU
Parrotfish
Mar 31
Aug 31
Snapper Unit 1 (silk, black, blackfin, vermilion, and wenchman)
Jan 31
Nov 301
Snapper Unit 2 (queen and cardinal)
Jun 30
Dec 31
Snapper Unit 3 (mutton, lane, gray, dog, schoolmaster, and mahogany)
Snapper Unit 4
(yellowtail)
Groupers
Feb 28
Dec 312
Angelfish
No Landings3
Boxfish
Oct 31
Goatfish
Sep 30
Apr 30
Grunts
May 31
Wrasses
Jacks
Jul 31
Scups & Porgies
Nov 30
Squirrelfish
July 31
Surgeonfish
No Landings Jan-Oct
Triggerfish & Filefish
Spiny Lobster4

16. Alternative 4 – Recreational FMUs Sub-Alternative 4c
(highest landings – second month in wave)
Sub-Alternative 4d
(lowest landings – second month in wave)
FMU
Parrotfish
Jul/Aug (Aug 31)
March/Apr (April 30)
Snapper Unit 1
May/Jun (Jun 30)
No landings Nov-Dec1
Snapper Unit 2
Jan /Feb (Feb 28)
No landings for the rest of the year
Snapper Unit 3
May /Jun (Jun 30)
Sep/Oct (Oct 31)
Snapper Unit 4
Groupers
Jan/Feb (Feb 28)
Nov/Dec (Dec 31)
Angelfish
No landings for rest of the year
Boxfish
Goatfishes
Grunts
May/Jun (June 30)
Wrasses
No landings Nov-Dec
Jacks
Sep/Oct (Oct 30)
Porgies
No landings Sep/Oct
Squirrelfish
No landings Jul/Aug (Aug 31)
Surgeonfish
No Landings4
Triggerfish & Filefish

17. Motion. Move to approve the Timing of AMs amendment, with the selected preferred alternatives, and submit the amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for approval.
Motion. Give staff the authority to make any changes to the Timing of AMs amendment in response to decisions made by the Council at this meeting, and give staff the editorial license to make editorial changes.  Any changes will be reviewed and approved by the Council Chairman.

18. Motion. Give the Council Chairman the authority to deem as necessary and appropriate any modifications made to the proposed rule.