Comprehensive ACL Amendment

755 Pages·2011·11.53 MB·English

COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT (ACL)
AMENDMENT FOR THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION

AMENDMENT 2 TO THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DOLPHIN WAHOO
FISHERY OF THE ATLANTIC
AMENDMENT 2 TO THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PELAGIC SARGASSUM
HABITAT OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION
AMENDMENT 5 TO THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE GOLDEN CRAB
FISHERY OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION
AMENDMENT 25 TO THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SNAPPER GROUPER
FISHERY OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION

(INCLUDING A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT
ANALYSIS, REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW, AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/FISHERY IMPACT
STATEMENT)

October 2011

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201
North Charleston, South Carolina 29405
[phone]
[phone] (FAX)
Email (general): [email protected]
Website: www.safmc.net

National Marine Fisheries Service
Southeast Regional Office
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
[phone] / FAX [phone]

A publication of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council pursuant to
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Number NA05NMF4410004
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ABC Acceptable biological catch
ACCSP Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program
ACL Annual Catch Limit
AM Accountability Measure
ACT Annual Catch Target
ALS Accumulative Landings System
APA Administrative Procedures Act
ASMFC Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
B A measure of stock biomass in either weight or other appropriate unit
B The stock biomass expected to exist under equilibrium conditions when
MSY
fishing at F
MSY
B The stock biomass expected to exist under equilibrium conditions when
OY
fishing at F
OY
B The current stock biomass
CURR
CEA Cumulative Effects Analysis
CEQ Council on Environmental Quality
CFMC Caribbean Fishery Management Council
CPUE Catch per unit effort
CRP Cooperative Research Program
CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act
DEIS Draft Environmental Impact Statement
EA Environmental Assessment
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EFH Essential Fish Habitat
EFH-HAPC Essential Fish Habitat - Habitat Area of Particular Concern
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
ESA Endangered Species Act of 1973
F A measure of the instantaneous rate of fishing mortality
F Fishing mortality that will produce a static SPR = 30%.
30%SPR
F Fishing mortality that will produce a static SPR = 45%.
45%SPR
F The current instantaneous rate of fishing mortality
CURR
F The rate of fishing mortality expected to achieve MSY under equilibrium
MSY
conditions and a corresponding biomass of B
MSY
F The rate of fishing mortality expected to achieve OY under equilibrium
OY
conditions and a corresponding biomass of B
OY
FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement
FMP Fishery management plan
FMU Fishery management unit
FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact
GMFMC Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
ITQ Individual transfer quota
IPT Interdisciplinary Plan Team
M Natural mortality rate
MARFIN Marine Fisheries Initiative
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT I ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
MARMAP Marine Resources Monitoring Assessment and Prediction Program
MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MFMT Maximum Fishing Mortality Threshold
MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
MRFSS Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey
MRIP Marine Recreational Information Program
MSFCMA Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
MSRA Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act
MSST Minimum Stock Size Threshold
MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
NMSA National Marine Sanctuary Act
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
OFL Overfishing Limit
OY Optimum Yield
PQBM Post Quota Bycatch Mortality
PSE Percent Standard Error
R Recruitment
RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act
RIR Regulatory Impact Review
SAFE Report Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report
SAMFC South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
SDDP Supplementary Discard Data Program
SEDAR Southeast Data Assessment and Review
SEFSC Southeast Fisheries Science Center
SERO Southeast Regional Office
SFA Sustainable Fisheries Act
SIA Social Impact Assessment
SPR Spawning Potential Ratio
SSB Spawning Stock Biomass
SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee
TAC Total allowable catch
TL Total length
T The length of time in which a stock could rebuild to B in the absence
MIN MSY
of fishing mortality
USCG U.S. Coast Guard

COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT I I ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT (ACL) AMENDMENT
FOR THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION

INCLUDING A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT,
REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS, REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW
AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/FISHERY IMPACT STATEMENT

Proposed actions: Remove some species from South Atlantic
Snapper Grouper FMU and designate others
as Ecosystem Components. Consider multi-
species groupings for specifying ACLs,
ACTs, and AMs. Establish ABC control
rules, ABCs, ACLs, ACTs, and AMs for
species not undergoing overfishing. Specify
jurisdictional allocations and sector
allocations for species not undergoing
overfishing. Modify management measures
to limit total mortality to the ACL.

Lead agency: FMP Amendment – South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council
EIS - NOAA Fisheries Service

For Further Information Contact: Robert K. Mahood
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
4055 Faber Place, Suite 201
North Charleston, SC 29405
866-SAFMC-10
[email protected]

Roy E. Crabtree
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Region
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727-824-5301

NOI for Comprehensive ACL Amendment: January 28, 2009 [74 FR 4943]
Scoping meetings held: January26-February 5, 2009
DEIS filed: June 10, 2011
DEIS notice published: June 17, 2011
DEIS Comments received by: August 1, 2011
FEIS filed: DATE TO BE FILLED IN
FEIS Comments received by: DATE TO BE FILLED IN
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT II I TITLE PAGE
ABSTRACT
The Reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires the Regional Fishery Management Councils and
NOAA Fisheries Service to prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield (OY)
from each fishery. When it is determined a stock is undergoing overfishing, measures
must be implemented to end overfishing. In cases where stocks are overfished, the
Councils and NOAA Fisheries Service must implement rebuilding plans. Revisions to
the Magnuson-Stevens Act in 2006 required that by 2010, Fishery Management Plans
(FMPs) for fisheries determined by the Secretary of Commerce to be subject to
overfishing, establish a mechanism for specifying annual catch limits (ACLs) at a level
that prevents overfishing and does not exceed the recommendations of the respective
Council‘s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) or other established peer review
processes, as well as establish measures to ensure accountability. By 2011, FMPs for all
other fisheries, except fisheries for species with annual life cycles, must meet these
requirements. Amendments 17A (SAFMC 2010a) and 17B (SAFMC 2010b) to the FMP
for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region specified ACLs for species
subject to overfishing. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic
Council) is addressing all of the remaining species in this amendment except corals,
which are being addressed in the Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2
(currently under review), and Coastal Migratory Pelagics and Spiny Lobster, which are
being addressed jointly with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

The purpose of this Comprehensive ACL Amendment for the South Atlantic Region
(Comprehensive ACL Amendment) is to implement measures expected to prevent
overfishing and achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social
and economic effects. Long-term measures include implementation of the following
items: 1) changes to the snapper grouper fishery management unit, including the removal
of some species, designation of ecosystem component species, and the development of
species groups; 2) establish acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules; 3) ACLs and
annual catch targets (ACTs); 4) jurisdictional and sector allocations; 5) accountability
measures (AMs); and 6) management measures necessary to ensure mortality is at or
below the annual limits and targets. Optimum yield, the ultimate goal of any fishery
management plan, is the portion of the fish stock that provides the greatest economic,
social, and ecological benefit to the nation.

The need for action is to specify overfishing limits (OFLs), ACLs, and AMs, where
needed to comply with Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements.

The South Atlantic Council is utilizing several tools to achieve OY for stocks addressed
in this comprehensive amendment. These tools include a determination from the
Council‘s SSC for an ABC based on an ABC control rule. Another tool is the OFL,
which is an estimate of the catch level above which overfishing is occurring. This value
may stem from the outcome of a stock assessment and is equivalent to the yield at the
maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT). An SSC may use other methods to
estimate OFL in the absence of a stock assessment. The ABC is defined as the level of a
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT IV TABLE OF CONTENTS
stock or stock complex‘s annual catch that accounts for the scientific uncertainty in the
estimate of OFL and any other scientific uncertainty, and should be specified based on
the ABC control rule. The South Atlantic Council is using ABC and proposing an ACL
for the stocks in the South Atlantic. The ACL is an annual limit expressed in pounds or
numbers of fish that serves as the basis for invoking AMs. Accountability measures are
management controls to prevent ACLs from being exceeded, and to correct or mitigate
overages of the ACL if they occur (50 CFR 600.310 (g) (1)). The South Atlantic Council
is proposing AMs in this amendment. While AMs act to prevent overfishing in a fishery,
the South Atlantic Council must specify actions in order to ensure that overfishing does
not occur.
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT V TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. VI
LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................. XV
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................... XVI
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................ 19
SSUUMMMMAARRYY .................................................................................................................... 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ..... XXXII
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background...................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Purpose of the Proposed Action ....................................................................... 3
1.3 Need for the Proposed Action .......................................................................... 3
1.4. Process for Defining Limits and Targets .............................................................. 3
1.5 History of Management.................................................................................. 12
2 Actions and Alternatives .......................................................................................... 13
2.1 Actions under the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (except
wreckfish; black grouper non-ABC actions; and jurisdictional allocations for yellowtail
and mutton snappers) ................................................................................................. 13
2.1.1 Action 1: Remove Species from the Snapper Grouper Fishery
Management Unit (FMU) .................................................................................. 13
2.1.2 Action 2: Designate Ecosystem Component (EC) Species ..................... 24
2.1.3 Action 3: Establish Species Groupings for Snapper Grouper Species ..... 28
2.1.4 Action 4: Establish an Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule
for Snapper Grouper Species .............................................................................. 34
2.1.5 Action 5: Specify Allocations for Snapper Grouper Species That Do Not
Currently Have Allocations ................................................................................ 50
2.1.6 Action 6: Establish Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery ............................................................... 57
2.1.7 Action 7: Specify Accountability Measures (AMs)/Annual Catch Targets
(ACTs) for the Commercial Sector for Species in the Snapper Grouper FMU .... 63
2.1.8 Action 8: Specify Accountability Measures (AMs)/Annual Catch Targets
(ACTs) for the Recreational Sector for Species in the Snapper Grouper FMU .... 67
2.2 Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (wreckfish) ................................ 80
2.2.1 Action 9: Specify Allocations for the Wreckfish Fishery ....................... 81
2.2.2 Action 10: Establish an Annual Catch Limit (ACL) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for Wreckfish ............................................................................................ 84
2.2.3 Action 11: Specify Accountability Measures (AM) for the Wreckfish
Fishery ............................................................................................................... 86
2.2.4 Action 12: Establish Management Measures for Wreckfish .................... 91
2.3 Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (black grouper, yellowtail snapper
& mutton snapper) ..................................................................................................... 95
2.3.1 Action 13: Specify Jurisdictional Allocations for Black Grouper ........... 95
2.3.2 Action 14: Specify Sector Allocations for Black Grouper ...................... 98
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT V I TABLE OF CONTENTS
2.3.3 Action 15: Establish Annual Catch Limits (ACL) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for Black Grouper ................................................................................... 103
2.3.4 Action 16: Establish Accountability Measures/Management Measures for
the Commercial Sector for Black Grouper........................................................ 106
2.3.5 Action 17: Establish Accountability Measures/Management Measures for
the Recreational Sector for Black Grouper ....................................................... 109
2.3.6 Action 18: Establish Jurisdictional Allocations for Yellowtail Snapper . 117
2.3.7. Action 19: Establish Jurisdictional Allocations for Mutton Snapper . 120
2.4 Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan .................................................. 124
2.4.1 Dolphin ................................................................................................ 124
2.4.1.1. Action 20: Establish an Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control
Rule and ABC for Dolphin .............................................................................. 124
2.4.1.2 Action 21: Specify Allocations for Dolphin ...................................... 126
2.4.1.3 Action 22: Establish Annual Catch Limits (ACL) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for Dolphin ............................................................................................. 128
2.4.1.4 Action 23: Establish Accountability Measures for the Commercial
Sector for Dolphin ........................................................................................... 130
2.4.1.5 Action 24: Establish Accountability Measures for the Recreational
Sector for Dolphin ........................................................................................... 133
2.4.1.6 Action 25: Establish Management Measures for Dolphin .................. 141
2.4.2 Wahoo.................................................................................................. 149
2.4.2.1 Action 26: Establish an Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control
Rule and ABC for Wahoo ................................................................................ 149
2.4.2.2 Action 27: Specify Allocations for Wahoo........................................ 151
2.4.2.3 Action 28: Establish Annual Catch Limits (ACL) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for Wahoo............................................................................................... 154
2.4.2.4 Action 29: Establish Accountability Measures for the Commercial
Sector for Wahoo ............................................................................................. 156
2.4.2.5 Action 30: Establish Accountability Measures for the Recreational
Sector for Wahoo ............................................................................................. 159
2.4.2.6 Action 31: Establish Management Measures for Wahoo ................... 167
2.5 Sargassum Fishery Management Plan .......................................................... 171
2.5.1 Acceptable Biological Catch Control Rule and ABC for Sargassum ..... 171
2.6 Golden Crab Fishery Management Plan ....................................................... 173
2.6.1 Acceptable Biological Catch Control Rule and ABC for Golden Crab .. 173
2.6.2 Action 32: Establish an Annual Catch Limit (ACL) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for Golden Crab ...................................................................................... 173
2.6.3 Action 33: Establish Accountability Measures for Golden Crab............ 175
3.0 Affected Environment ........................................................................................... 177
3.1 Habitat ......................................................................................................... 177
3.1.1 Habitat for Snapper Grouper Species .................................................... 177
3.1.1.1 Essential Fish Habitat ...................................................................... 177
3.1.1.2 Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ................................................ 178
3.1.2 Habitat for Dolphin and Wahoo ............................................................ 178
3.1.2.1 Essential Fish Habitat ....................................................................... 178
3.1.2.2 Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ................................................. 179
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT V II TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.1.3 Habitat for Golden Crab ....................................................................... 179
3.1.3.1 Essential Fish Habitat ................................................................... 179
3.1.3.2 Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ................................................. 179
3.1.4 Habitat for Sargassum .......................................................................... 179
3.2 Biological and Ecological Environment ....................................................... 180
3.2.1 Species Most Impacted by this FMP Amendment ................................. 180
3.3 Science Underlying the Management of Species Most Impacted by this FMP
Amendment ............................................................................................................. 180
3.4 Other Affected Council-Managed Species ................................................... 181
3.5 Protected Species ........................................................................................ 181
3.5.1 ESA-Listed Marine Mammals .............................................................. 181
3.5.2 ESA-Listed Sea Turtles ........................................................................ 182
3.5.3 ESA-Listed Marine Fish ....................................................................... 183
3.5.4 ESA-Listed Marine Invertebrates ......................................................... 184
3.5.5 South Atlantic Fisheries Interactions with ESA-Listed Species ............. 184
3.5.6. Designated Critical Habitat for ESA-Listed Species in the South
Atlantic 185
3.6 Administrative Environment ........................................................................ 187
3.6.1 The Federal Fishery Management and Applicable Laws ....................... 187
3.6.1.1 Federal Fishery Management ............................................................ 187
3.6.1.2 State Fishery Management................................................................ 188
3.7 Enforcement ................................................................................................ 189
3.8 Human Environment .................................................................................... 190
3.8.1 Economic Description of the Commercial Fishery ................................ 190
3.8.1.1 Permits ............................................................................................ 191
3.8.1.2 Gear and Fishing Behavior .............................................................. 191
3.8.1.3 Landings, Revenue, and Economic Activity..................................... 194
3.8.1.4 Economic Activity ............................................................................ 194
3.8.1.5 Landings, Vessels, Dealers, Effort (Trips), Ex-vessel Price, and Ex-
vessel Revenue, 2005-2009 .............................................................................. 195
3.8.1.6 Fisheries by State ............................................................................ 203
3.8.1.7 Fisheries by Gear ............................................................................. 206
3.8.1.8 Commercial Fishery by Species ....................................................... 208
3.8.1.9 Imports ............................................................................................ 235
3.8.2 Economic Description of the Recreational Fishery ............................... 239
3.8.2.1 Harvest ............................................................................................ 239
3.8.2.2 Effort ............................................................................................... 239
3.8.2.3 Permits ............................................................................................ 249
3.8.2.4 Economic Value, Expenditures, and Economic Activity .................. 250
3.8.3 Social and Cultural Environment .......................................................... 257
3.8.3.1 Marine Related Employment ............................................................ 259
3.8.3.2 Social Vulnerability .......................................................................... 259
3.8.3.3 Fishing Communities........................................................................ 260
3.8.3.4 Florida Counties ............................................................................... 261
3.8.3.5 Georgia Counties .............................................................................. 282
3.8.3.6 South Carolina Counties ................................................................... 288
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT VI II TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.8.3.7 North Carolina Counties ................................................................... 295
3.8.4 Snapper Grouper Fishery Social Environment ........................................ 306
3.8.5 Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Social Environment .......................................... 311
3.8.6 Sargassum Fishery Social Environment .................................................. 313
3.8.7 Golden Crab Fishery Social Environment ............................................... 313
3.8.8 Environmental Justice ............................................................................ 314
4.0 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................... 315
4.1 Actions under the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (except
wreckfish; black grouper non-ABC actions; and jurisdictional allocations for yellowtail
and mutton snappers) ............................................................................................... 315
4.1.1 Action 1: Remove Species from the Snapper Grouper Fishery
Management Unit (FMU) ................................................................................ 315
4.1.1.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 316
4.1.1.2 Economic Effects ............................................................................. 331
4.1.1.3 Social Effects ................................................................................... 335
4.1.1.4 Administrative Effects ...................................................................... 335
4.1.1.5 Council Conclusions ......................................................................... 336
4.1.2 Action 2: Designate Ecosystem Component (EC) Species ................... 338
4.1.2.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 338
4.1.2.2 Economic Effects ............................................................................. 346
4.1.2.3 Social Effects ................................................................................... 348
4.1.2.4 Administrative Effects ...................................................................... 348
4.1.2.5 Council‘s Conclusions ...................................................................... 348
4.1.3 Action 3: Establish Species Groupings for Snapper Grouper Species .... 349
4.1.3.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 353
4.1.3.2 Economic Effects ............................................................................. 357
4.1.3.3 Social Effects ................................................................................... 361
4.1.3.4 Administrative Effects ...................................................................... 362
4.1.3.5 Council Conclusions ......................................................................... 362
4.1.4 Action 4: Establish an Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule
for Snapper Grouper Species ............................................................................ 363
4.1.4.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 368
4.1.4.2 Economic Effects ............................................................................. 377
4.1.4.3 Social Effects ................................................................................... 378
4.1.4.4 Administrative Effects ...................................................................... 379
4.1.4.5 Council Conclusions ......................................................................... 379
4.1.5 Action 5: Specify Allocations for Snapper Grouper Species That Do not
Currently have Allocations............................................................................... 381
4.1.5.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 382
4.1.5.2 Economic Effects ............................................................................. 386
4.1.5.3 Social Effects ................................................................................... 394
4.1.5.4 Administrative Effects ...................................................................... 394
4.1.5.5 Council Conclusions ......................................................................... 395
4.1.6 Action 6: Establish Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Optimum Yield
(OY) for the Snapper Grouper Fishery ............................................................. 396
4.1.6.1 Biological Effects ............................................................................. 400
COMPREHENSIVE ACL AMENDMENT IX TABLE OF CONTENTS