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Status Update for Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (

Status Update for Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Highly Migratory Species Management Division NMFS/NOAA. Presentation Objectives.

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Status Update for Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (

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  1. Status Update for Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Highly Migratory Species Management Division NMFS/NOAA

  2. Presentation Objectives Purpose: Provide an update on the status of Amendment 4 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (Amendment 4) This presentation will give you: • An overview of the issues NMFS included in the Predraft document for Amendment 4, including current outreach activities conducted by NMFS • An update on ongoing work to improve data collections in the Caribbean • Updated timeline for Amendment 4

  3. Need for Action • Interest in HMS is increasing in the U.S. Caribbean. This may be due to depletion of shelf resources. • HMS regulations do not well fit the Caribbean region • NMFS is developing an amendment to address issues that are unique to the Caribbean, including: • Improving the permitting process and data collection • Enhancing enforcement of regulations • Changes would ensure compliance with U.S. regulations and that the United States is in compliance with multilateral treaties relating to HMS

  4. Issues Unique to the Caribbean Region • Small, artisanal fisheries mostly in territorial waters • Many fishermen sell their catch directly to restaurants or individuals that are not Federally permitted dealers. • Due to the expense of limited access permits, many Caribbean fishermen cannot afford to enter commercial fisheries for SWO or SHK. • If fishermen or dealers do not have Federal permits, they do not have to report to NMFS, and NMFS does not receive data on catch amount or catch composition in the Caribbean region. • Fish aggregation devices (FADs) are being used in the Caribbean region. The effect of FADs on pelagic stocks is not well understood.

  5. The Amendment Process Purpose: Design HMS regulations appropriate for the Caribbean region • These changes would be done through an amendment to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP and implementing regulations • NMFS published a Notice of Intent (73 FR 30381; May 27, 2008) • NMFS started the process with scoping (73 FR 40301; July 14, 2008) • NMFS released findings from the scoping process in a Predraft in August 2009; comment period ended October 1, 2009

  6. Overview of Amendment Process

  7. Outline of Predraft • Permitting • Vessel Permitting • Dealer Permitting • Reporting • Commercial Reporting • Recreational Reporting • Offshore Fishery Resources • Fish Aggregating Devices • Agency Outreach • Training Workshops and Education

  8. PermittingVessel Permitting 1) Maintain current Limited Access Permit (LAP) program (Status quo) 2) Create an open access Caribbean HMS General Commercial Handgear permit (GCHP) that would allow the possession of tunas, swordfish and sharks; considered sub-alternatives that would: • Allow different types of gear to be authorized under a GCHP (i.e., rod & reel, handline, harpoon, bandit gear, green stick gear and/or buoy gear)

  9. PermittingVessel Permitting • Allow different vessel of different lengths to possess a GCHP (i.e., limit or have no limit on vessel size) • Allow different retention limits with a GCHP (i.e., base retention limits on stock status or maintain status quo) • Allow GCHP holders to participate in HMS fishing tournaments (with rod & reel) • Allow GCHP holder to possess HMS with unauthorized gears on board a fishing vessel

  10. Permitting Dealer Permitting • Maintain current dealer permitting regime – Require separate SWO, shark, and tunas dealer permits (Status quo) • Create a single Caribbean HMS dealer permit allowing the purchase and sale of SWO, shark, and tunas (requirement to take shark identification workshop) • Allow Caribbean HMS GCHP holders to wholesale/retail catches (requirement to take shark identification workshop; consider having dealer endorsement)

  11. Reporting Commercial Reporting • Maintain current reporting regulations (Status quo) • Collect catch and effort data from territorial governments of Puerto Rico and the USVI • Require vessel logbooks for Caribbean HMS GCHP holders, if selected, and/or dealer reports from Caribbean HMS GCHP holders – if allowed to wholesale/retail catch • Improve awareness of importance of data reporting through increased outreach efforts

  12. Reporting Recreational Reporting • Maintain current recreational reporting requirements (Status quo) • Increase outreach and education regarding recreational reporting requirements • Establish mandatory HMS reporting stations in the U.S. Caribbean (dockside reporting/catch card programs) • Implement MRIP recommendations regarding recreational reporting

  13. Offshore Fishery Resources Fish Aggregating Devices • Allow retention of HMS in the vicinity of FADs (Status quo) • Allow retention of HMS in the vicinity of FADs and monitor fishing effort and catches near 3) Allow retention of HMS in the vicinity of a limited number of FADs 4) Prohibit the possession of HMS in the vicinity of FADs

  14. Agency Outreach Training Workshops and Education • Maintain status quo (compliance guides, existing placards, list serve notices, HMS website, workshops for some LAP holders) • Create HMS outreach documents explaining the importance of reporting and permitting, the rulemaking process, etc. in English and Spanish • Hold voluntary or mandatory HMS identification and regulatory compliance workshops throughout the Caribbean region for commercial and recreational fisheries

  15. Current Outreach Initiatives • NMFS has finalized on an outreach document to help inform fishermen about the importance of reporting their catch to NMFS and their participation in HMS fisheries. This is available in both English and Spanish.

  16. Current and Future Steps • NMFS, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, Puerto Rico’s DNER and Fisheries Research Lab, and the USVI’s DPNR have been working on ways to improve data collection from the Caribbean region, including; • Identifying the need for a reliable data collection system with sufficient and timely collection, outreach, and improves basic landings data, biological samples, CPUE statistics; and, • Recommendations for designing a new program with short and long term priorities • New data collection forms, which include HMS, are being finalized and implemented in Puerto Rico and the USVI; critical for further consideration of a new GCHP

  17. Tentative Timeline Summer 2009 Summer/Fall 2008 TBD TBD TBD TBD

  18. Comments/Questions? Contacts: • Greg Fairclough (Greg.Fairclough@noaa.gov) or Randy Blankinship (Randy.Blankinship@noaa.gov); 727-824-5399 • Jackie Wilson (Jackie.Wilson@noaa.gov); 240-338-3936

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