Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. #123093F]

Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact

statement (DEIS) and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the intention of the Caribbean Fishery

Management Council (Council) to prepare a DEIS on a proposed Fishery

Management Plan for Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Virgin Islands (FMP). Management measures under consideration are

designed to protect queen conch from further overharvest and damage

from pollution and habitat degradation, and to restore the

overexploited resource.

The Council also announces a continuing public process to determine

the scope of issues to be addressed and to identify the significant

issues related to instituting a queen conch management program. The

purpose of this notice is to inform the public of this ongoing process

and of the opportunity to participate by submitting written comments.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the DEIS must be submitted by

February 22, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments and requests for additional information on

conch management issues should be sent to SR. Miguel Rolon, Executive

Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, Suite 1108, 268 Ave.

Munoz Rivera, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-4577.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sr. Miguel Rolon, (809) 766-5928.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

At a meeting on March 9-10, 1988, in La Parguera, Puerto Rico, the

Council reaffirmed its intent to manage declining conch resources

within its area of jurisdiction. The status of the conch fishery was

assessed in 1987 by Appeldoorn under contract with the Council.

Overfishing was documented as so severe that the queen conch had

virtually disappeared from certain traditional fishing grounds,

especially from shallow areas. Decreased abundance has caused fishermen

to move to other areas or into deep waters with scuba gear. Specific

indications of overfishing of queen conch are: (1) Recent large

decreases in catch following periods of historically high landing; (2)

a low density of conch observed in resource surveys; (3) reports from

fishermen that the resource is noticeably declining; and (4) high

levels of fishing mortality in comparison to natural mortality,

indicating that harvest is exceeding production and that overfishing is

occurring.

Actions and Possible Alternatives Under Consideration

The Council intends to develop the FMP to regulate the harvest of

queen conch and to rebuild the overfished resource. Among alternatives,

the Council will examine the following measures: (1) Seasonal closures;

(2) area closures; (3) minimum sizes; (4) gear restrictions; (5)

harvest limitations; (6) permitting requirements; (7) limiting entry;

(8) reporting requirements; and (9) no regulatory action.

Scoping Process

The council initially held scoping meetings on the conch fishery in

September and November 1979; however, management efforts were abandoned

when the meetings disclosed that conch resources occurred predominantly

in waters under local (non-Federal) jurisdiction. After a lapse of

about 8 years, efforts to manage queen conch were reinitiated after

local resources were nearly exhausted and remaining conch resources

were largely in Federal waters. Accordingly, scoping comments have been

invited by the Council periodically since 1987. Upon reinitiation of

the FMP planning efforts, scoping meetings were conducted in St.

Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) on February 25, 1988, and in

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, on February 26, 1988, to obtain recommendations

from fishery participants on managing the fishery.

In addition, management issues for the queen conch fishery were

also discussed at the following Council meetings: St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.,

April 4-5, 1990; La Parguera, Puerto Rico, July 18-19, 1990; St. Croix,

U.S.V.I., March 27-28, 1991; San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 26-27, 1992;

and St. Croix, U.S.V.I., September 24-25, 1992. Because, a major

amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands took higher priority, the

Council further deferred preparation of the FMP.

In view of all the previous discussions, no additional scoping

meetings are scheduled on queen conch. Public hearings will be held on

the draft FMP (Options Paper) and the DEIS; dates will be announced

later. Further elaboration of proposed management measures for queen

conch will take place at Council meetings scheduled during 1994. The

Council will take testimony on proposed management measures at regular

meetings where conch resources are addressed, as well as at public

hearings on the draft options paper, FMP, and DEIS.

Timetable for DEIS Preparation and Decisionmaking Schedule

The Council has established a tentative schedule for preparation,

review, approval, and implementation of a queen conch FMP. Under this

schedule, the draft FMP options paper and DEIS should be completed by

September 1994. If the draft documents are acceptable, the Council will

schedule public hearings on the proposed management options. It is

anticipated that public comments will be addressed and that revised

documents suitable for Secretarial review and approval will be

completed by the end of November 1994.

Under the Magnuson Act, Secretarial review of a proposed management

plan takes up to 95 days and includes concurrent public comment periods

on the documents submitted. Depending on the receipt date of the FMP

and necessary documents and, if approved by the Secretary, the new

management program probably would become effective in the spring of

1995.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: January 18, 1994.

David S. Crestin,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 94-1476 Filed 1-19-94; 4:15 pm]

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