Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Coral Reef Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Amendment 1

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 060899D]

RIN 0648-AG88

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;

Coral Reef Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands;

Amendment 1

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management

Plan for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Caribbean Fishery Management Council

(Council) has submitted Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan

(FMP) for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands for review, approval, and

implementation by NMFS. This amendment would establish a marine

conservation district (MCD) of approximately 16 square nautical miles

(mi2)(41-km2) in the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ) southwest of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), in an area

known as ``Hind Bank.'' Fishing and anchoring of fishing vessels would

be prohibited within the MCD. The purpose of the MCD is to protect

coral reef resources, reef fish stocks, and their habitats.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 20, 1999.

[[Page 33042]]

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office,

NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.

Requests for copies of Amendment 1, which includes a Final

Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, a Regulatory Impact

Review, and an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, should be sent

to the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue,

Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577; phone: 787-766-5926; fax:

787-766-6239.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael C. Barnette, NMFS, 727-570-

5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation

and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires Regional Fishery

Management Councils to submit proposed fishery management plans (plans)

or amendments to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial

approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon

receiving a plan or amendment from a Council, immediately publish a

document in the Federal Register stating that the plan or amendment is

available for public review and comment.

Caribbean coral reefs are under considerable stress as a result of

coastal development and deforestation (sedimentation, pollution,

dredging) and fishing (gear impacts and overfishing effects). The FMP

currently prohibits the taking of corals and live rock, and limits gear

used to collect live reef invertebrates and algae for aquariums. The

FMP was recently amended by a generic amendment to address essential

fish habitat (EFH) requirements to designate coral and coral reef areas

as EFH in the U.S. Caribbean. Amendment 1 would specifically address

fishing effects on reefs by establishing a ``no take'' MCD in a coral

reef area known as Hind Bank southwest of St. Thomas, USVI. The

dominant coral on Hind Bank is the boulder star coral, Montastrea

annularis. Observed colonies are roughly 1 m in diameter. Based on

recorded growth rates of approximately 0.4-1.2 cm/year, these colonies

are at least 100 years old. At about 20 fathoms (36 m), the bottom

topography of Hind Bank consists of a series of coral ridges (each

approximately 100 m wide) interspersed with sandy depressions.

Fisheries in the U.S. Caribbean are multi-species, multi-gear, and

primarily artisanal. Studies show declines in catch rates and relative

abundance of groupers, snappers, triggerfish, angelfish, parrotfish,

and grunts in USVI trap fisheries. Jewfish, Epinephelus itajara, Nassau

grouper, E. striatus, and queen conch, Strombus gigas, have been

designated by NMFS as overfished under the provisions of the Magnuson-

Stevens Act. Red hind, Epinephelus guttatus, the dominant commercial

reef fish species in the U.S. Caribbean, is showing signs of declines

in catch-per-unit-effort, average size, and a significantly skewed sex

ratio.

In addition to red hind, other species thought to aggregate on Hind

Bank for spawning include yellowfin grouper, Mycteroperca venenosa;

yellowtail snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus; stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma

viride; creole wrasse, Clepticus parrae; and the creole-fish,

Paranthias furcifer. Hind Bank was once a spawning site for Nassau

grouper, but few individuals have been seen in the area in recent

years.

Since 1991, Hind Bank has been closed under the FMP to fishing from

January through March to protect red hind spawning aggregations. A 1997

scientific research report to the Council indicated that this closure

was having a positive effect in terms of increased abundance and size

of red hind.

The seasonal closure affects all fisheries, including those for

highly migratory species (HMS), such as tuna, billfish, and sharks.

Amendment 1 would extend the seasonal closure year-round. The Council

considered the possibility of allowing some fishing within MCDs to

accommodate handline fishermen taking snappers, pelagics, and HMS.

However, the Council determined that any fishing activities in the MCD

could adversely affect spawning aggregations, degrade the reef

ecosystem, and complicate enforcement.

The Council specifically intends that the MCD fishing restrictions

apply to all fisheries, including the HMS fisheries. During the public

comment periods, the NMFS HMS Fax Network will be used to ensure that

all affected HMS fishermen are informed of the MCD proposal.

During 1995-96, 25 commercial fishermen reported landings from the

general area southwest of St. Thomas (EEZ waters only); this area

accounted for 14 percent of the trips and 31 percent of the total

commercial catch (about 390,000 lb (176,901 kg)) in the USVI, primarily

from trap fishing for finfish and spiny lobsters. HMS and other

handline fishermen in this area accounted for only 4 percent of the

trips and 8 percent of the total catch. There are no comparable data

for the recreational sector. There are approximately 10 charter fishing

operations in the St. Thomas-St. John area; however, these boats

reportedly fish the ``dropoff'' south of St. John, rather than off St.

Thomas.

The establishment of the MCD would displace commercial fishermen

from preferred fishing grounds. However, the displacement cost to the

industry is expected to be small because the majority of vessels

fishing in the preferred grounds also make multiple trips to areas

outside the proposed MCD, suggesting that movement in fishing effort

from one area to another is relatively adjustable. The MCD is likely to

result in a short-term reduction in the amount of fish available for

harvest and, ultimately, a reduction in harvest. However, the MCD is

also expected to result in export of adults and larvae into areas

outside the MCD that will, in the long-term, increase the populations

available for harvest. As the populations outside the MCD expand,

harvests by existing fishermen will expand commensurately, resulting in

increased profits. Theoretically, however, increased profits will

attract additional entrants into the fisheries and increase effort.

Despite increasing effort, establishment of the MCD is expected to

result in future increases in total catch.

Comments received by August 20, 1999, whether specifically directed

to the amendment or the proposed rule, will be considered by NMFS in

its decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the

amendment. Comments received after that date will not be considered by

NMFS in this decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendment

or the proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be

addressed in the final rule.

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

Dated: June 16, 1999.

George H. Darcy,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-15722 Filed 6-18-99; 8:45 am]

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