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 (843) 571-4366 (843) 769-4520 (FAX) Email (general): [email protected] Website: www.safmc.net National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 (727) 824-5301 / FAX (727) 824-5308 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