SPINY LOBSTER (Panulirus argus) PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT CFMC, GMFMC & SAFMC Consideration of a minimum possession size for imports into the U.S. March 26, 2008

Distribution 3 inch CL: Florida and US EEZ 3.5 inch CL: PR, USVI, and Caribbean EEZ

Stock Structure DNA analysis - Caribbean spiny lobster Single stock throughout its range LARVAL STAGE: LONG & PELAGIC; WIDE DISPERSAL

Stock Status Spiny lobster heavily exploited throughout its range; seeing some signs of full utilization and some stock declines. Overexploitation in foreign fisheries could jeopardize abundance of U.S. stocks because U.S. larval recruitment is dependent on the reproductive potential of stocks managed by other countries.

Imports > 90 percent of the Caribbean spiny lobster marketed in the United States is imported.

Enforcement Loopholes 1.Lack of U.S. minimum size limit for all imports. 2.Use of secretive codes to disguise undersized lobster tail shipments. 3.Increased use of “trans-shipment thru countries of convenience (weaker laws and changing country of origin). 4.Shipping illegal tails to U.S. ports where inspectors are not savvy to regulations.

Current Situation RegulationGMFMC/SAFMC/FLCFMC Min. Carapace Length3” (7.62 cm)*3.5” (8.9 cm)*** Min. Tail Length5.5” (13.97 cm) Min. Tail Weight Berried LobstersNo possession Can’t strip tails** Can’t possess on vessel Can be kept in traps Can’t strip eggs Clipped FinsNo possession Can’t strip fins** No possession Can’t clip fins Tail Meat *Does not apply to use of shorts as attractants. **Applies to spiny & slipper lobsters. ***Lobsters must be kept whole until landed.

Caribbean Agreement (2006; 2007) CL (50% maturity) TLTW Antigua & Barbuda; Bahamas; Belize; Brazil; Colombia; Coata Rica; Cuba; Dominican Republic; France (Martinique, Guadaloupe); Haiti; Honduras; Jamaica; Mexico; Nicaragua; Turks and Caicos; USA; Venezuela 74 mm (2.91”) 140 mm (5.5”) 4.5 – 5.5 ounces Retain regulations if > 76 mm 3.0” CL ≈ 5.5” TL ≈ 4.5 oz tail weight

Matthews et al. 2005

4.0MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES 4.1 Action 1: Minimum Conservation Sizes of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Import Products into the United States Alternative 1 - Status Quo - Maintain the current regulations as they exist under the Caribbean FMP and the South Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico FMP. The regulations, which include minimum sizes and possession and handling requirements for egg bearing spiny lobster, pertain only to spiny lobster (P. argus) in or from the EEZs under the respective FMPs.

4.0MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES (cont.)

Other Management Alternatives: Prohibit the Importation/Possession of Caribbean Lobster Tail Meat

Other Management Alternatives: Prohibit importation/possession of Caribbean spiny lobster with eggs attached or where the eggs, swimmerets, or pleopods have been removed or stripped

4.2Action 2: Other Import Restrictions Alternative 1 - Status Quo - Do not have other restrictions on the importation of spiny lobster. Alternative 2 - Do not allow the importation of lobster tail meat without the exoskeleton attached; and do not allow the importation of spiny lobster with eggs attached or importation of spiny lobster where the eggs, swimmerets, or pleopods have been removed or stripped.

WHAT NEXT? All comments considered by Councils in developing amendment; more opportunities to comment Public Hearing Draft presented to the Councils (March – June 2008)

TIMING (page 7)

AlternativeCarapace LengthTail Length Tail Weight/ Industry Allowances 1 > 3.0 inches - Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; ≥ 3.5 inches - Caribbean ≥ 5.5 inches - Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; N/A for Caribbean N/A 2 > 3.0 inches continental U.S.; ≥ 3.5 inches in the Caribbean ≥ 5.5 inches continental U.S.; ≥ 6.2 inches Caribbean ≥ 4.5 oz continental U.S.; ≥ 5.9 oz Caribbean/ continental U.S - 5 oz weights = oz; Caribbean - 6 oz weights = oz. 3> 3.0 inches≥ 5.5 inches ≥ 4.5 oz/ 5 oz weights = oz