Caribbean Fishery Management Council 151 st Meeting December St. Thomas, USVI Developing Consistent Regulations for Three Seasonally Closed Areas off Puerto Rico: Abrir la Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank

Bajo de Sico and Tourmaline Bank are under federal and territorial jurisdiction Abrir La Sierra is under federal jurisdiction only U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED SEASON Alt 1: No Action Alt 2: Modify the Bajo de Sico closed season to be Dec 1-Last day of Feb. Alt 3: Modify the closed season to be Oct 1-March 31 Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Tourmaline Bank Alt 4: Modify the closed season to be Dec 1-May 31. Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 5: Modify the closed season to be year-round. Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED SEASON Alt 6: Modify the closed season to be Dec 1-March 31 (Preferred) Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred) See file Maturity and MPAs SEAMAP.pptx

ACTION 2: MODIFY REEF FISH FISHING ACTIVITIES Alt 1: No Action Alt 2: Prohibit fishing for Council-managed reef fish in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Alt 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of Council- managed reef fish during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 (Preferred) Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alt b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 3: MODIFY SPINY LOBSTER FISHING ACTIVITIES Alt 1: No Action Alt 2: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Alt 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 4: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster year-round Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 5: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster year-round Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 6: Allow fishing for spiny lobster year-round (Preferred) Sub- Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub- Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub- Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 4: PROHIBIT ANCHORING Alt 1: No Action Alt 2: Prohibit anchoring during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 3: Prohibit anchoring year-round (Preferred) Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alternative b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 5: MODIFY HMS FISHING ACTIVITIES Alt 1: No Action Alt 2: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit bottom longline fishing for HMS year- round in Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Alt 3: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit fishing for, and possession of, HMS in some or all of the three areas during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 4: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit fishing for, and possession of, HMS in some or all of the three areas during the seasonal closure established in Action 1, with an exception that would allow surface trolling for all HMS, as defined at §635.21(a)(4)(iv), and speargun fishing gear to fish for bigeye, albacore, yellowfin and skipjack (BAYS) tunas. (Preferred) Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 6: MODIFY SPEARFISHING ACTIVITIES Alt 1: No Action: Retain the existing spearfishing regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. Alt 2: Prohibit spearfishing for Council-managed reef fish during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 (Preferred) Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred) Alt 3: Prohibit spearfishing for all non-HMS-managed species, including Council-managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics, during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank Alt 4: Prohibit spearfishing for all non-HMS-managed species, including Council-managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics, year-round Sub-Alt a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alt b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alt c: Tourmaline Bank

NEXT STEPS Determine Final Preferred Alternatives Spring Meeting Review codified text Approve Amendment for Secretarial Review

Management (2014) Bajo de SicoTourmalineAbrir La Sierra Seasonal Area Closure EEZ1 Oct-30 March (6 months) 1 Dec – 28 Feb (3 months) 1 Dec – 28 Feb (3 months) PRNONE Gear Banned EEZTraps, pots, bottom longlines and nets are prohibited YEAR ROUND PR Species/gears managed during seasonal area closure EEZReef Fish ONLYALL Fishing Prohibited (including pelagics, lobster, reef fish, queen conch) PRNONE Anchoring EEZProhibitedAllowed (retrieval system) PRProhibited Prohibited (but all EEZ) Seasonal Closures EEZRed hind (Dec-Feb); SU1 (Oct-Dec); GU4 (Feb-April); Mutton (Apr-Jun); Lane (Apr-Jun); QC (Jan-Dec) PRRed hind (Dec-Feb); Silk/blackfin (Oct-Dec); yellowfin grouper (Feb-Apr); Mutton (Apr-May); QC (Aug-Oct)

Seasonal Closures Area Closures All fishing Reef fish

FEDERAL AND STATE WATERS - Puerto Rico Open Closed JanFebMarAprilMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDec Red Hind*F/ S Mutton snapper F/S F Lane snapper FFF Grouper Unit 4 Red grouper FFF Black grouper FFF Tiger grouper FFF Yellowedge grouper FFF Yellowfin grouper F/S Snapper Unit 1 Black snapper FFF Vermillion FFF Blackfin snapper F/S Silk snapper F/S Abrir la SierraFF F Tourmaline*FF F Bajo de Sico*FFF FFF *State Open