Public Hearing Caribbean Fishery Management Council 153 rd Meeting August Mayagüez Puerto Rico Modifying Regulations for Three Seasonally Closed Areas off Western Puerto Rico: Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank

PURPOSE AND NEED The purpose of this amendment is to enhance protection of spawning aggregations of reef fish, and the benthic habitat supporting those aggregations, in Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank There is a need to maintain important ecological services provided by Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank, including recruitment, residential, foraging, and spawning aggregation habitat for commercially and recreationally important reef fish and shellfish, as well as sea turtles. There is also a need to achieve consistency among the three managed areas to the extent practicable to facilitate enforcement and avoid confusion among constituents.

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED FISHING SEASON Alternative 1: No Action: Retain the existing length of the closed season in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. (Preferred for Abrir La Sierra Bank and Tourmaline Bank) Alternative 2: Modify the Bajo de Sico closed season to be December 1 - February 28. Alternative 3: Modify the closed season to be October 1 - March 31. Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED FISHING SEASON Alternative 4: Modify the closed season to be December 1 - May 31. Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank Alternative 5: Modify the closed season to be year-round. Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 1: MODIFY THE LENGTH OF THE CLOSED FISHING SEASON Alternative 6: Modify the closed season to be December 1 - March 31. Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

MOTION BY COUNCIL

ACTION 2: MODIFY REEF FISH FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 1: No Action: Retain the existing reef fish harvest regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. Alternative 2: Prohibit fishing for Council-managed reef fish in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1

ACTION 2: MODIFY REEF FISH FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of Council-managed reef fish during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 (Preferred) Sub-Alternative a : Abrir La Sierra Bank ( Preferred ) Sub-Alternative b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

MOTION BY COUNCIL

ACTION 3: MODIFY SPINY LOBSTER FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 1: No Action: Retain the existing spiny lobster regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas Alternative 2: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster in Bajo de Sico during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 Alternative 3: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster 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

ACTION 3: MODIFY SPINY LOBSTER FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 4: Prohibit fishing for spiny lobster year-round Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank Alternative 5: Prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster year-round Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 3: MODIFY SPINY LOBSTER FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 6: Allow fishing for spiny lobster year- round (Preferred) Sub- Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub- Alternative b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub- Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

MOTION BY COUNCIL

ACTION 4: PROHIBIT ANCHORING Alternative 1: No Action. Retain the existing anchoring prohibitions in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. Alternative 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 Alternative 3: Prohibit anchoring year-round (Preferred) Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alternative b: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

MOTION BY COUNCIL

ACTION 5: MODIFY HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 1: No Action. Retain the current HMS fishing regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. Alternative 2: Upon consent to the request of the Council, prohibit bottom longline fishing for HMS year-round in Bajo de Sico. (Preferred) Alternative 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-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

ACTION 5: MODIFY HMS FISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 4: Upon consent to the request of the Council, establish regulations that 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-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

MOTION BY COUNCIL

ACTION 6: MODIFY SPEARFISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 1 : No Action: Retain the existing spearfishing regulations in each of the Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank managed areas. Alternative 2 : Prohibit spearfishing for Council-managed reef fish during the seasonal closure established in Action 1 (Preferred) Sub-Alternative a : Abrir La Sierra Bank (Preferred) Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico (Preferred) Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank (Preferred)

ACTION 6: MODIFY SPEARFISHING ACTIVITIES Alternative 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-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank Alternative 4: Prohibit spearfishing for all non-HMS-managed species, including Council-managed reef fish and coastal migratory pelagics, year-round Sub-Alternative a: Abrir La Sierra Bank Sub-Alternative b: Bajo de Sico Sub-Alternative c: Tourmaline Bank

MOTION BY COUNCIL

NEXT STEPS Final Action Review codified text Approve Amendment for Secretarial Review

MOTION BY COUNCIL

Seasonal Closures Area Closures All fishing Reef fish

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)

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