1. Regulatory Amendment 2 Queen Conch Fishery Management Plan
Compatibility of Commercial Trip Limits and Recreational Bag Limits in the Management Area of St. Croix, USVI
PUBLIC HEARING –St. Croix
March 25, 2013

2. STX Territorial/Federal Quota:
Queen Conch Harvest
USVI Territorial waters
Federal waters (in the area east of 64°34' W, bound within the 100-fathom curve, which includes Lang Bank to the east of St. Croix)
Open Season :
November 1 - May 31
Closed Season:
June 1 – October 31
STX Territorial/Federal Quota:
50,000 lbs combined state and federal waters

3. Purpose and Need for Action
To establish compatible regulations for the commercial and recreational harvest of queen conch between the U.S. Caribbean exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and USVI territorial regulations.
Compatibility of regulations will aid in the enforcement of queen conch regulations and enhance compliance by eliminating the inconsistency in the number of queen conch allowed to be possessed on the water.

4. Federal vs. Territorial Management Why is the Council considering Action?
USVI (St. Croix)
Commercial
Trip Limits
150 queen conch per licensed fisherman /day
200 queen conch per vessel /day
Recreational
Bag Limits
3 queen conch per person /day
Max. 12 queen conch per vessel /day
6 queen conch per person /day
Max. 24 queen conch per vessel /day

5. Action 1: Modify the trip limit for the commercial harvest of queen conch in the U.S. Caribbean EEZ
Alternative 1
No Action. No change to current commercial trip limit.
No more than 150 queen conch per licensed fisherman per day.
Alternative 2
Commercial trip limit compatible with the USVI.
No more than 200 queen conch per vessel per day.
Alternative 3
No more than 150 queen conch per day if there is one licensed commercial fisherman on board, or no more than 200 queen conch per vessel per day if more than one licensed commercial fisherman is on board.

6. Action 2: Modify the bag limit for the recreational harvest of queen conch in the U.S. Caribbean EEZ
Alternative 1
No Action
3 queen conch per person per day,
no more than 12 queen conch per boat per day
Alternative 2
Compatible
6 queen conch per person per day, 24 per boat per day
Alternative 3
6 queen conch per person per day, 12 per boat per day
Alternative 4
3 queen conch per person per day, 24 per boat per day
Partially compatible

7. Number of Recreational Fishers
Number of queen conch that can be harvested per fisher under each of the proposed alternatives for Action 2.
Shaded cells represent instances where the numbers that could be fished is higher than currently allowed in the EEZ.
Alternatives
Number of Recreational Fishers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
> 8 9 12 18 24 15 21