1. Island-Based FMPs – Species Selection Criteria
Southeast Regional Office
St. Petersburg, Florida

2. Development of island-based fishery management plans (FMPs)
Development of FMPs is guided by the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) and the 10 National Standards (NS).
Both the MSA and the NSs provide guidance to determining what species should be included in an FMP:
NS1 – Achieve optimum yield and avoid overfishing
NS3 – Manage stocks as a unit
NS7 – Minimize costs, avoid duplication .

3. Fishery Management Units (FMUs) vs. Species
Current managed species are grouped in FMUs except spiny lobster and queen conch.
Currently
(e.g., parrotfish, snapper unit 1,2,3,4, groupers, angelfish, spiny lobster, aquarium trade species)
Selection criteria will be applied to
presently managed FMUs and presently
not managed individual species
Removed from Management
Entire FMUs (e.g., parrotfish, snapper unit 1, aquarium trade species, squirrelfish)
Individual species (e.g., mahi mahi, snook, king mackerel)
Added to Management

4. First Step Take an initial look at what species need management Use the proposed dichotomy model
Yes

5. Species/ Species Complex
Draft criteria to use in inclusion/exclusion of species or species complex in an FMP
Species/ Species Complex
Biology
Habitat Specificity
Range (Geography)
Economic Importance
Target Species
Bycatch
Yearly Mean Landings
Ecological Value
Protected/
Managed Resource
Spiny Lobster L H VH M H?
Dolphin Fish
M (PR) H (STT/STX)
H (PR, STX); M (STT)
Octopus
L (PR) L (STX) L (STT)
Snapper
Unit 2
(Queen & Cardinal) ?
L = low, M = medium, H = high, VH = very high, ? = to be determined
PR = Puerto Rico, STT = St. Thomas, STX = St. Croix

6. Criteria definition
Biology - defined as question of vulnerability/productivity. Is species particularly at risk? Application of the ‘Only Reliable Catch Stocks’? Habitat Specificity - defined as a question of vulnerability due to particular dependence on limited or vulnerable habitat during some life stage. Range - defined as whether species is either 1) effectively limited to local waters, 2) limited to EEZ, 3) spans both, or 4) is a migratory species or coastal pelagic. Used up-front to eliminate those species only occurring in State waters, so using again in the selection criteria table may be redundant.

7. Criteria definition - continued
Economic Importance - defined as total economic value, not just ex-vessel price. This would include, for example, nonconsumptive use, recreational value, targeted species, “filler” species and socio-cultural importance.
Target Species vs. Bycatch- Species that fishers seek to catch for sale or personal use, including economic discards as defined under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Landings – are used up-front to establish lower and upper thresholds for automatic rejection from or inclusion in an FMP, respectively. Including them again in the selection criteria table may be redundant.

8. Criteria definition - continued
Bycatch - Fish other than the primary target species that are caught incidental to the harvest of the primary species. Ecological Value - defined as having a unique or large ecological function relative to habitat (esp. coral reefs), or trophic/community structure, e.g., keystone species, apex predator, key forage species such that management is needed to sustain that function. Protected/Management Status - defined as whether the species is fully protected or partially protected within an existing management framework within EEZ or local waters. Used up-front as a fundamental selection criterion. Using again in the selection criteria table is redundant.

9. OCTOPUS*
TUNNY, LITTLE
SHARKS, REQUIEM*
PORGIES*
SNOOK, COMMON
MOJARRAS*
GROUPERS*
JACKS*
SNAPPER, CARDINAL
FISHES, BONY*
SNAPPER, VERMILION
WAHOO
SQUIRRELFISHES*
TUNA, YELLOWFIN
CRAB, BLUE LAND
GROUPER, MISTY
GRUNTS*
0-60%
LOBSTER, CARIBBEAN SPINY
CONCH, QUEEN
SNAPPER, SILK
SNAPPER, QUEEN
SNAPPER, YELLOWTAIL
DOLPHIN
SNAPPER, LANE
Using landing thresholds - % of total species complex or single species landings for Puerto Rico ( landings)
>60-95%
MACKEREL, KING
HOGFISH
PARROTFISHES*
TRIGGERFISH, QUEEN
HERRINGS, SARDINELLA
GRUNT, WHITE
BOXFISH
SNAPPERS*
SNAPPER, MUTTON
BALLYHOO
JACK, BAR
HIND, RED
TUNA, BLACKFIN
CERO
TUNA, SKIPJACK
MULLET, WHITE
>95-100%
0-60%
>60-95%
>95-100% 7 40 50
SNAPPER, BLACKFIN
JACK, HORSE-EYE
CONEY
DOLPHINS
SHELLFISH, OTHER*
GOATFISH, SPOTTED
BARRACUDAS*
ALBACORES*
SNOOKS*
CRAB
*species complex

10. SURGEON, OCEAN
SNAPPER, QUEEN
DOCTORFISH
SNAPPER, MAHOGANY
WENCHMAN
TUNA, YELLOWFIN
0-60%
LOBSTERS, SPINY
PARROTFISH, STOPLIGHT
DOLPHIN
CONCH, QUEEN
TRIGGERFISH, QUEEN
PARROTFISH, PRINCESS
WAHOO
PARROTFISH, QUEEN
PARROTFISH, REDFIN
HIND, RED
PARROTFISH, REDTAIL
PARROTFISH, REDBAND
>95-100%
Using landing thresholds - % of total species complex or single species landings for St. Croix ( landings)
SCAD, ROUND
ANGELFISH, QUEEN
GRUNT, FRENCH
RUNNER, BLUE
TUNA, BLACKFIN
COWFISH, HONEYCOMBED
HONEYCOMB COWFISH
BARRACUDAS*
SNAPPER, VERMILION
TUNA, SKIPJACK
GROUPER, YELLOWFIN
LIONFISHES
HERRINGS*
HERRINGS, SARDINELLA
SNAPPER, LANE
SQUIRRELFISH, LONGSPINE
TOMTATE
TRUNKFISH, SPOTTED
SHARK, NURSE
JACK, HORSE-EYE
>60-95%
SNAPPER, BLACKFIN
BALLYHOO
TUNNY, LITTLE
MACKEREL, KING
SCHOOLMASTER
SNAPPER, SILK
CONEY
GRUNT, BLUESTRIPED
JACK, BAR
TANG, BLUE
GRUNT, WHITE
SNAPPER, YELLOWTAIL
SNAPPER, GRAY
SNAPPER, MUTTON
ANGELFISH, FRENCH
ANGELFISH, GRAY
0-60%
>60-95%
>95-100% 12 34 54
*species complex

11. 0-60%
>95-100%
LOBSTERS, SPINY
TRIGGERFISH, QUEEN
HIND, RED
RUNNER, BLUE
SNAPPER, YELLOWTAIL
ANGELFISH, GRAY
GROUPER, YELLOWFIN
TRIGGERFISHES
TUNA, BLACKFIN
GRUNT, BLUESTRIPED
TANG, BLUE
ANGELFISH, QUEEN
ANGELFISH, FRENCH
NEEDLEFISHES*
BALLYHOO
RUNNER, RAINBOW
HERRINGS*
HERRINGS, SARDINELLA
COWFISH, HONEYCOMBED
HONEYCOMB COWFISH
TUNA, YELLOWFIN
TOPSNAIL, WEST INDIAN
MARGATE
CRAB
SNAPPER, LANE
SCHOOLMASTER
Using landing thresholds - % of total species complex or single species landings for St. Thomas/St. John
( landings)
>60-95%
DOCTORFISH
GRUNT, WHITE
COWFISH, SCRAWLED
SCRAWLED COWFISH
PORGY, SAUCEREYE
SQUIRRELFISH, LONGSPINE
PARROTFISH, REDTAIL
SNAPPER, MUTTON
PARROTFISH, STOPLIGHT
JACK, BAR
DOLPHIN
SNAPPER, BLACKFIN
TUNNY, LITTLE
LIONFISHES
WAHOO
CONEY
SNAPPER, SILK
HOGFISH
MACKEREL, KING
0-60%
>60-95%
>95-100% 12 25 45
*species complex

12. Questions?
Stoplight parrotfish, terminal phase

13. Different Variations in the Nomenclature used to Name Managed Species/ Species Groups
Snapper Unit 2 (SU2): Cardinal and Queen Snappers used as an example.
Current FMPs
NS1
Status of the Stocks
SU2 = FMU and part of the snapper complex
SU2 = stock complex
SU2 = stock unit
Queen and Cardinal snappers = units within the FMU
Queen and Cardinal snappers = stocks within the stock complex
SU2 = Unit
However, the species are called stock complex (e.g., Angelfish Complex)
SU2 is part of the snapper complex within the Reef Fish FMU
SU2 unit part of the Caribbean Reef Fish FMU
SU2 unit part of the Caribbean Reef Fish FMU