[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39221-39222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16153]



[[Page 39221]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC081


Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings and Scoping 
Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold two public 
hearings to obtain input from fishers, the general public, and the 
local agencies representatives on the Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates 
of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (dealing with seagrasses) 
and Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish 
Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (dealing with size 
limits for parrotfish); and one Scoping Meeting on Options for Island-
Specific Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S. Caribbean.

DATES: The public hearings and scoping meeting will be held in July. 
For specific dates and times see Supplementary Information under the 
heading Meetings, Dates, and Locations.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings and scoping meeting will be held in 
Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. For specific locations see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the heading Meetings, Dates, and 
Locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 
268 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 
00918-1920, telephone (787) 766-5926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meetings, Dates, and Locations

Puerto Rico

    July 23, 2012, DoubleTree by Hilton San Juan, 105 De Diego Avenue, 
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00914.
    July 24, 2012, Asociaci[oacute]n de Pescadores, Villa Pesquera 
Playa Hucar, 66.7 Km Highway 3 Naguabo, Puerto Rico 00718.
    July 25, 2012, Holiday Inn Mayag[uuml]ez, 2701 Highway 2, 
Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico 00680.
    July 26, 2012, Ponce Holiday Inn, 3315 Ponce by Pass, Ponce, Puerto 
Rico 00731.

U.S. Virgin Islands

    July 24, 2012, Windward Passage Hotel, Veterans Drive, Charlotte 
Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00804.
    July 25, 2012, The Buccaneer Hotel, 5007 Estate Shoys, 
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 00820.
    The public hearings will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., for 
seagrass; from 7:10 p.m. to 8 p.m., for parrotfish; and the scoping 
meeting for island-specific management from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold two public 
hearings and one scoping meeting to receive public input on the 
following management alternatives:

Public Hearings

Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish 
Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Public Hearing 
Dealing With Size Limits for Parrotfish)

Action 1: Alternatives for Parrotfish Commercial Size Limits
    Alternative 1: No Action: Do not establish minimum size limits for 
the commercial sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish 
fishery.
    Alternative 2: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St. 
Croix.
    No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
    a. 9 inches fork length (FL)
    b. 10 inches FL
    c. 11 inches FL
    d. 12 inches FL
    Alternative 3: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St. 
Thomas/St. John.
    a. No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
    b. 9 inches FL
    c. 10 inches FL
    d. 11 inches FL
    e. 12 inches FL
    Alternative 4: Establish minimum size limits for the commercial 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in 
Puerto Rico.
    a. No Commercial Minimum Size Limit
    b. 9 inches FL
    c. 10 inches FL
    d. 11 inches FL
    e. 12 inches FL
Action 2: Alternatives for Parrotfish Recreational Size Limits
    Alternative 1: No Action: Do not establish minimum size limits for 
the recreational sector of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish 
fishery.
    Alternative 2: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reeffish fishery in St. 
Croix.
    No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
    a. 9 inches FL
    b. 10 inches FL
    c. 11 inches FL
    d. 12 inches FL
    Alternative 3: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in St. 
Thomas/St. John.
    a. No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
    b. 9 inches FL
    c. 10 inches FL
    d. 11 inches FL
    e. 12 inches FL
    Alternative 4: Establish minimum size limits for the recreational 
sector harvest of the parrotfish unit of the reef fish fishery in 
Puerto Rico.
    a. No Recreational Minimum Size Limit
    b. 9 inches FL
    c. 10 inches FL
    d. 11 inches FL
    e. 12 inches FL

Draft Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for Corals and Reef 
Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands (public hearing dealing with seagrasses)

Proposed Action

    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council proposes: To modify the 
management of seagrass species included in the Corals and Reef 
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan. There are 
four alternatives proposed for this action:
    Alternative 1: No Action. Do not modify the management of seagrass 
species listed in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and 
Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan. Retain current management 
reference points or proxies for seagrass species.
    Alternative 2: Prohibit the harvest in the U.S. Caribbean exclusive 
economic zone of seagrass species listed in the Corals and Reef 
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan.
    Sub-Alternative 2(a): Prohibit harvest and establish an annual 
catch limit = 0 for seagrass species listed in the Corals and Reef 
Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan.
    Sub-Alternative 2(b): Prohibit harvest and establish an annual 
catch limit = 1 lb. wet weight for the seagrass species 
listed in the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates 
Fishery Management Plan to account for harvest associated with 
educational or restoration purposes.
    Alternative 3: Designate the seagrass species listed in the Corals 
and Reef

[[Page 39222]]

Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan as 
Ecosystem Component species as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Act 
National Standard 1 Guidelines.
    Alternative 4: (Preferred) Remove all species of seagrass from the 
Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management 
Plan

Scoping Meetings

Options for Island-Specific Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S. 
Caribbean (scoping meeting)

Option 1--No Action
    Do not modify the existing species-specific FMPs. NOAA Fisheries 
and the Caribbean Council would continue to manage federal fisheries in 
the U.S. Caribbean EEZ under the Spiny Lobster, Reef Fish, Coral, and 
Queen Conch FMPs.
Option 2--The Four Island FMP Approach
    Create new island-specific FMPs for Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. 
Thomas, and St. John. Under this option, the Caribbean Council and NOAA 
Fisheries would manage the EEZ resources under separate FMPs for each 
of these islands.
Option 3--The Three Island FMP Approach
    Create three new island-specific FMPs for Puerto Rico, St. Croix 
and St. Thomas/St. John. The Caribbean Council and NOAA Fisheries would 
combine management of the St. Thomas and St. John EEZ resources. The 
St. Croix and Puerto Rico EEZ resources would be managed under separate 
FMPs.
Option 4--The Two Island FMP Approach-Puerto Rican Bank Approach
    This option would allow the Caribbean Council and NOAA Fisheries to 
develop two island-specific FMPs. The Caribbean Council and NOAA 
Fisheries would combine management of the Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and 
St. John EEZ resources but would manage the St. Croix EEZ resources 
under separate FMPs.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language 
interpretation and other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A. 
Rol[oacute]n, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 
268 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 
00918-1920, telephone (787) 766-5926, at least five days prior to the 
meeting date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: June 27, 2012.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16153 Filed 6-29-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P