[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65972-65973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26360]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC950


Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Scoping Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 
scoping meeting to obtain input from fishers, the general public, and 
the local agencies representatives on the development of compatible 
regulations for three seasonally closed areas off Puerto Rico. The 
Council is considering modifying the seasonal closures of Abrir La 
Sierra, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank. The goal of modifying the 
closures is to protect the red hind spawning aggregations and large 
individuals of snappers and groupers from directed fishing pressure to 
achieve a more natural sex ratio, age, and size structure, while 
minimizing adverse social and economic effects. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

DATES: The scoping meeting will be held on November 25, 2013, from 7 
p.m. to 10 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn 
Mayag[uuml]ez, 2701 Highway 2, Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 
270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-
1903; telephone: (787) 766-5926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Options Paper entitled ``Developing 
Compatible Regulations for Three Seasonally Closed Areas off Puerto 
Rico: Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Sico, and Tourmaline Bank,'' 
considers the following alternative actions:
    Action 1: Modify the length of the closed season for Abrir La 
Sierra.
    Option 1: No Action--do not modify the seasonal closure of Abrir La 
Sierra.
    Option 2: Modify the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra to a 6 
month closure from October 1-March 31.
    Option 3: Modify the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra to a 6 
month closure from December 1-May 31.
    Option 4: Modify the closure of Abrir La Sierra to 12 months.
    Action 2: Modify the length of the closed season for Tourmaline 
Bank.
    Option 1: No Action--do not modify the seasonal closure of 
Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 2: Modify the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank to a 6 
month closure from October 1-March 31.
    Option 3: Modify the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank to a 6 
month closure from December 1-May 31.
    Option 4: Modify the closure of Tourmaline Bank to 12 months.
    Action 3: Modify the length of the closed season for Bajo de Sico.
    Option 1: No Action--do not modify the seasonal closure of Bajo de 
Sico.
    Option 2: Modify the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico to a 3 month 
closure from December 1-End of February.
    Option 3: Modify the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico to a 6 month 
closure from December 1-May 31.
    Option 4: Modify the closure of Bajo de Sico to 12 months.
    Action 4: Prohibit Fishing Activities in Abrir La Sierra.
    Option 1: No Action--Do not modify the species prohibited during 
the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra.
    Option 2: During the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra specified 
in Action 1, prohibit fishing for council-managed reef fish.
    Option 3: During the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra specified 
in Action 1, prohibit fishing for and possession of council-managed 
reef fish species.
    Option 4: During the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra specified 
in Action 1, prohibit fishing for spiny lobster.
    Option 5: During the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra specified 
in Action 1, prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster.
    Option 6: During the seasonal closure of Abrir La Sierra specified 
in Action 1, prohibit fishing for and possession of all species.
    Action 5: Prohibit Fishing Activities in Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 1: No Action--Do not modify the species prohibited during 
the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 2: During the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank specified 
in Action 2, prohibit fishing for council-managed reef fish.
    Option 3: During the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank specified 
in Action 2, prohibit fishing for and possession of council-managed 
reef fish species.
    Option 4: During the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank specified 
in Action 2, prohibit fishing for spiny lobster.
    Option 5: During the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank specified 
in Action 2, prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster.
    Option 6: During the seasonal closure of Tourmaline Bank specified 
in Action 2, prohibit fishing for and possession of all species.
    Action 6: Prohibit Fishing Activities in Bajo de Sico.

[[Page 65973]]

    Option 1: No Action--Do not modify the prohibition on fishing for 
or possession of Council-managed reef fish during the seasonal closure 
of Bajo de Sico.
    Option 2: During the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico specified in 
Action 3, prohibit fishing for Council-managed reef fish.
    Option 3: During the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico specified in 
Action 3, prohibit fishing for spiny lobster.
    Option 4: During the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico specified in 
Action 3, prohibit fishing for and possession of spiny lobster.
    Option 5: During the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico specified in 
Action 3, prohibit fishing for all species.
    Option 6: During the seasonal closure of Bajo de Sico specified in 
Action 3, prohibit fishing for and possession of all species.
    Action 7: Prohibit Anchoring in Abrir La Sierra.
    Option 1: No Action--do not prohibit anchoring by vessels in Abrir 
La Sierra.
    Option 2: Prohibit anchoring for 3 months in Abrir La Sierra. The 
3-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
1.
    Option 3: Prohibit anchoring for 6 months in Abrir La Sierra. The 
6-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
1.
    Option 4: Prohibit anchoring year-round in Abrir La Sierra.
    Action 8: Prohibit Anchoring in Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 1: No Action--do not prohibit anchoring by vessels in 
Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 2: Prohibit anchoring for 3 months in Tourmaline Bank. The 
3-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
2.
    Option 3: Prohibit anchoring for 6 months in Tourmaline Bank. The 
6-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
2.
    Option 4: Prohibit anchoring year-round in Tourmaline Bank.
    Action 9: Prohibit Anchoring in Bajo de Sico.
    Option 1: No Action--maintain the year-round prohibition on 
anchoring by vessels in Bajo de Sico.
    Option 2: Prohibit anchoring for 6 months in Bajo de Sico. The 6-
month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 2.
    Option 3: Prohibit anchoring for 3 months (December 1 through the 
end of February) in Bajo de Sico.
    Option 4: Do not prohibit anchoring in Bajo de Sico.
    Action 10: Prohibit Spearfishing in Abrir La Sierra.
    Option 1: No Action--do not prohibit spearfishing in Abrir La 
Sierra.
    Option 2: Prohibit spearfishing in Abrir La Sierra for 3 months. 
The 3-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in 
Action 1.
    Option 3: Prohibit spearfishing in Abrir La Sierra for 6 months. 
The 6-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in 
Action 1.
    Option 4: Prohibit spearfishing year-round in Abrir La Sierra.
    Action 11: Prohibit Spearfishing in Tourmaline Bank.
    Option 1: No Action--do not prohibit spearfishing in Tourmaline 
Bank.
    Option 2: Prohibit spearfishing in Tourmaline Bank for 3 months. 
The 3-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in 
Action 2.
    Option 3: Prohibit spearfishing in Tourmaline Bank for 6 months. 
The 6-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in 
Action 2.
    Option 4: Prohibit spearfishing year-round in Tourmaline Bank.
    Action 12: Prohibit Spearfishing in Bajo de Sico.
    Option 1: No Action--do not prohibit spearfishing in Bajo de Sico.
    Option 2: Prohibit spearfishing in Bajo de Sico for 3 months. The 
3-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
3.
    Option 3: Prohibit spearfishing in Bajo de Sico for 6 months. The 
6-month closure will coincide with the closure period chosen in Action 
3.
    Option 4: Prohibit spearfishing year-round in Bajo de Sico.
    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold a scoping 
meeting to receive public input on the management options mentioned 
above. The complete document is available at: www.caribbeanfmc.com or 
you may contact Ms. Livia Montalvo at [email protected], 
or the Council office at (787) 766-5926 to obtain copies.
    Written comments can be sent to the Council not later than 5:00 
p.m., December 6, 2013, by regular mail to the address below, or via 
email to [email protected].

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is 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, 270 
Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-
1903, telephone: (787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the meeting 
date.

    Dated: October 30, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26360 Filed 11-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P