[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65215-65216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27133]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC); Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings on amendments to the U.S. Caribbean 
Reef fish, spiny lobster and corals and reef associated plants and 
invertebrates fishery management plans: timing of accountability 
measure-based closures.

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SUMMARY: The CFMC is considering modifying the timing for the 
implementation of accountability measure based closures in the EEZ and 
specifying how often to revisit the modification. The Council is 
considering these management measures in order to ensure AM-based 
closures successfully achieve their conservation objective at the least 
cost to fishers and the fishing communities, consistent with National 
Standard 8 the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act.
    Following are the actions and management alternatives:
    The Amendment consists of two actions:
    Action 1: Modify the timimg for the implementation of AM-based 
closures in the EEZ.


[[Page 65216]]


    Alternative 1: No action. Continue AM-based closures resulting from 
an ACL overage beginning on December 31st of the closure year and 
extending backward in the year for the number of days neccesary to 
achieve the required reduction in landings.
    Alternative 2: Accountability measure-based closures resulting from 
an ACL overage will begin on September 30th of the closure year and 
would extend backward into the year for the number of days necessary to 
achieve the required reduction in landing. This closure start date 
would apply to all FMUs for each of Puerto Rico commercial and 
recreational sectors, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and Caribbean-
wide. If for any FMU in any year, the number of days left in the year 
is not enough to achieve the required reduction in landings, then those 
additional days would be captured in the opposite direction.
    Alternative 3: Accountability measure-based closures resulting from 
am ACL overage will begin on January 1st of the closure year and would 
extend forward into the year for the number of days necessary to 
achieve the required reduction in landing. This closure start date 
would apply to all FMUs for each of Puerto Rico commercial and 
recreational sectors, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and Caribbean-
wide.
    Alternative 4: Establish a fixed fishing closure start date for the 
implememtation of AMs for each FMU (i.e., species/species complex) by 
island/island group (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John, St. Croix, and 
Caribbean-wide). A different start date may be chosen for each FMU on 
each island/island group, but that start date would apply every year 
AMs need to be triggered for that FMU on that island. The start date 
will begin on the last day of the identified month and go backward 
towards the beginning of the year.
    Alternative 4 Sub-alternatives:
    Alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month with 
highest average landings.
    Alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month with 
lowest average landing.
    Alternative 4--Puerto Rico (Commercial):
    Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month 
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of 
available landings data.
    Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month 
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available 
landings data.
    Alternative 4--Puerto Rico (Recreational):
    Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month 
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of 
available landings data.
    Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month 
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available 
landings data.
    Alternative 4--St. Thomas/St. John, USVI (Commercial and 
Recreational combined):
    Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month 
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of 
available landings data.
    Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month 
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available 
landings data.
    Alternative---Caribbean-Wide (Commercial and Recreational combined)
    Sub-alternative 4(a): Closure to start the last day of the month 
that has the highest landings based on the most recent three years of 
available landings data (shortest closure time).
    Sub-alternative 4(b): Closure to start the last day of the month 
with lowest landings based on the most recent three years of available 
landings data.
    Action 2: Specify how often to revisit the approach selected in 
Action 1.
    Alternative 1: No action. Do not specify how often the approach 
chosen should be revisited.
    Alternative 2 (Preferred): Review the approach selected no longer 
than 2 years from implementation and every 2 years thereafter.
    Alternative 3: Review the approach selected no longer than 5 years 
from implementation and every five years thereafter.
    Dates and Addresses: The meetings will be held on the following 
dates and locations:

In the U.S. Virgin Islands:
    November 16, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--The Buccaneer Hotel, Estate 
Shoys, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI.
    November 17, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Windward Passage Hotel, 
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI.

In Puerto Rico:
    November 23, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Doubletree Hotel, De Diego 
Avenue, Santurce, PR.
    November 24, 2015, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Mayaguez Holiday Inn, 2701 
Hostos Avenue, Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico.
    November 25, 2015, 2 p.m.-5 p.m.--Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical 
Casino, 3315 Ponce By Pass, Ponce, 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: Copy of the document, ``Amendments to the 
U.S. Caribbean Reef fish, Spiny Lobster and Corals and Reef Associated 
Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plans: Timing of 
Accountability Measure-Based Closures'', can be found at the CFMC Web 
page: caribbeanfmc.com.
    Written comments can be sent to the Council not later than December 
10, 2015, by regular mail to the address below, or via email to 
[email protected].

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, 
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 21, 2015.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27133 Filed 10-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P