Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2016 Accountability Measure-Based Closures for Commercial and Recreational Species in the U.S. Caribbean Off Puerto Rico

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for species and species groups in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the U.S. Caribbean off Puerto Rico for the 2016 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that annual catch limits (ACLs) in the EEZ off Puerto Rico were exceeded for spiny lobster; the commercial sectors for triggerfish and filefish, wrasses, Snapper Unit 2, and parrotfishes; and the recreational sector for jacks, based on average landings during the 2012-2014 fishing years. This temporary rule reduces the lengths of the 2016 fishing seasons for these species and species groups by the amounts necessary to ensure that landings do not exceed the applicable ACLs in 2016. NMFS closes the applicable sectors for these species and species groups beginning on the dates specified below (in the DATES section) and continuing until the end of the fishing year, December 31, 2016. These AMs are necessary to protect the Caribbean reef fish and spiny lobster resources in the EEZ off Puerto Rico.