Document
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Vermilion Snapper Management Measures; Amendment 47
The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 47 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP),...
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional fishery management council to submit any FMP or amendment to NMFS for review and approval, partial approval, or disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, publish an announcement in the
Federal Register
notifying the public that the FMP or amendment is available for review and comment.
The FMP being revised by Amendment 47 was prepared by the Council and implemented by NMFS through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Background
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the Council to specify the MSY for managed stocks. The National Standard 1 Guidelines state that the Council should adopt a reasonable proxy for MSY if data are insufficient to estimate MSY directly.
Status of the Vermilion Snapper Stock
Amendment 23 to the FMP established MSY for vermilion snapper as the yield associated with FMSY
when the stock is at equilibrium, where F is defined as fishing mortality (70 FR 109; June 8, 2005). The final rule for the Generic Annual Catch Limit (ACL) and Accountability Measures (AM) Amendment established the vermilion snapper stock ACL and set it equal to the ABC at 3.42 million lb (1.55 million kg), round weight (76 FR 82044, December 29, 2011).
In 2016, a standard assessment for vermilion snapper was conducted (SEDAR 45) and the stock status was evaluated using several MSY proxies. Under all proxies evaluated in SEDAR 45, overfishing was not occurring and the stock was not overfished. The Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) determined that the most appropriate proxy for MSY is the yield when fishing at a mortality rate corresponding to 30 percent spawning potential ratio (F
30%
SPR).
SEDAR 45 also included projections for the overfishing limit and the ABC. The SSC provided the Council two recommendations for ABC: One that is derived from fishing at 75 percent of the MSY proxy (F
30%
SPR) and results in a declining ABC from 2017 through 2021, and one that is derived using the average of 2017-2021 ABCs and results in a constant ABC. The two ABC recommendations are equivalent in terms of maintaining the stock status and the Council selected the constant catch scenario that yielded an ABC of 3.11 million lb (1.41 million kg).
Actions Contained in Amendment 47
Amendment 47 includes measures to establish a proxy for the estimate of the stock MSY and revise the stock ACL for Gulf vermilion snapper consistent with the results of SEDAR 45 and the SSC's new ABC recommendation.
MSY Proxy
For vermilion snapper, the Council's SSC recommended that a proxy be used for MSY. The Council's SSC recommended F
30%
SPR as the MSY proxy for SEDAR 45, and the Council agreed. Under this proxy, the stock is not overfished or undergoing overfishing.
Stock ACL
The current ACL of 3.42 million lb (1.55 million kg), round weight, exceeds the ABCs recommended by the Council's SSC. Therefore, the Council determined that the ACL for vermilion snapper should be decreased to equal the constant catch ABC and Amendment 47 would set the stock ACL at 3.11 million lb (1.41 million kg), round weight.
The current accountability measures for vermilion snapper require NMFS to close the commercial and recreational fishing seasons if the combined commercial and recreational landings reach or are projected to reach the stock ACL. Since 2013, combined landings have been less than 3.00 million lb (1.36 million kg), round weight, every year. Therefore, NMFS does not expect the combined landings of vermilion snapper to reach the proposed stock ACL and result in a closure before the end of the fishing year.
Proposed Rule for Amendment 47
A proposed rule that would implement Amendment 47 has been drafted. In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the proposed rule to determine whether it is consistent with the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If that determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the
Federal Register
for public review and comment.
Consideration of Public Comments
The Council has submitted Amendment 47 for Secretarial review, approval, and implementation. Comments on Amendment 47 must be received by February 20, 2018. Comments received during the respective comment periods, whether specifically directed to Amendment 47 or the proposed rule, will be considered by NMFS in its decision to approve, partially approve, or disapprove Amendment 47 and will be addressed in the final rule.
All comments received by NMFS on Amendment 47 or the proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be addressed in the final rule.
16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.
Dated: December 14, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.