EvaluatingAlternativeAccountabilityMeasuresforSpinyLobsterunderthe PuertoRicoFisheryManagementPlan(FMP)
Discussion/OptionsPaper,August2025
Background
TheCaribbeanspinylobsterstockinwatersaroundPuertoRicoismanagedbythePuertoRico DepartmentofNaturalandEnvironmentalResources(DNER)(statewaters)andbytheNational MarineFisheriesService(NMFS)withtheadvicefromtheCaribbeanFisheryManagement Council(CFMC)(federalwaters). ThePuertoRicoFishingRegulations7949applytofishing forspinylobsterinstatewaters,whilethePuertoRicoFisheryManagementPlan(FMP)and implementingregulationscontainedin50CFR622applytofishingforspinylobsterinfederal waters. AsoneofthemostimportantspeciestargetedbycommercialfishersinPuertoRico, bothfederalandstateregulationslimitcatchtoensurethesustainabilityofthisstock(seePuerto RicoFMP,Chapter5).Amongothers,theseregulationsaddressthesizeandreproductive conditionsofthespecies,andestablishareasclosedtofishingandgearrestrictions.
Issue: CommerciallandingsofspinylobsterinPuertoRicoarenotmonitoredin-season,only post-season.Oftencommerciallandingsaretwoyearsoldbeforetheyareavailablefor management. Recreationallandingsarenotcurrentlymonitoredorreported.Thecommercial andrecreationalsectorsaremanagedunderastockannualcatchlimit(ACL)andapost-season accountabilitymeasure(AM)fortheentirestock,describedbelow. Arecentevaluationof PuertoRicospinylobsterlandingsforACLmonitoringpurposesindicatesthatthethree-year averageofthemostrecentcommerciallandingsofPuertoRicospinylobsterhasexceededthe three-yearaverageoftheapplicableACLs. Theexceedanceisattributedtoincreasesinharvest, ratherthantoimproveddatacollectionormonitoring.
Basedoncurrentharvestpatterns,itisexpectedthatlandingswillcontinuetoexceedthe applicableACL(i.e.,averagelandings2021-2023=589,169lbsvsaverageACLs2021-2023= 408,155lbs)understatusquoregulations. Currently,whencommerciallandingsofthestock exceedtheapplicableACL,theAMprovidesthatNMFSreducethelengthofthefishingseason bytheamountnecessarytopreventanotheroverage. However,thevastmajorityofspinylobster harvestinPuertoRicooccursinstatewaters(~90%ormore). Therefore,applyinganAMthat closesharvestinfederalwatersisnotsufficienttofullyconstraintotalspinylobsterlandingsto theapplicableACLunlessPuertoRicoimplementscompatibleregulationsinstatewaters. For example,commerciallandingsofspinylobstercouldincreasetosuchalevelthatanAM-based closurecouldrequireharvestinfederalwaterstocloseyear-round.
Additionally,anupdatetotheSEDAR57assessmentcompletedin2022supporteda determinationthatthePuertoRicospinylobsterstockwassubjecttooverfishing. Thiswas
reportedtotheCFMCina2024memorandum. In2025,thestockcontinuestobeundergoing overfishingbasedonareviewofthemostrecentcommerciallandings(2023)relativetothe overfishinglimit. NMFSsentalettertotheCFMConJuly30,2025,notifyingtheCouncilof ongoingoverfishing. Uponnotificationthatastockisundergoingoverfishing,aCouncilshould immediatelybeginworktoendtheoverfishing.
NationalStandard1GuidelinesstatethatiftheACLisexceededmorethanonceinafour-year period,thenthesystemofACLsandAMsshouldbereevaluatedandmodifiedasnecessary,to improveitsperformanceandeffectiveness. GivenrecentoveragesoftheACLinadditionto timelagsinreceivingcommerciallandingsdata,theCFMCandNMFSneedtoconsidernew managementmeasuresandalternativestothecurrentAMtoensurethatACLsarenotexceeded onaregularbasis. AbenchmarkstockassessmentforspinylobsterinPuertoRico,St.Croix, andSt.Thomas/St.John(SEDAR91)iscurrentlyinprogress. Ifacceptedformanagementuse, resultsfromSEDAR91,includinganupdatedACL,wouldbeconsideredasbestscientific informationavailableforthespinylobsterstocks,andcouldbeincorporatedintoanamendment tothePuertoRicoFMP ResultsofSEDAR91areexpectedtobeavailablefortheScientificand StatisticalCommitteetoreviewinSeptember2025andwillbepresentedtotheCouncilin December2025.
CurrentAMsapplicabletotheSpinyLobsterStockunderthePuertoRicoFMP FrameworkAction1totheFMPs,implementedin2023,modifiedtheAMforSpinyLobsterin eachmanagementarea. Forthespinylobsterstocks,themostrecent3-yearaveragelandingsare comparedtotheaverageACLsduringthatsametimeperiod. Ifaveragelandingsexceedthe averageACLandtheexceedanceisduetoincreasedcatchandnotenhancedreporting,then NMFSwillreducethelengthofthefishingseasonwithinthecurrentfishingyearbytheamount necessarytopreventaveragelandingsfromexceedingtheACLforthecurrentfishingyear.
AnyfishingseasonreductionrequiredwillbeappliedstartingfromSeptember30andmoving earliertowardthebeginningofthefishingyear. Ifthelengthoftherequiredfishingseason reductionexceedstheperiodofJanuary1throughSeptember30,anyadditionalfishingseason reductionwillbeappliedstartingfromOctober1andmovinglatertowardtheendofthefishing year
PotentialOptionstomodifyAMsforspinylobster
ThefollowingoptionpresentsanalternativetothecurrentAMtriggerthattheCFMCcould considertobetteraddressACLoverages. Prosandconsfortheoptionareincluded. Any modificationstothecurrentAMsapplicabletothePuertoRicospinylobsterstockwouldneedto bemadethroughanamendmenttothePuertoRicoFMP
Appendix
AppendixA-ExamplesofpotentialapproachesforwhenanAMistriggered
1. Noaction–Reducethelengthofthefishingseasonbytheamountneededtoensure landingsarenotexceededagain.
Pros: ThisAMcorrectiveactionisalreadyestablished.
Cons: MostspinylobsterharvestoccursinPuertoRicostatewatersoutsidefederal reach,ifthespinylobsterACLisexceeded,NMFSmaynothavetheabilitytoreducethe lengthofthefishingseasonbytheamountnecessarytopreventafutureoverageunless compatibleregulationsareimplementedbyPuertoRicoDNER.
2. Implementacommercialtriplimitintheyearfollowinganoverage.
a. Establishapre-determinedcommercialtriplimitbasedontheACLoverage amount.Thecommercialtriplimitcouldbecomposedofdifferentcategory ranges.Forexample,setamorerestrictivetriplimitbasedonagreaterACL overage.
Pros:
● Establishingatriplimitwouldlikelyslowtherateofharvest(ifharvestisalso reducedinstatewaters,wheremostoftheharvesttakesplace).
Cons:
● TimelagsinlandingsdatacouldaffecthowquicklyanAMistriggeredandatrip limitisimplementedeachyear.Theeffectivenessofatriplimitwoulddependon theDNERadoptingasimilartriplimitinstatewaters.
● Itmaybechallengingtodeterminewhenthetriplimitshouldtakeplacesothatit providesthemostbenefittothepopulationwhileminimizingsocio-economic effects.
● EnforcementofthetriplimitmaybedifficultparticularlyifPuertoRicodoesnot implementasimilartriplimit.
● Anannuallyvariabletriplimitmaycreateconfusionamongfishers.
3 ImplementadynamicclosedseasonforthespinylobstertheyearfollowinganACL overage,wheretheclosurelengthcouldbepre-determinedbasedontheACLoverage amount(setindifferentcategoryranges).
Pros:
● Establishingadynamicclosedseasonwouldlikelyslowtherateofharvest(ifthe closurealsoappliesinstatewaters,wheremostoftheharvesttakesplace).
● Adynamicclosurethatallowsholidayseasonstobeavoided(e.g.,Lent, Christmas)maycreatebuy-infromfishersandPuertoRicotoimplementthesame closure.
Cons:
● TheeffectivenessoftheclosurewoulddependontheDNERadoptingasimilar closureinstatewaters.
● Itmaybechallengingtodeterminewhentheclosureshouldtakeplacesothatit providesthemostbenefittothepopulationwhileminimizingsocio-economic effects.
● TimelagsinlandingsdatacouldaffecthowquicklyanAMistriggeredanda closureisimplementedeachyear
● EnforcementoftheclosuremaybedifficultparticularlyifPuertoRicodoesnot implementcompatibleregulations.
● Varyingannualclosuresmaycreateconfusionamongfishers.
● Maycreateaderbyorshiftfishingeffort
AppendixB-Additionalmanagementmeasuresthatcouldbeconsidered
● Annualseasonalclosure–althoughspinylobsterintheCaribbeanspawnsyear-round, considerafixedseasonalclosuretocovertheprimaryspawningmonths(MartoAug).
TableB-1.ClosedseasonsforspinylobsterharvestintheWiderCaribbean.
● Seasonaloryear-roundtriplimit–thisoptionwouldhelpreducecatchrates,yet maintainasteadysupplyofspinylobsteryearround(withoutaclosureorwithashorter closure).
● Limitedentrypermit-TheCouncilcouldconsiderestablishingafederallimitedentry permitexclusivelyfortheharvestofspinylobsterinfederalwaters,and/orestablishing cooperativeagreementswiththeDNERforthesharedmanagementofthespeciessothat regulationspromulgatedbyPuertoRicoareimplementedbyNMFSaslongastheseare consistentwithgoalsandobjectivesofthePuertoRicoFMP,thenationalstandards, MSA,andotherapplicablelaws.
● Gearconsiderations-Forexample,implementationofcompatiblerestrictedgeartypes.
● Year-roundharvestprohibitioninfederalwatersaroundPuertoRico.
● RemovalofthespinylobsterfromthePuertoRicoFMP-Adeterminationwould needtobemadeifspinylobsterisinneedofconservationandmanagementconsistent withfactorsdescribedin50CFR600.305(c).
● Other?
TableB-2. RecentCFMCactionsrelatedtothemanagementofthespinylobster.
CFMC175th Meeting– August2021
SEDAR57SpinyLobster
CFMC179th Meeting–August2022
SEDARSpinyLobsterUpdateAssessment (discussedatCFMC180th Meeting–December 2022)
TheCouncilinstructedstafftoexaminealternative timeswhenAMscouldbeappliedtotheSpinyLobster underthePuertoRicoFMPandreportbacktothe Councilwiththeappropriatedocumentation.
FrameworkAmendment1IBFMPs:SpinyLobster ReferencePointssubmittedbytheCFMCtoNMFSin 2020madechangesbasedonthisassessment
- ChangedtheACLsforallthreestocks
- Notundergoingoverfishing
- RegulationseffectiveonApril2023
RArecommendsSEFSCandCouncilworkwithSSC toworkonAMsforspinylobster(potentiallyunderthe enhancedreportingclause)
KevinremindedthegroupthattheSEFSCisworking ontheupdatedassessmentforspinylobsternow,which shouldbepresentedattheDecembermeeting
FrameworkAction2toModifySpinyLobster ReferencePointsbasedonSEDARUpdatesubmitted bytheCFMCtoNMFSinOct2023
- ChangedtheACLsforallthreestocks
- PuertoRicostockundergoingoverfishing
- RegulationseffectiveonMay2024
● SubmittedbytheCFMCinOct2023
● RegulationsbecameeffectiveonMay2024
SpinyLobsterStatusandACLoverages
● DuetooverfishingstatusandrecentACL overages,theCFMCincludedevaluating changestotheAMasapriorityfor2025.
References
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//dam-migration/sero_gulf_sa_spiny_lob_reg_am4.pdf Amendment10SA/GulfSL
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//dam-migration/sero_gulf_sa_spiny_lob_reg_am4.pdf RegulatoryAmendment4SA/Gulf
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/45274 PuertoRicoFMP
https://safmc.net/documents/att_7_managing-the-annual-catch-limits-acls-for-data-limited-stocks -draft-pdf/
NS1TechnicalGuidanceSubgroup3TechMemo: ManagingwithACLsfordata-limitedstocks infederalfisherymanagementplans-Reviewandrecommendationsforimplementing50CFR 600.310(h)(2)flexibilitiesfordatalimitedstocks
