AccountabilityMeasureOptionsforPelagicStocks
DiscussionPaper,August2025
Background
PelagicstocksundereachofPuertoRico,St.Croix,andSt.Thomas/St.JohnFMPs (Island-basedFMPs)arenewtofederalmanagement(Table1)(CFMC2019a,b,c). The Councilreliedonexistinglandingsdatatodevelopmanagementreferencepointsforpelagicfish includedintheFMPs. However,itisuncertainifthisdatafullyrepresentstheactualharvest. Becausethesestockswerenotfederallymanagedbefore,datacollectionforsomestocksmay havebeenlesscomplete,likelymissingkeytemporalandspatialvariationsinthefisheries.
Reflectingeconomicandculturalconsiderationsguidingtheharvestofpelagicstocksinallthree islands,theCaribbeanFisheryManagementCouncil(Council)usedadifferentapproachto managepelagicstocksuntilamorecompleteunderstandingoftheseimportantfisheriesis obtained(CFMC2019a,b,c). AsrequiredundertheMagnuson-StevensFisheryConservation andManagementAct(Magnuson-StevensAct),theisland-basedFMPsestablishedannualcatch limits(ACLs)andaccountabilitymeasures(AMs)forallpelagicstocks. However,insteadof applyinganAMintheeventofanACLoveragethatreducesthelengthofthefishingseasonto preventtheACLfrombeingagainexceededasisdoneforreeffishandspinylobster,the Councilestablishedanannualcatchtarget(ACT)thatwouldserveastheAMtrigger,as describedbelow.
Table1.ListofpelagicspeciesmanagedundereachoftheIsland-basedFMPs
CurrentAMsapplicabletoPelagicStocksundereachoftheisland-basedFMPs
TheACTswereestablishedtoaddressuncertaintyinthelandingsofthesespecies,allofwhich arenewtomanagement,andareconsistentwiththeMagnuson-StevensActNationalStandard1 Guidelines. TheACTforeachpelagicstockorstockcomplexservesasatargetbelowtheACL, butprovidesstabilityforfisheriesthatareapttofluctuatearoundatargetcatchrate. TheACTs foreachpelagicstock/stockcomplexinallthreeFMPsweresetat90%oftheapplicableACL andserveastheAMtrigger.
AsdiscussedintheIsland-basedFMPs,anAMwouldbetriggerediftheapplicablelandings (e.g.,sectorlandings,asavailable)exceedtheapplicableACTforthatstock/stockcomplex. For PuertoRico-whenlandingsforonesectorarenotavailableforcomparisontothatsector'sACL andACT,theACLandACTforthesectorwithavailablelandingsaretheACLandACTforthe stockorstockcomplex(seeprocessforapplyingAMsbelow).
Application of AMs for Pelagic Stocks (Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas/St. John)
Atornearthebeginningofthefishingyear,landingsforeachstock,stockcomplex,orindicator stockwillbeevaluatedrelativetotheapplicableACTforthestockorstockcomplexbasedona movingmulti-yearaverageoflandings,asdescribedintheFMP IfNMFSestimatesthat landingshaveexceededtheapplicableACTforastockorstockcomplex,NMFSinconsultation withtheCouncilwilldetermineappropriatecorrectiveaction.
Annual Catch Monitoring Process
Step1.Assoonaslandingsareavailableeachyear,SoutheastRegionalOffice(SERO)staff compareseachpelagicstock/stockcomplex'slandingstotheapplicableACT.
➔ Iflandings<ACT,thennocorrectiveactionisrequired.
➔ Iflandings>ACT,thenNMFSnotifiestheCounciloftheoverage.
Step2.AlthoughnotrequiredbytheAM,SEROstaffsendsasummarymemolistingthose pelagicstockswithACToveragestotheSoutheastFisheriesScienceCenter(SEFSC)forreview
Step3.NMFSandtheCouncildiscussanddetermineappropriatecorrectiveaction.
Currently,thereisaneedfortheCounciltospecifyAMcorrectiveactionswhenanoverage occurs. AlthoughrecentmonitoringofpelagicspecieslandingshastriggeredAMsforsome species(Table2),nocorrectiveactionhasbeentakentodatebecausetherearenospecific correctionactionscurrentlyidentifiedinregulations. Notethatformanyofthestocks,boththe ACTandtheACLwereexceeded,whichmayemphasizetheneedtoreviewtheuseofanACT astowhetheritisservingitspurpose. TheCouncilmaywanttoconsiderremovingtheACTand usetheACLasthetriggerforthepelagicAMorimplementingothermanagementmeasuresthat mayconstrainharvesttotheACT/ACL. Forinstance,NMFSrecentlyimplementednewsize limitsfordolphinandwahoothatmaybesufficienttoconstraincatchestotheACTand/orACL.
Additionally,theCouncilcouldevaluatepossibleactionsthatcouldbeimplementedtoaddress instanceswhereACLsorACTsforpelagicspeciesareexceeded.
Table2.SummaryofannualcatchmonitoringforpelagicstocksthatexceededtheirACTand/or ACLsinceimplementationoftheisland-basedFMPsin2022.
Pelagic Stock (FMP)
Potentialoptionsforpelagicstockscorrectiveactions
1. Potential Actions if the ACT is exceeded
a. IftheACLisnotexceeded,thennocorrectiveactionisrequired.
b. IftheACLisexceeded,NMFSimplementsacorrectiveactionasrecommendedby theCouncil.
Ifcorrectiveactionisneeded,NMFSwouldimplementacorrectiveactionasrecommendedby theCouncilthroughanamendmenttotheFMP
Pros and Cons of NMFS-implemented AM Options
Pros:
● TheAMcouldbeimplementedfollowingtheyear(s)ofanoverageandwould defineaclearAMcorrectivemeasurewithoutfurtherconsultationwiththe CFMC.
Cons:
● DelaysinlandingslimithowquicklyanAMcanbeimplementedfollowingan overage.
● Changingcorrectiveactionseachyearcouldcreateconfusionamongfishers.
NoteontheuseofACTsasatriggerforAMs:TheACT/ACLmonitoringprocessin placemaynotserveitspurposeforsomeofthesepelagicstocks,basedonpast monitoring,whenbothACTsandACLswereexceeded(Table1). Additionally,thereare noreal-timecommerciallandingsavailableorcollectionofrecreationallandingsbythe MarineRecreationalInformationProgram,thusmonitoringcommercialandrecreational landingstotheACTin-seasonisnotpossibleatthistime.
2. Potential Corrective Actions
AcorrectiveactioncouldbespecifiedintheAM. Thefollowingcouldbeconsideredas a post-seasoncorrectiveaction:
a. TemporaryFisheryClosure:Implementatemporaryfisheryclosure,whichcouldbe similartothatestablishedintheprocessfortheReefFishAMapplication(seeCFMC 2019a,b,c).
Pros:
● Reducestherateofharvestinfederalwaters.
Cons:
● Maynothavetheintendedeffectduetotemporalandspatialvariabilityofpelagic fish.
● Requiresterritoriestoadoptcompatibleregulationstobefullyeffective.
b. Trip/BagLimitAdjustments:Implementormodifyexistingcommercialtripor recreationalbaglimits.
Pros:
● Acommercialtriplimitcouldslowtherateofharvest.
● Arecreationalbaglimitisalreadyinplacefordolphinandwahoo.
Cons:
● Foracommercialtriplimitorchangestoexistingrecreationalbaglimitstobe effectivelyimplementedwillneedsupportfromterritorialnaturalresource agencies(compatibleregulations).
● Establishingacommercialtriplimitasanaccountabilitymeasureactioncould increaseenforcementissuesandrequireadditionalcommunicationwith fishermen.
● Imposingchangesintriplimitsin-seasonorfromyear-to-yearwillrequire increasedcommunicationwithfishersandcouldcreateconfusionaboutexisting restrictions.
c. SizeLimitAdjustments:Implementormodifycurrentsizelimitsforstocks.
Pros:
● Slowstherateofharvest.
● Sizelimitswererecentlyimplementedfordolphinandwahooinallislands.
Cons:
● Mayneedsupportfromtheterritorialnaturalresourceagenciestobefully effective.
● Imposingchangesinsizelimitsin-seasonorfromyear-to-yearwillrequire increasedcommunicationwithfishersandcouldcreateconfusionaboutexisting restrictions.
d. OtherMeasures?
Additionalconsiderations:
● Gearmodifications-forexample,useofnon-offsetcirclehookstodecreasediscard mortalityforsmallfishreleasedorthatshakeoffbeforebeinglanded(referencein Mertenetal.2022)-Notaffectlegallandedcatch,butpreventsmortalityforothers.