Caribbean Fishery Bulletin
Bringing Fishing News to You
FB25-021
Fishery Bulletin Issue Date: June 26, 2025
Contact: Maria Lopez-Mercer, 727-824-5305, maria.lopez@noaa.gov
Final Rule to Modify Annual Catch Limits for the Triggerfish Complex in Federal Waters around Puerto Rico
Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries announces the final rule for Framework Action 3 under the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan (Framework Action 3) The final rule will update management reference points used to monitor the health of the population, including annual catch limits, for the Triggerfish Stock Complex in federal waters around Puerto Rico. The Triggerfish Stock Complex is composed of queen triggerfish, gray triggerfish, and ocean triggerfish. The update is based on scientific information from the recent queen triggerfish stock assessment through the Southeast Data Assessment and Review 80 for Puerto Rico, completed in 2022.
When Rule Will Take Effect:
Regulations will become effective July 25, 2025
What This Means:
This final rule updates the total, commercial, and recreational annual catch limits for the Triggerfish Stock Complex under the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan:
• The total annual catch limit for the Triggerfish Stock Complex will decrease from 90,552 pounds (lb) to 87,220 lb
• The commercial annual catch limit for the Triggerfish Stock Complex will decrease from 83,099 lb to 80,041 lb.
• The recreational annual catch limit for the Triggerfish Stock Complex will decrease from 7,453 lb to 7,178 lb.
Formal Federal Register Name/Number: 90 FR 26940, published June 25, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why are the catch limits being revised?
● Framework Action 3 under the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan includes an action to update the overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch, and the annual catch limits for species in the Triggerfish stock complex.
● This action is based on the SEDAR 80 Stock Assessment for the Puerto Rico queen triggerfish (peje puerco, in Spanish), completed in 2022.
● In the Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan, queen triggerfish is managed under the Triggerfish stock complex with ocean (turco, in Spanish) and gray triggerfish (peje puerco blanco, in Spanish) and is the indicator stock. This means that management measures, status determination criteria, and management reference points are based on landings of queen triggerfish only as the indicator stock, but apply to the entire complex.
● The updated management reference points, including the annual catch limits, are expected to better protect against overfishing of the Triggerfish Stock Complex, and thus ensure, to the best extent practicable, continued access to the resource in future years.
● The total, commercial, and recreational annual catch limits are lower than the catch limits included in the original Puerto Rico Fishery Management Plan, but they are based on an updated understanding of the health of the population. In addition, the scientific uncertainty around the updated catch limits is less. The updated catch limits are expected to better prevent overfishing of the triggerfish population.
Where can I find more information on Framework Action 3?
● Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
By Mail: María López-Mercer
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional
Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
● Framework Action 3 may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/framework-action-3-puerto-rico-fisherymanagement-plan-modification-status-determination
Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures
NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message. Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.
Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:
• Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
• Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
• South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
• South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
• Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH
Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.
Other contacts:
Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan (727) 385-5202