Final Report the Bahamas Spiny Lobster Fishery on Behalf Of
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MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 (8th October 2014) MEC V1.2 (2nd October 2017) Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Final Report The Bahamas Spiny Lobster Fishery On behalf of Bahamas Marine Exporters Association Prepared by Control Union Pesca Ltd JULY 2018 Authors: Jo Gascoigne Thomas Matthews Johan Groeneveld Control Union Pesca Ltd, 56 High Street, Lymington Hampshire SO41 9AH United Kingdom Tel: 01590 613007 Fax: 01590 671573 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.me-cert.com MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 (8th October 2014) CU Pesca V1.2 (2nd October 2017) Contents Contents ............................................................................................................................... 1 Glossary................................................................................................................................ 4 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 5 2 Authorship and Peer Reviewers ...................................................................................... 7 3 Description of the Fishery ................................................................................................ 9 3.1 Units of Assessment (UoA) and Scope of Certification Sought ................................. 9 3.1.1 UoA and Proposed Unit of Certification (UoC) .................................................... 9 3.1.2 Final UoCs ....................................................................................................... 10 3.1.3 Landings Data .................................................................................................. 10 3.1.4 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Enhanced Fisheries ................................. 11 3.1.5 Scope of Assessment in Relation to Introduced Species Based Fisheries (ISBF) 14 3.2 Overview of the fishery ........................................................................................... 15 3.2.1 Bahamas geography ........................................................................................ 15 3.2.2 Lobster industry in The Bahamas ..................................................................... 15 3.2.3 Client group ...................................................................................................... 16 3.2.4 Fishery ............................................................................................................. 16 3.2.5 Fishing using condos........................................................................................ 17 3.2.6 Trap fishing ...................................................................................................... 18 3.2.7 Trap ghost fishing ............................................................................................. 19 3.2.8 How many condos and traps are there? ........................................................... 19 3.2.9 Regulations ...................................................................................................... 20 3.2.10 The Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) and their activities ............................... 20 3.3 Principle One: Target Species Background............................................................. 21 3.3.1 Biology and life history of Panulirus argus ........................................................ 21 3.3.2 (Meta)population definition and structure .......................................................... 21 3.3.3 Reference points .............................................................................................. 24 3.3.4 Stock status ..................................................................................................... 24 3.3.5 Harvest strategy and control rule ...................................................................... 27 3.3.6 Stock rebuilding ................................................................................................ 31 3.3.7 Information ....................................................................................................... 31 2842R05A | Control Union Pesca Ltd. 1 th MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 (8 October 2014) CU Pesca V1.2 (2nd October 2017) 3.3.8 Stock assessment ............................................................................................ 33 3.3.9 Key LTL............................................................................................................ 35 3.4 Principle Two: Ecosystem Background ................................................................... 37 3.4.1 Designation of species under Principle 2 .......................................................... 37 3.4.2 The Bahamas marine ecosystem ..................................................................... 38 3.4.3 Marine conservation in The Bahamas .............................................................. 39 3.4.4 Bycatch in condos ............................................................................................ 40 3.4.5 Bycatch in traps ................................................................................................ 40 3.4.6 Bycatch of vulnerable but non-ETP species ..................................................... 43 3.4.7 ETP species ..................................................................................................... 43 3.4.8 Habitats: MSC definitions ................................................................................. 45 3.4.9 Marine habitats in The Bahamas ...................................................................... 46 3.4.10 Commonly-encountered and vulnerable (VME) habitats ................................... 47 3.4.11 Habitat impacts of condos ................................................................................ 48 3.4.12 Habitat impacts of traps .................................................................................... 49 3.4.13 Ecosystem role of spiny lobster ........................................................................ 50 3.4.14 Ecosystem impact of condos ............................................................................ 50 3.4.15 Cumulative impacts of the fishery ..................................................................... 51 3.5 Principle Three: Management System Background ................................................ 52 3.5.1 Jurisdiction ....................................................................................................... 52 3.5.2 Legal framework for fisheries management ...................................................... 52 3.5.3 Regional co-operation for spiny lobster ............................................................ 52 3.5.4 Organisations involved and decision-making processes ................................... 53 3.5.5 Consultation and stakeholder involvement ....................................................... 55 3.5.6 Objectives for the fishery .................................................................................. 56 3.5.7 Compliance and enforcement ........................................................................... 56 3.5.8 Management evaluation ................................................................................... 59 4 Evaluation Procedure .................................................................................................... 60 4.1 Harmonised Fishery Assessment ........................................................................... 60 4.2 Previous assessments ............................................................................................ 60 4.3 Assessment Methodologies .................................................................................... 60 4.4 Evaluation Processes and Techniques ................................................................... 60 4.4.1 Site Visits ......................................................................................................... 60 2842R05A | Control Union Pesca Ltd. 2 th MSC Full Assessment Reporting Template FCR v2.0 (8 October 2014) CU Pesca V1.2 (2nd October 2017) 4.4.2 Consultations ................................................................................................... 62 4.4.3 Evaluation Techniques ..................................................................................... 63 5 Traceability .................................................................................................................... 65 5.1 Eligibility Date ......................................................................................................... 65 5.2 Traceability within the Fishery ................................................................................. 65 5.3 Eligibility to Enter Further Chains of Custody .......................................................... 69 5.4 Eligibility of Inseparable or Practicably Inseparable (IPI) stock(s) to Enter Further Chains of Custody ........................................................................................................... 69 6 Evaluation Results ........................................................................................................ 70 6.1 Principle Level Scores ............................................................................................ 70 6.2 Summary of PI Level Scores .................................................................................. 70 6.3 Summary of Conditions..........................................................................................