Modifications to Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels
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Tab B, No. 6(a) 1/20/2021 Modifications to Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels Framework Action to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico Including Environmental Assessment January 2021 This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA20NMF4410011. This page intentionally blank ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COVER SHEET Name of Action Framework Action to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico: Modification to Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels including Environmental Assessment. Responsible Agencies and Contact Persons Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) 813-348-1630 4107 W. Spruce Street, Suite 200 813-348-1711 (fax) Tampa, Florida 33607 [email protected] Carly Somerset ([email protected]) Gulf Council Website National Marine Fisheries Service (Lead Agency) 727-824-5305 Southeast Regional Office 727-824-5308 (fax) 263 13th Avenue South SERO Website St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Kelli O’Donnell ([email protected]) Type of Action ( ) Administrative ( ) Legislative (X) Draft ( ) Final Updates to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508) became effective on September 14, 2020 [85 FR 43304]. This draft Environmental Assessment was prepared using the updated definition of effects or impacts in 50 CFR § 1508.1(g). Any effect or impact evaluated in this draft EA has been determined to meet the two-part standard for “reasonable foreseeability” and “reasonably close causal connection” required by the new definition. Modifications to i Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT ABC acceptable biological catch ACL annual catch limit ACT annual catch target ALS Accumulated Landings System AM accountability measures AP Advisory Panel APAIS Access Point Angler Intercept Survey BEA U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis CFpA cash flow per angler CHTS Coastal Household Telephone Survey Council Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council CS consumer surplus EA environmental assessment EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone EFH essential fish habitat EIS environmental impact statement E.O. Executive Order EJ Environmental Justice ESA Endangered Species Act F fishing mortality FES Fishing Effort Survey FL fork length FMP fishery management plan GDP gross domestic product Gulf Gulf of Mexico Fishery gw gutted weight HAPC Habitat Areas of Particular Concern IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change MFMT maximum fishing mortality threshold MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act mp million pounds MRFSS Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey MRIP Marine Recreational Information Program MSST minimum stock size threshold MSY maximum sustainable yield NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Opinion Biological Opinion OFL overfishing limit OY optimum yield PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pw product weight Reef Fish FMP Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf Modifications to ii Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels of Mexico RFA Regulatory Flexibility Analysis RIR Regulatory Impact Review SDC status determination criteria SEAMAP Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program SEDAR Southeast Data Assessment and Review SEFSC Southeast Fishery Science Center SFA Sustainable Fisheries Act SPR spawning potential ratio SRHS Southeast Region Headboat Survey SSB spawning stock biomass SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee SSRG Social Science Research Group TL total length TNR trip net revenue ww whole weight Modifications to iii Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels TABLE OF CONTENTS Environmental Assessment Cover Sheet ......................................................................................... i Abbreviations Used in this Document ............................................................................................ ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 3 1.3 History of Management .................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2. Management Alternatives ......................................................................................... 5 2.1 Action 1 – Modify the Gray Triggerfish ABC, ACLs, and ACTs .................................... 5 Chapter 3. Affected Environment ............................................................................................... 7 3.1 Description of the Physical Environment ......................................................................... 7 3.2 Description of the Biological/Ecological Environment .................................................... 9 3.2.1 Gray Triggerfish......................................................................................................... 9 3.2.2 General Information on Reef Fish Species .............................................................. 11 3.3 Description of the Economic Environment ................................................................ 17 3.3.1 Commercial Sector .............................................................................................. 17 3.3.2 Recreational Sector ............................................................................................. 22 3.4 Description of the Social Environment ........................................................................... 30 3.4.1 Commercial Fishing ................................................................................................. 31 3.4.2 Recreational Fishing ................................................................................................ 33 3.4.3 Environmental Justice Considerations ..................................................................... 35 3.4.4 Community Social Vulnerability Indices ................................................................ 36 3.5 Description of the Administrative Environment ........................................................ 37 3.5.1 Federal Fishery Management ................................................................................... 37 3.5.2 State Fishery Management .................................................................................. 38 Chapter 4. Environmental Consequences ................................................................................. 39 4.1 Action 1: Modify the Gray Triggerfish ABC, ACLs, and ACTs .................................... 39 4.1.1 Effects on the Physical Environment ....................................................................... 39 4.1.2 Effects on the Biological Environment .................................................................... 40 4.1.3 Effects on the Economic Environment .................................................................... 41 4.1.4 Effects on the Social Environment .......................................................................... 42 Modifications to iv Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels 4.1.5 Effects on the Administrative Environment ............................................................ 43 Chapter 5: Agencies, Organizations and Persons Consulted .................................................... 44 Chapter 6: List of Preparers ...................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 7: References ............................................................................................................... 46 Appendix A. ACL/ACT Control Rules for Gray Triggerfish ....................................................... 56 Appendix B. Changes to recreational data collection ................................................................... 58 Appendix C. Appendix C. Other Applicable Law ........................................................................ 60 Modifications to v Gray Triggerfish Catch Levels LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1.1 Gray triggerfish recreational landings, data collection units, recreational ACL, payback-adjusted ACL, percent ACL landed, and closure dates for the years 2008 through 2019. ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Table 1.1.2. Gray triggerfish commercial landings, commercial ACL, payback-adjusted ACL, percent ACL landed, and closure dates for 2008-2019. .................................................................. 2 Table 3.1.2. Total Gulf greenhouse gas 2014 emissions estimates ............................................... 9 Table 3.2.2.1. Status of species in