Amendment 20A Coastal Migratory Pelagics Sale and Permit Provisions
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11/26/13 Coastal Migratory Pelagics Sale and Permit Provisions Amendment 20A to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Including Environmental Assessment, Fishery Impact Statement, Regulatory Impact Review, and Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis November 2013 This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA10NMF441001and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. FNA05NMF441000. This page intentionally blank COASTAL MIGRATORY PELAGICS SALE AND PERMIT PROVISIONS Final Amendment 20A to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Region Including Environmental Assessment, Fishery Impact Statement, Regulatory Impact Review, and Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis Type of Action ( ) Administrative ( ) Legislative ( ) Draft (X) Final Responsible Agencies and Contact Persons Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council 813-348-1630 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100 813-348-1711 (fax) Tampa, Florida 33607 [email protected] Ryan Rindone ([email protected]) http://www.gulfcouncil.org South Atlantic Fishery Management Council 843-571-4366 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201 843-769-4520 (fax) North Charleston, SC 29405 www.safmc.net Kari MacLauchlin ([email protected]) National Marine Fisheries Service (Lead Agency) 727-824-5305 Southeast Regional Office 727-824-5308 (fax) 263 13th Avenue South http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Susan Gerhart ([email protected]) Coastal Migratory Pelagics i Amendment 20A ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT ABC acceptable biological catch ACL annual catch limit ALS Accumulative Landing System AP Advisory Panel APA Administrative Procedures Act ASMFC Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission CFDBS Commercial Fisheries Data Base System CFL coastal fisheries logbook CMP coastal migratory pelagics Council Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act DQA Data Quality Act EA environmental assessment EEZ exclusive economic zone EFH essential fish habitat EIS environmental impact statement EJ environmental justice ESA Endangered Species Act FDA Food and Drug Administration FMP fishery management plan Gulf Gulf of Mexico Gulf Council Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council GMFMC Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points HAPC habitat area of particular concern HBS Headboat Survey IRFA initial regulatory flexibility analysis Magnuson-Stevens Act Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act mp million pounds MRFSS Marine Recreational Fisheries Survey and Statistics MRIP Marine Recreational Information Program MSY maximum sustainable yield NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NEFSC New England Fisheries Science Center NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration nm nautical mile OMB Office of Management and Budget RA Regional Administrator RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act RIR regulatory impact review RQ regional quotient Secretary Secretary of Commerce Coastal Migratory Pelagics ii Amendment 20A SEDAR Southeast Data, Assessment and Review SEFSC Southeast Fisheries Science Center SERO Southeast Regional Office South Atlantic Council South Atlantic Fishery Management Council SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee TPWD Texas Parks and Wildlife Department USCG United States Coast Guard ww whole weight Coastal Migratory Pelagics iii Amendment 20A TABLE OF CONTENTS Coastal Migratory Pelagics Sale and Permit Provisions .................................................................. i Abbreviations Used in this Document ............................................................................................ ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x Fishery Impact Statement .............................................................................................................. xi 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 – Sale of King and Spanish Mackerel ................................................................... 5 2.2 Action 2 – Elimination of Inactive Commercial King Mackerel Permits ........................... 9 2.3 Action 3 – Modify or Eliminate Income Requirements for Gulf and South Atlantic Commercial Coastal Migratory Pelagic Permits ................................................................ 13 Chapter 3. Affected Environment ................................................................................................ 16 3.1 Description of the Fishery and Status of the Stocks .......................................................... 16 3.1.1 Description of the Fishery ........................................................................................... 16 3.1.2 Status of Stocks ........................................................................................................... 24 3.2 Description of the Physical Environment .......................................................................... 25 3.2.1 Gulf of Mexico ............................................................................................................ 25 3.2.2 South Atlantic ............................................................................................................. 29 3.3 Description of the Biological/Ecological Environment ..................................................... 31 3.3.1 Reproduction ............................................................................................................... 32 3.3.2 Development, Growth and Movement Patterns .......................................................... 33 3.3.3 Protected Species ........................................................................................................ 33 3.4 Description of the Economic Environment ........................................................................ 34 3.4.1 Economic Description of the Commercial Fishery ..................................................... 34 3.4.2 Economic Description of the Recreational Fishery .................................................... 36 3.5 Description of the Social Environment .............................................................................. 48 3.5.1 Gulf of Mexico Coastal Pelagic Fishing Communities .............................................. 50 3.5.2 South Atlantic Coastal Pelagic Fishing Communities ................................................ 54 3.5.3 Mid-Atlantic Coastal Pelagic Fishing Communities .................................................. 57 Coastal Migratory Pelagics iv Amendment 20A 3.5.4 Environmental Justice Considerations ........................................................................ 61 3.6 Description of the Administrative Environment ................................................................ 66 3.6.1 Federal Fishery Management ...................................................................................... 66 3.6.2 State Fishery Management .......................................................................................... 67 Chapter 4. Environmental Consequences .................................................................................... 69 4.1 Action 1: Sale of King and Spanish Mackerel .................................................................. 69 4.1.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical/Biological Environments ....................... 70 4.1.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic Environment ........................................ 71 4.1.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Social Environment .............................................. 80 4.1.4 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment ................................ 82 4.2 Action 2: Elimination of Inactive Commercial King Mackerel Permits .......................... 83 4.2.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical/Biological Environments ....................... 83 4.2.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic Environment ........................................ 84 4.2.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Social Environment .............................................. 87 4.2.4 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment ...............................