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Modification of the Gulf of Mexico Lane Snapper Catch Limits and Accountability Measures

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Modification of the Gulf of Mexico Lane Snapper Catch Limits and Accountability Measures 3/9/2021 Modification of the Gulf of Mexico Lane Snapper Catch Limits and Accountability Measures Framework Action to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish of the Gulf of Mexico Including Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis March 2021 This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA20NMF4410007. This page intentionally blank ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COVER SHEET Name of Action Modification of the Gulf of Mexico Lane Snapper Catch Limits and Accountability Measures: Framework Action to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico including Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis. 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] Lisa Hollensead ([email protected]) http://www.gulfcouncil.org National Marine Fisheries Service (Lead Agency) 727-824-5305 Southeast Regional Office 727-824-5308 (fax) 263 13th Avenue South NMFS SERO St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Daniel Luers ([email protected]) Type of Action ( ) Administrative ( ) Legislative ( ) Draft (X) Final This Environmental Assessment is being prepared using the 2020 CEQ NEPA Regulations. The effective date of the 2020 CEQ NEPA Regulations was September 14, 2020, and reviews begun after this date are required to apply the 2020 regulations unless there is a clear and fundamental conflict with an applicable statute. 85 Fed. Reg. at 43372-73 (§§ 1506.13, 1507.3(a)). This Environmental Assessment began on January 28, 2021, and accordingly proceeds under the 2020 regulations. Modification to Lane Snapper Catch Limits and AMs i ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT ABC acceptable biological catch ACL annual catch limit ACT annual catch target ALS Accumulated Landings System AM accountability measure APAIS Access Point Angler Intercept Survey BEA Bureau of Economic Analysis BiOp biological opinion CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFpA cash flow per angler CHTS coastal household telephone survey CI confidence interval Council Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council CPUE catch per unit CS consumer surplus DLMTool Data-Limited Methods Toolkit DPS distinct population segment EA environmental assessment EEZ exclusive economic zone EFH essential fish habitat EIS environmental impact statement EJ Environmental Justice E.O. Executive Order ESA Endangered Species Act FES Fishing Effort Survey FHS For-Hire Survey FL fork length FMP Fishery Management Plan GDP Gross Domestic Product Gulf Gulf of Mexico gw gutted weight HAB harmful algal bloom HAPC habitat area of particular concern IFQ individual fishing quota LA Creel Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries creel survey Magnuson-Stevens Act Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management Act 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 Modification to Lane Snapper Catch Limits and AMs ii NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration OFL overfishing limit PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PDF probability density function PS producer surplus PW product weight Reef Fish FMP Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act RFAA Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis RFFA reasonably foreseeable future actions RIR Regulatory Impact Review RQ regional quotient Secretary Secretary of Commerce SEDAR Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review process SEFSC Southeast Fisheries Science Center SERO Southeast Regional Office SRHS Southeast Region Headboat Survey SSBR spawning stock biomass SSC Scientific and Statistical Committee SSRG Social Science Research Group TNR trip net revenue TPWD Texas Parks and Wildlife ww whole weight Modification to Lane Snapper Catch Limits and AMs iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Environmental Assessment Cover Sheet ......................................................................................... i Abbreviations Used in this Document ............................................................................................ ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 9 1.3 History of Management .................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2. Management Alternatives ....................................................................................... 10 2.1 Action 1 – Modify Catch Limits and Annual Catch Target for Lane Snapper ............... 10 2.2 Action 2 – Modify the Fishing Season Closure AM for Lane Snapper .......................... 13 Chapter 3. Affected Environment ............................................................................................. 17 3.1 Description of the Fishery ............................................................................................... 17 3.1.1 Recreational Sector .................................................................................................. 17 3.1.2 Commercial Sector................................................................................................... 20 3.2 Description of the Physical Environment ....................................................................... 20 3.3 Description of the Biological/Ecological Environment .................................................. 23 3.3.1 Lane Snapper ........................................................................................................... 23 3.3.2 General Information on Reef Fish Species .............................................................. 24 3.4 Description of the Economic Environment ..................................................................... 30 3.4.1 Commercial Sector................................................................................................... 30 3.4.2 Recreational Sector .................................................................................................. 35 3.5 Description of the Social Environment ........................................................................... 43 3.5.1 Commercial Sector................................................................................................... 44 3.5.2 Recreational Sector .................................................................................................. 47 3.5.3 Environmental Justice .............................................................................................. 49 3.6 Description of the Administrative Environment ............................................................. 51 3.6.1 Federal Fishery Management ................................................................................... 51 3.6.2 State Fishery Management ....................................................................................... 52 Chapter 4. Environmental Consequences ................................................................................. 53 4.1 Action 1 – Modify Catch Limits and ACT ..................................................................... 53 4.1.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical Environment ........................................ 53 Modification to Lane Snapper Catch Limits and AMs iv 4.1.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Biological Environment ..................................... 54 4.1.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic Environment ..................................... 56 4.1.4 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Social Environment ........................................... 58 4.1.5 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment ............................. 59 4.2 Action 2 – Modify the Fishing Season Closure AM for Lane Snapper .......................... 60 4.2.1 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Physical Environment ........................................ 60 4.2.2 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Biological/Ecological Environment .................. 60 4.2.3 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Economic Environment ..................................... 61 4.2.4 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Social Environment ........................................... 62 4.2.5 Direct and Indirect Effects on the Administrative Environment ............................. 62 4.3 Cumulative Effects Analysis ........................................................................................... 63 Chapter 5. Regulatory Impact
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