Fishery Management Plan for Pelagic Sargassum Habitat of the South Atlantic Region
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SECOND REVISED FINAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PELAGIC SARGASSUM HABITAT OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION INCLUDING A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, INITIAL REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS, REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW, & SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/FISHERY IMPACT STATEMENT NOVEMBER 2002 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council 1 Southpark Circle, Charleston, South Carolina 29407-4699 (843) 571-4366 / FAX (843) 769-4520 email: [email protected] This is a publication of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA17FC2202 SECOND REVISED FINAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PELAGIC SARGASSUM HABITAT OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGION INCLUDING A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, INIITIAL REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS, REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW, & SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/FISHERY IMPACT STATEMENT Prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council NOVEMBER 2002 Financial assistance for producing this document was provided by grant funds from the National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under Public law 104-208, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................i LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................................iv LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................iv LIST OF ACTIONS.........................................................................................................................v PELAGIC SARGASSUM PLAN COVER SHEET.........................................................................vi FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ............................................................. viii REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW...........................................................................................xix Summary of Expected Changes in Net Benefits (Summary of Regulatory Impact Review- RIR)......................................................................... xxii SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/FISHERY IMPACT STATEMENT................................xxxv Social Impact Summary.......................................................................................................... xxxvii 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED.............................................................................................................1 1.1 Issues and Problems...................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 EFH Mandate......................................................................................................................1 1.1.2 Problems Addressed by the Plan.........................................................................................2 1.2 Objectives of the Plan ................................................................................................................2 1.3 History of Management .............................................................................................................2 1.4 Proposed Measures ....................................................................................................................4 2.0 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION................................................5 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES...........................................................6 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT..............................................................................................15 3.1 Sargassum Habitat ...................................................................................................................15 3.1.1 Description of Sargassum Habitat ....................................................................................15 3.1.2 Utilization of Sargassum Habitat......................................................................................17 3.1.3 Measuring Sargassum Distribution and Abundance.........................................................28 3.2 Water Column..........................................................................................................................29 3.2.1 Description of Water Column Used by Sargassum ..........................................................29 3.2.2 Use of Water Column Habitats.........................................................................................30 3.3 Factors Affecting Sargassum and Sargassum Habitat.............................................................33 3.3.1 Assessment of Adverse Effects of Fishing on EFH..........................................................33 3.3.2 Assessment of Adverse Effects of Non-fishing Activities on EFH..................................38 3.4 Effects of Sargassum Harvest on Listed Turtles......................................................................40 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ..............................................................................42 4.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................42 4.2 Management Options...............................................................................................................42 i 4.2.1 ACTION 1. Establish the management unit for pelagic Sargassum throughout the South Atlantic EEZ and State waters.........................................................................................42 4.2.2 ACTION 2. Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) for South Atlantic pelagic Sargassum is estimated to be 100,000 metric tons (220,460,000 pounds) wet weight per year.............................................................................................................................................45 4.2.3 ACTION 3. Specify Optimum Yield (OY) for pelagic Sargassum as 5,000 pounds wet weight per year....................................................................................................................51 4.2.4 ACTION 4. Specify Overfishing Level to meet Magnuson-Stevens Act Mandate for Pelagic Sargassum. Overfishing is defined as the rate of harvest which compromises the stock’s ability to produce MSY..................................................................................................59 4.2.5 ACTION 5. Identify Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for pelagic Sargassum......................65 4.2.6 Impacts of Fishing Gear on Habitat..................................................................................74 4.2.7 ACTION 6. Establish Essential Fish Habitat-Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (EFH-HAPCs) for pelagic Sargassum.......................................................................................75 4.2.8 ACTION 7. Prohibit all harvest and possession of Sargassum from the South Atlantic EEZ south of the latitude line representing the North Carolina/South Carolina border (34° North Latitude). Prohibit all harvest of Sargassum from the South Atlantic EEZ within 100 miles of shore between the 34° North Latitude line and the Latitude line representing the North Carolina/Virginia border. Harvest of Sargassum from the South Atlantic EEZ is limited to the months of November through June. Establish an annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 5,000 pounds landed wet weight. Require that an official observer be present on each Sargassum harvesting trip. Require that nets used to harvest Sargassum be constructed of four inch stretch mesh or larger fitted to a frame no larger than 4 feet by 6 feet....................................................................................................................81 4.3 Unavoidable Adverse Effects.................................................................................................105 4.4 Relationship of Short-term and Long-term Productivity.......................................................106 4.5 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ....................................................106 4.6 Effects of the Fishery on the Environment ............................................................................106 4.6.1 Damage to Ocean and Coastal Habitat ...........................................................................106 4.6.2 Physical Environment .....................................................................................................107 4.6.3 Effects on Wetlands ........................................................................................................107 4.6.4 Fishery Resource.............................................................................................................107 4.6.5 Human Environment.......................................................................................................107 4.6.6 Public Health and Safety.................................................................................................107 4.6.7 Endangered Species and Marine Mammals....................................................................108 4.6.8 Bycatch............................................................................................................................109 4.6.9 Cumulative Effects..........................................................................................................109 4.7 Public and Private Costs ........................................................................................................109