Draft 10/10/2005 FINAL AMENDMENT 18A TO THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE REEF FISH RESOURCES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO (including Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analyses) October 2005 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council National Marine Fisheries Service 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100 Southeast Regional Office Tampa, FL 33607-2370 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Tel: 813-348-1630 (toll-free 888-833-1844) Tel: 727-824-5305 FAX: 813-348-1711 FAX: 727-824-5308 E-mail:[email protected] This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award and NA04NMF4410020. TABLE OF CONTENTS Fishery Impact Statement .............................................................................................. iv 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 2 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION..................................................................... 4 3 PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................. 7 4 MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES AND DISCUSSION ...................................... 9 4.1 Enforcement and Monitoring Issues ................................................................... 9 4.1.1 Simultaneous Commercial and Recreational Harvest on a Vessel ............. 9 4.1.2 Maximum Crew Size on a Charter Vessel When Fishing Commercially 13 4.1.3 Use of Reef Fish for Bait .......................................................................... 16 4.1.4 Vessel Monitoring System........................................................................ 20 4.2 Modifications to the TAC Framework Procedure ............................................ 25 4.3 Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Bycatch..................................................... 30 5 REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW....................................................................... 39 5.1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 39 5.2 Problems and Issues in the Fishery................................................................... 39 5.3 Objectives ......................................................................................................... 39 5.4 Description of the Fishery................................................................................. 39 5.4.1 Commercial Fishery.................................................................................. 40 5.4.2 Dealers ...................................................................................................... 49 5.4.3 Recreational Reef Fish Fishery................................................................. 49 5.4.4 Fishing Communities................................................................................ 57 5.5 Impacts of the Management Alternatives ......................................................... 59 5.5.1 Simultaneous Commercial and Recreational Harvest............................... 59 5.5.2 Maximum Crew Size on a Charter Vessel When Fishing Commercially 62 5.5.3 Use of Reef Fish for Bait .......................................................................... 64 5.5.4 Vessel Monitoring System........................................................................ 67 5.5.5 Modifications to the TAC Framework Procedure .................................... 70 5.5.6 Bycatch and Bycatch Mortality Mitigation Measures .............................. 71 5.6 Private and Public Costs ................................................................................... 74 5.7 Determination of a Significant Regulatory Action ........................................... 75 6 INITIAL REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS.......................................... 77 6.1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 77 6.2 Description of the reasons why action by the agency is being considered....... 77 6.3 Statement of the objectives of, and legal basis for, the preferred alternatives.. 77 6.4 Description and estimate of the number of small entities to which the preferred alternatives will apply................................................................................................... 78 6.5 Description of the projected reporting, record-keeping and other compliance requirements of the preferred alternatives, including an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills necessary for the preparation of the report or records .................................................. 80 6.6 Identification of all relevant federal rules, which may duplicate, overlap or conflict with the preferred alternatives ......................................................................... 81 6.7 Significance of Economic Impacts on Small Entities............................................. 81 i 6.8 Description of significant alternatives to the preferred alternatives and discussion of how the alternatives attempt to minimize economic impacts on small entities82 7 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT................................................................................ 83 7.1 Physical environment............................................................................................. 83 7.2 Biological environment.......................................................................................... 84 7.3 Social and Economic Environment........................................................................ 95 7.4 Administrative Environment.................................................................................. 96 8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ............................................................... 98 8.1 Simultaneous Commercial and Recreational Harvest on a Vessel ......................... 98 8.1.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance........................................................................... 98 8.1.2. Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ......................................................................... 99 8.2 Maximum Crew Size on a Charter Vessel when Fishing Commercially ....... 102 8.2.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance......................................................................... 102 8.2.2 Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ....................................................................... 102 8.3 Use of Reef Fish as Bait.................................................................................. 103 8.3.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance......................................................................... 103 8.3.2 Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ....................................................................... 104 8.4 Vessel Monitoring System.............................................................................. 106 8.4.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance......................................................................... 106 8.4.2 Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ....................................................................... 107 8.5 Modifications to the TAC Framework Procedure .......................................... 108 8.5.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance......................................................................... 108 8.5.2 Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ....................................................................... 109 8.6 Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Bycatch................................................... 109 8.6.1 Direct and indirect effects on physical and biological/ecological environment and their significance......................................................................... 109 8.6.2 Direct and indirect effects on social, economic, and administrative environments and their significance ....................................................................... 110 8.7 Mitigation Measures ....................................................................................... 111 8.8 Cumulative effects .......................................................................................... 111 8.9 Unavoidable Adverse Effects ......................................................................... 115 8.10 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ............................. 116 8.11 Any Other Disclosures.................................................................................... 116 9 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ..................... 117 10 OTHER APPLICABLE LAW........................................................................ 124 ii 10.1 Administrative Procedures Act........................................................................