7/5/01 GENERIC AMENDMENT ADDRESSING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TORTUGAS MARINE RESERVES IN THE FOLLOWING FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO: • COASTAL MIGRATORY PELAGICS FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 13) • CORAL AND CORAL REEFS FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 4) • RED DRUM FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 4) • REEF FISH FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 19) • SHRIMP FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 12) • SPINY LOBSTER FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 7) • STONE CRAB FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (Amendment 8) (INCLUDES AN IRFA, RIR, AND A FSEIS) (EFH AMENDMENT 2) June 2001 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Commons at Rivergate 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000 Tampa, Florida 33619-2266 Telephone: 813-228-2815 (toll-free: 888-833-1844) FAX: 813-225-7015 E-mail: [email protected] This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA07FC0015. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ............................................... ii 2.0 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT ...................................iv 3.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................. 1 4.0 HISTORY OF MANAGEMENT .................................................. 1 4.1 Management Activities Other Than Regulatory Amendments........................ 1 4.2 Regulatory Amendments .................................................... 7 5.0 PROBLEM REQUIRING A PLAN AMENDMENT .................................. 7 6.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ............................................ 11 6.1 History of Marine Reserves ................................................. 11 6.2 Marine Reserve Examples .................................................. 13 6.3 Purpose and Need......................................................... 15 7.0 PROPOSED ACTIONS........................................................ 16 7.1 Marine Reserves Area ..................................................... 16 7.2 Marine Reserves Duration .................................................. 16 7.3 Marine Reserve Allowable Activities .......................................... 16 8.0 MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES AND REGULATORY IMPACT REVIEW .......... 16 8.1 Introduction ............................................................. 16 8.2 Analytical Framework ..................................................... 17 8.3 Objectives............................................................... 18 8.4 Description of the Fishery .................................................. 19 8.4.1 Recreational Fishery............................................. 19 8.4.2 Commercial Fishery ............................................. 21 8.5 Management Alternatives................................................... 27 8.5.1 Marine Reserves Area ............................................ 27 8.5.2 Marine Reserves Duration ........................................ 29 8.5.3 Marine Reserves Allowable Activities ............................... 30 8.6 Socioeconomic Impact Analysis ............................................. 32 8.6.1 Recreational Sector.............................................. 32 8.6.2 Commercial Sector.............................................. 42 8.6.3 Other Potential Benefits .......................................... 53 8.7 Private and Public Cost .................................................... 58 8.8 Determination of a Significant Regulatory Action................................ 58 9.0 INITIAL REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS ............................... 60 10.0 IMPACTS ON FISHING COMMUNITIES ........................................ 65 i 11.0 FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ............... 71 11.1 Summary ................................................................ 71 11.2 Table of Contents ......................................................... 71 11.3 Purpose and Need for Action ................................................ 72 11.4 Management Alternatives ................................................... 72 11.5 Affected Environment ..................................................... 72 11.5.1 Geology ....................................................... 72 11.5.2 Physical Oceanography and Recruitment Pathways ..................... 75 11.5.3 Benthic Habitats ................................................ 78 11.5.4 Fish Communities and Fisheries .................................... 87 11.5.5 Seabirds ....................................................... 93 11.5.6 Endangered and Threatened Species ................................ 94 11.6 Human Activities ......................................................... 95 11.7 Environmental Consequences .............................................. 105 11.8 Socioeconomic Consequences .............................................. 109 11.9 List of Preparers ......................................................... 111 11.10 List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons Consulted ................ 111 11.11 Public Comment and Responses ................................... 111 11.12 Public Letters ................................................. 111 12.0 OTHER APPLICABLE LAW .................................................. 112 12.1 Coastal Zone Management Act ............................................. 112 12.2 Endangered Species Act ................................................... 112 12.3 Essential Fish Habitat ..................................................... 113 12.4 Executive Order 12612 .................................................... 113 12.5 Executive Order 12898 .......................................... 113 12.6 Executive Order 13089 .................................................... 114 12.7 Executive Order 13158 .................................................... 114 12.8 Marine Mammal Protection Act ............................................. 114 12.9 National Environmental Policy Act .......................................... 114 12.10 Paperwork Reduction ........................................... 114 12.11 Regulatory Flexibility Act ....................................... 115 12.12 Vessel Safety ................................................. 115 13.0 PUBLIC REVIEW ........................................................... 115 13.1 Public Hearing Locations and Dates ......................................... 115 13.2 Public Comments and Responses ............................................ 116 13.3 List of Agencies and Persons Consulted ...................................... 119 13.4 List of Preparers ......................................................... 120 14.0 REFERENCES .............................................................. 121 15.0 APPENDICES .............................................................. 131 15.1 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Plan Area Closures ........................ 131 15.2 Benoit Letter to the GMFMC (22 October) .................................... 141 15.3 Benoit/Dalton Letter to the GMFMC ......................................... 145 15.4 Benoit Letter to the GMFMC (23 December) .................................. 146 15.5 Public Comments ........................................................ 148 ii 1.0 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES TABLES: Table 1. Summary of Potential Direct Gear Impacts to Essential Fish Habitat in the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Developed During the December NOAA Fisheries EFH Workshop ................................................................ 9 Table 2. Reported effects of marine reserve protection on fish size (Roberts and Polunin 1991) ............................................................ 12 Table 3. Reported effects of marine reserve protection on fish abundance (Roberts and Polunin 1991) ........................................................ 13 Table 4. Activity Participation in the TERSA .......................................... 21 Table 5. Totals for Commercial Charter/Party Operations in the TERSA ..................... 21 Table 6. Number of Commercial Fishing Operations, Vessels, and Captain/Crew in the TERSA .. 22 Table 7. Total Harvests and Ex-Vessel Values of Commercial Catch in the TERSA ............ 22 Table 8. Ex-Vessel Revenues from Commercial Catch in the TERSA, by Species and Counties .. 23 Table 9. Profile of TERSA Fishermen Compared to Other Keys Fishermen .................. 25 Table 10. Impacts of Proposed Tortugas North and South Ecological Reserves ................. 34 Table 11. Maximum Potential Market Economic Losses from the Proposed North & South Ecological Reserves ....................................................... 35 Table 12. Consumptive Recreation in Boundary Expansion Areas ........................... 36 Table 13. Maximum Potential Market Economic Losses - Recreation ........................ 37 Table 14. Maximum Potential Losses to Recreational Activities (outside FKNMS) from Displacement: North & South Ecological Reserves .............................. 38 Table 15. Comparison of the Economic Contribution of Visitors to the Florida Keys (Monroe Co.) 40 Table 16. Non-consumptive diving in the TERSA ........................................ 41 Table 17. Maximum Potential Losses to the Commercial Sector from Displacement: North & South Ecological Reserves ........................................... 44 Table 18. Maximum Potential Loss in Commercial Catch from Displacement: Ecological Reserves Outside FKNMS Boundaries ............................... 45 Table