Development of Island-Based Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S. Caribbean Transition from Species-Based FMPs to Island-Based FMPs Environmental Assessment November 2014 Abbreviations and Acronyms Used ACL annual catch limit Magnuson-Stevens Act Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation AM accountability measure and Management Act APA Administrative Procedures Act MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act BVI British Virgin Islands MSY maximum sustainable yield CEA cumulative effects analysis NMFS National Marine Fisheries CEQ Council on Environmental Service Quality NOAA National Oceanic and CFMC Caribbean Fishery Atmospheric Administration Management Council OMB Office of Management and CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act Budget DPNR Department of Planning and OY optimum yield Natural Resources of the USVI PRA Paperwork Reduction Act EA environmental assessment RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act EEZ exclusive economic zone RIR Regulatory Impact Review EFH essential fish habitat SEFSC Southeast Fisheries Science ESA Endangered Species Act Center FMP fishery management plan SEIS supplemental environmental impact statement FMU fishery management unit SERO Southeast Regional Office HAPC habitat area of particular concern USVI United States Virgin Islands I Development of Island-Based Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) in the U.S. Caribbean Proposed actions: Transition from species-based FMPs to island-based FMPs in the U.S. Caribbean Lead agencies: Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) and the National Marine Fisheries Service For further information contact: Miguel A. Rolón Caribbean Fishery Management Council 270 Luis Muñoz Rivera Ave., Suite 401 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918 (787) 766-5926, 5927 Phil Steele National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Region 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 824-5305 What are Island-Based FMPs? Currently, the Council and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service organize FMPs in the U.S. Caribbean by species or species groups (e.g., Spiny Lobster, Reef Fish). Island-based FMPs will be structured by island or island group, rather than by species, to allow managers to better account for biological, social, and economic differences among the islands comprising the U.S. Caribbean. II Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED .......................................................................... I TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT .......................... 5 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 1.1 WHAT ACTION IS BEING PROPOSED? ...................................................................................... 1 1.2 WHO IS PROPOSING THE ACTION? ........................................................................................... 1 1.3 WHERE IS THE PROJECT LOCATED? ........................................................................................ 2 1.4 WHY IS THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING ACTION? ....................................................................... 2 1.5 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES .............................................. 9 2.1 ACTION: SHIFT FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN FROM SPECIES-BASED FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS (FMPS) TO ISLAND-BASED FMPS. ....................................... 9 CHAPTER 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT........................................................................ 12 3.1 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 13 3.1.1 Geology .................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.2 Oceanography and Climate ...................................................................................... 15 3.1.3 Major Habitat Types ................................................................................................ 16 3.2 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................. 18 3.2.1 Species Most Impacted by this Action ..................................................................... 18 3.2.2 Protected Species ..................................................................................................... 18 3.3 HUMAN ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................ 21 3.3.1 Economic Environment ........................................................................................... 21 3.3.2 Social and Cultural Environment ............................................................................. 31 3.3.3 Environmental Justice Considerations ..................................................................... 37 3.4 ADMINISTRATIVE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................... 40 3.4.1 Federal Fishery Management ................................................................................... 40 3.4.2 Commonwealth/Territory Fishery Management ...................................................... 41 CHAPTER 4. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS...................................................................... 43 4.1 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...................................... 43 4.2 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON THE BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................. 44 4.3 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT..................................... 45 4.4 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT .......................................... 48 4.5 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE ENVIRONMENT .......................... 49 4.6 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ANALYSIS......................................................................................... 52 CHAPTER 5. LIST OF PREPARERS .................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER 6. LIST OF AGENCIES AND PERSONS CONSULTED ................................ 62 CHAPTER 7. REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 63 CHAPTER 8. APPENDICES ................................................................................................... 77 APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF SPECIES IN THE SPINY LOBSTER FMP, REEF FISH FMP, QUEEN CONCH FMP, AND THE CORALS AND REEF ASSOCIATED PLANTS AND INVERTEBRATES FMP. ......... 77 III APPENDIX 2 – SCOPING MEETINGS SUMMARIES ......................................................................... 87 APPENDIX 3 – OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS .................................................................................. 88 APPENDIX 4 – HISTORY OF FEDERAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE U.S. CARIBBEAN ........ 100 List of Figures Figure 1.1. Jurisdictional boundaries of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council. ............... 2 Figure 1.2. Detailed boundaries, including the coordinates, for subdividing the U.S. Caribbean EEZ among islands (Puerto Rico, St. Croix) or island group (St. Thomas/St. John). 7 Figure 3.1. Location of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. .............................................. 13 Figure 3.2. Shared platform between the east coast of Puerto Rico and the islands of St. Thomas and St. John. ............................................................................................................. 15 Figure 3.3. Map of Puerto Rico with census designated places .................................................. 32 Figure 3.4. Map of St. Croix with census designated places ...................................................... 34 Figure 3.5. Map of St. Thomas and St. John with census designated places .............................. 36 List of Tables Table 1.1. Annual catch limit (ACL) values (lbs) for each island group, fishery management unit, and sector (only for Puerto Rico) defined in the 2010 and 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendments. For the Puerto Rico recreational sector, numbers of individuals are in parentheses. ................................................................................................................. 8 Table 3.1. Puerto Rico communities exceeding the poverty environmental justice thresholds for 2010. .......................................................................................................................... 39 Table 5.1. List of island-based environmental assessment preparers. ........................................ 61 IV Table of Contents for the Environmental Assessment Purpose and Need.........................................................................................................................2 Alternatives...................................................................................................................................9 Affected Environment.……………………………………………………….............................12 Environmental Effects..................................................................................................................43 List of Preparers............................................................................................................................61 List of Agencies and Persons Consulted....…………………...…………………………...........62 Appendices...................................................................................................................................77