Caribbean Fishery Management Council SSC Meeting

Caribbean Fishery Management CouncilSSC Meeting15 16 March 2011SSC Review of USVI Queen Conch Stock Assessment, 2008-2010Shenell Gordon, Fisheries Biologist, VI DPNR/DFWSSC Conclusion:While the report contains new information that suggests that stocks may be improving, the statistical analyses are inconclusive and do not warrant revisiting ACLs at this time. Additional analyses and refinement of future fishery independent survey designs using covariant information (e.g. habitat, seasonality, depth) is encouraged.

Requested by Jed Brown, Acting Director, DFW - For the district of St. Croix, two survey years (2001 and 2009) were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results from this analysis revealed that there was no statistical increase in conch densities between the two survey years for St. Croix.

Check if no significant difference in reportSeasonality Because conch are known to migrate during reproductive periods, it is important to ensure that sampling occurs consistently within a restricted time frame, e.g. July to September was the original sampling period, so results among years can be comparable.Depth conch are known to inhabit deeper waters (>30 m), these were no sampled in this study owing to dive limitations. These habitats may provide important refuge for conch at this time because fishers in the VI dive with air and dive time at deeper depths is very limited.2ACLs for Puerto Ricobased on average annual catch forSpecies/Spp. Groups not undergoing overfishing or overfishedThe SSC recommends to start the year sequence for commercial fishing data for Puerto Rico in 1983.The SSC recommends that 2009 be the ending period of the year sequence, but premised on 1983 being the beginning of the sequence for Puerto Rico commercial landings.The SSC recommends to use the full year sequence for which we have data, 2000 2009, for recreational fishing data for Puerto Rico.

Rationale: All the data have some uncertainty. None of the data are perfect and there was no outstanding reason for eliminating any of the data.

Incorporates fisheries variability that may be cyclic in nature. Oceanographers in the US Caribbean have detected cyclic oceanographic patterns which likely affect fisheries production. Longer time periods incorporate the cyclic nature of the ocean.3SSC Recommendations - PR Options Paper*The SSC recommends [Action 1(b)] Option 2(b) under Table 7* and that OFL equals the combination from the average annual commercial landings for the entire 1983-2009 period plus the average recreational landings over the entire period of 2000-2009 for Puerto Rico.

*Refers to the Option Paper dated December 22, 2010.ACLs for St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix DistrictsThe year sequences to be considered for determining average annual catch for commercial landings of species listed in Tables 2 and 3 of the Options Paper dated December 22, 2010 (spiny lobster and reef fish) shall be the longest time series available for both islands; for STT/STJ 2000- through the most recent year for which reliable data are available and for STX 1999-through the most recent year for which reliable data are available. The SSC recommends [Action 1(b)] Option 2(b) under Table 7 and that OFL equals the average annual commercial landings for the year sequences selected in the previous motion [see motion above].

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OFL RecommendationsThe SSC recommends [Action 1(b)] Option 2(b) under Table 7* and that OFL equals the average annual commercial landings for the year sequences selected in the previous motion. *Refers to Option Paper dated 22 Dec 2010

School of stoplight parrotfish6ABC RecommendationFor STT/STJ, STX, and Puerto Rico, the SSC recommends ABC=OFL (for species listed in Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Options Paper dated December 22, 2010) except for the Acanthuridae (reef herbivores) and most Pomacanthidae (reef spongivores). Because these species may play a significant ecological role in regulating algal and sponge populations of the coral reefs, the SSC recommends that a new option under Action 1(b), Option 2(i) ABC = OFL x (0.50) for the Acanthuridae and the Pomacanthidae be considered.

Acanthuridae - surgeonfishPomacanthidae - angelfishThe SSC wanted to be clear that this recommendation is not binding on the Council. The SSC is simply requesting that an option be added to the suite of options under Action 1(b) in the 22 Dec 10 options paper.7SSC Rationale for New OptionSSC is proposing this the new option because:Acanthurids are herbivores and as such may be important in regulating algal populations on the reef.Angelfish: At least the larger species of angelfish (gray, French, queen, and rock beauty) feed on sponges and as such may have a keystone species role in protecting corals from erosion by boring sponges and overgrowth by sponges.

Juvenile French angelfishNew option so as to leave the reduction in the ABC open for comment and to provide one of the SSC Committee members an opportunity to provide information pertaining to this option.8Aquarium SpeciesThe SSC recommends the following preferred alternative for the Aquarium Species (Options Paper dated December 22 2010):Action 2, Option 2, Sub-option C: Move all of the aquarium trade species listed in both the Fishery Management Plan for Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, into a separate Fishery Management Plan specific to aquarium trade species.

Spirobranchus giganteus, Christmas tree worm