5-Year Essential Fish Habitat Review Bob Trumble, Ph.D Mónica Valle, Ph.D. [email protected] CFMC Meeting Fajardo, Puerto Rico Dec.14-15, 2010
Feb 20, 2016
5-Year Essential Fish Habitat Review
Bob Trumble, Ph.DMónica Valle, Ph.D.
CFMC Meeting Fajardo, Puerto Rico Dec.14-15, 2010
• Magnuson Act – EFH Regulation-Councils and NMFS should periodically review the EFH provisions of FMPs and revise or amend EFH provisions as warranted based on available information.
• Review EFH information at least once every 5 years.
• Best available scientific information is used to justify management actions (National Standard 2)
• NMFS is following NEPA guidance regarding periodic review and update of NEPA documents.
Guidelines for 5-Year EFH Information Review
Scope of 5-year EFH Information Review:
• Identification and description of EFH• Other measures to conserve EFH, and HAPC• Minimization of adverse effects of fishing• Consider climate change, lionfish invasions,
and use of habitat models. • Consider effectiveness of EFH regulations and
descriptions
Documentation1. Report summarizing changes in EFH information
- Identify considerations that influenced review- Species added/eliminated from FMU- Changes in overfishing/overfished status- Changes in restoration techniques- Errors in existing identifications/
descriptions- New scientific information- New analytical techniques/models- Changes in gear or new gear information
- Include description of process used to review- Identify obsolete or new information2. Letter from NMFS (RO) to Council
Approach: Documents/Websites Reviewed• Annotated bibliography- Peer reviewed articles and technical reports.• Websites:
– CFMC – FEIS-EFH, FMPs, FMP Amendments, Comprehensive SFA Amendment, Bajo de Sico Amendment, ACLs and Accountability Measures, Reports
– DPNR, USVI– DNER-PR– NOAA/SEFSC- SEDAR Workshops– NOAA/SEAMAP surveys– NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Biogeography Branch- Caribbean Coral Reef
Ecosystem Monitoring Project– Other Councils (New England, Gulf of Mexico, New England, Pacific,
North Pacific)– Universities: UPR, UVI, NOVA (NCRI)– UPR/ CCRI (Mesophotic reefs, Habitat Mapping, Coral Monitoring &
Research, Spawning Aggregations)– PR- GAP project
Outline1.0 Introduction
1.1 Current EFH Designations/ 1.2 Current HAPC Designations1.3 Current Measures to Minimize Fishing Impacts to EFH1.4 Five-Year Review Approach
2.0 Review EFH Descriptions and Designations*3.0 Review Changes in the Biological Environment4.0 Review Changes in the Human Environment*5.0. Review Changes in the Administrative Environment (data, rules,
regulations, ACLs)6.0 Review Changes and New Information on Fishing Impacts that May
Adversely Affect EFH7.0 Review Changes and New Information on Non-fishing Impacts*8.0 Review of New Mapping Efforts and Alternative Methodologies for use
in Essential Fish Habitat Designation in the U.S. Caribbean*9.0 Review Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) Designations10.0 Recommendations on Updating EFH Information, research and
information needs11.0 References / 12.0 Tables/13.0 Figures
3.0 Review Changes in the Biological Environment3.1 Species Added or Eliminated from the FMU
Documents: • Comprehensive Amendment to the FMPs of the US
Caribbean (2005)– Moved some species in FMPs to data collection category– Redefined the FMUs for the FMPs– Designated EFH and HAPC areas and minimized adverse
impacts on such habitat• Amendment 2 to the Queen Conch FMP and Amendment
5 to the Reef Fish FMP (2010)• NOAA-SEFC- SEDAR 4 (2004) (Deep water reef fish),
SEDAR 8 (2005) (Spiny lobster), SEDAR 14 (2007) (yellowfin grouper, mutton snapper, queen conch)
FMP Amendments for FMUs1. Spiny Lobster FMP - No changes2. Queen Conch FMP - 8 spp moved to data collection, 4 species
removed:Cassis flammea, C. tuberosa, Cittarium pica, Vasum muricatum)
3. Reef Fish FMP• 88 species or groups• 57 aquarium trade species for data collection purposes only.• 2 species removed: cardinal soldierfish (Plectrypops retrospinis) and
trumpetfish (Aulostomus maculates)4. Corals and Reef Associated Invertebrates FMP• 99 species or species groups• 62 aquarium trade for data collection purposes• 1 spp added to FMP: Carijoa riisei• 6 spp or spp groups removed: Charonia tritonis, Halimeda spp.,
Penicillus spp., Caulerpa spp., Ventricaria ventricosa, Udotea spp.
FMP Amendments Stock Complexes
• Management stock complexes defined in the Comprehensive Amendment (FR 2005)
• Modified in the Draft Amendment 2 to the FMP for Queen Conch and Amendment 5 of the Reef Fish FMP (CFMC and NOAA, 2010).– Changes to Snapper Units 1-4– Grouper Units 1-5– Parrotfish Units 1-2
• Review if proposed changes to FMUs affect designations of EFH.
3.0 Review Changes in the Biological Environment 3.2. Changes to the Status of Managed Species
SPECIES STATUS REFERENCE
Nassau grouper Undergoing overfishing CFMC and NOAA 2009
Caribbean spiny lobster
Data insufficient SEFSC 2005
Caribbean yellowtail snapper
Data insufficient SEFSC 2005
Yellowfin grouper Undergoing overfishing/Stock not rebuilt but stock assessment results were inconclusive
SEFSC 2007a
Mutton snapper Not overfished and not undergoing overfishing Insufficient information for stock assessment analysis
SEFSC 2007b
Queen conch Overfished and undergoing overfishing
SEFSC 2007c
3.3 New Information about Species or Life Stage Distribution, Abundance, Density, Productivity, or Habitat Associations
• SEAMAP surveys- spatial and temporal variations in abundance of lobster pueruli, queen conch, whelk, reef fishes, limited info on habitat use.
• Characterization of shallow water , moderate depth, and deep reefs and associated marine communities from PR and the USVI
• Include assessment of geographic distribution, bathymetric features, benthic habitat assessments, taxonomic inventory of species, species-habitat utilization, distribution and abundance by habitat and life-history stage
• Geo-physical, hydrographic and biological information was geo-referenced and included on a GIS maps.
• Studies : SEAMAP (DPNR-USVI, DNER-PR), Garcia-Sais et al., Nemeth et al., Appeldoorn et al., CCRI, NOAA/NOS/Biogeography
• Locations: La Parguera, PR, Hind Bank MCD (St Thomas), Bajo de Sico, PR; Isla Desecheo, PR; St John MPAs
Source: Garcia-Sais (2005)
Isla Desecheo (Garcia-Sais, 2010)
Source: Nemeth et al. 2008. Characterization of Deep Water Reef Communities of the St. Thomas Marine Conservation District
Acanthuridae Abundance
Scaridae Abundance
Haemulidae Abundance
Source: Nemeth et al (2008)Maps of % coverage of corals, gorgonians, macroalgae, dead coral, non-living substrata (sediment, sand, stone, rubble, etc).
Acanthuridae Abundance
Scaridae Abundance
Haemulidae Abundance
Source: Nemeth et al (2008)Maps of % coverage of corals, gorgonians, macroalgae, dead coral, non-living substrata (sediment, sand, stone, rubble, etc).
Source: Friedlander and Monaco (2007) Acoustic Tracking of Reef Fishes to Elucidate Habitat Utilization Patterns and Residence Times Inside and Outside Marine Protected Areas Around the Island of St. John, USVI
Source: Pittman et al (2007). Predictive mapping of fish species richness acrossshallow-water seascapes in the Caribbean
4.0. Review Changes in the Human Environment- ?
5.0 Changes in the Administrative Environment
5.1. Comprehensive SFA Amendment 5.2. ACL Revised Alternatives July 15th, 2009)5.3. Draft Amendment to Queen Conch FMP and Amendment 5 to the Reef Fish FMP 5.4. Final Rule and Final Regulatory Amendment to Modify the Seasonal Closure of Bajo de Sico in the U.S. Caribbean (November 2, 2010)5.5. New Fishing Regulations for PR5.6. New seasonal area restrictions (red hind) and prohibitions (black, blackfin, vermilion, and silk snapper)5.7. Data (new sources, data improvement project)
6.0 Review Changes and New Information on Fishing Impacts that May Adversely Affect EFH
- 1 study on anchor damage, ?
7.0 Review Changes and New Information on Non-fishing Impacts7.1. Review of other impacts (pollution, diseases, grazing, bleaching, hurricanes, etc)- ?7.2 Review of Likely Climate Change Impacts to Habitat7.3. Review of Likely Impacts of Lionfish Invasions
7.2. Climate change impacts
• Declines in fish production• Species/ecological shifts• Distribution changes• Reduced reproductive capacity• Local extinctions• Coral bleaching and mortality• Increased sea levels
7.3. Lionfish Invasions
• Native to tropical coral reefs in waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans
• In the Atlantic Ocean beginning in 1992• Bermuda and the Bahamas in early 2000s• Expand southward through Mexican, Central,
and South American waters• Voracious predators w/o native predators • Vegetation overgrowing coral
8.0 New mapping efforts and alternative methodologies for EFH Designation
8.1. New mapping efforts- • Studies by: Jose Rivera, Ron Hill, Martha
Prada, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA-Biogeography Branch, Garcia-Sais et al.
SSS Habitat Mapping of the Cabo Rojo Shelf
Source: Rivera (2006)
8.2. New Habitat Association Models
• Habitat suitability model for PFMC/NWRO– Identified habitat distribution and usage– Model determined probability that any parcel is
EFH• Evaluate other potentially appropriate models
used by other Councils• Determine which, if any, model would work
for US Caribbean
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Adult Juvenile Larvae
HSP Contour Plots: Arrowtooth Flounder
Figure 4. Fish habitat modeling in Florida estuaries (Source: FWC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2010).
Figure 1. (a) Fitted polynomial regressions to mean CPUE across environmental gradients. (b) Habitat layers and seasonal distribution map by species life stage (Source: FWC, 2010)
9.0 Review HAPC Designations
• New information from SPAGs and MPAs:• Bajo de Sico, PR- Red Hind (Nemeth et al.)• La Parguera, PR- Red Hind (Ojeda-Serrano)• Mona, Desecheo, Culebra, Vieques, PR- Epinephelus
spp, Micperoterca spp, Lutjanus spp (Ojeda-Serrano)• Mona Island – Yellowfin grouper• STT- Hind Bank MCD• STX- Mutton snapper
MPAs in the US Caribbean
MPAs for St Thomas and St John
Source: U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Resources and Fisheries Strategic and Comprehensive Conservation Plan – 2005
MPAs for St. Croix
Source: U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Resources and Fisheries Strategic and Comprehensive Conservation Plan – 2005
THANK YOU!
EXTRA Slides
Progress Report Outline• 1.0 Introduction
1.1 Current EFH Designations/ 1.2 Current HAPC Designations1.3 Current Measures to Minimize Fishing Impacts to EFH1.4 Five-Year Review Approach
2.0 Review EFH Descriptions and Designations3.0 Review Changes in the Biological Environment
3.1 Species Added or Eliminated from the Fishery Management Unit3.2 Changes to the Status of Managed Species (overfishing, overfished
or rebuilt)3.3 New Information about Species or Life Stage Distribution,
Abundance, Density, Productivity, or Habitat Associations3.3.1 Spiny Lobster3.3.2 Queen Conch3.3.3 Reef Fish3.3.4 Corals3.3.5. Community/Ecosystem
4.0. Review Changes in the Human Environment5.0. Review Changes in the Administrative Environment (data,
rules, regulations, catch limits)5.1. Comprehensive Amendment 5.2. ACL Revised Alternatives5.3. Data (new sources, data improvement project)5.4. Draft Amendment to Queen Conch FMP and Amendment 5 to the Reef Fish FMP
6.0 Review Changes and New Information on Fishing Impacts that May Adversely Affect EFH
7.0 Review Changes and New Information on Non-fishing Impacts7.1. Review of other impacts (pollution, etc)7.2 Review of Likely Climate Change Impacts to Habitat7.3. Review of Likely Impacts of Lionfish Invasions
8.0 Review of New Mapping Efforts and Alternative Methodologies for use in Essential Fish Habitat Designation in the U.S. Caribbean8.1. Review of new mapping efforts and new species/habitat association methodologies8.2. Review of Alternative Methodologies for use in EFH Designation in the U.S. Caribbean (including Habitat Suitability Models)
9.0 Review Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) Designations9.1 Addition or Removal of HAPCs in the U.S. Caribbean9.2 HAPC Recommendations
10.0 Recommendations on Updating EFH Information, research and information needs
11.0 References12.0 Tables13.0 Figures
FMP Amendments for FMUs1. Spiny Lobster FMP - No changes- Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus ),
Spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus ), Smoothtail spiny lobster (Panulirus laevicauda)
2. Queen Conch FMP - 8 spp moved to data collection
• 4 species removed: Cassis flammea, C. tuberosa, Cittarium pica, Vasum muricatum
Scientific name Common nameStrombus gigas Queen conchIncluded for data collection purposes onlyCharonia variegata Atlantic triton's trumpetCassis madagascarensis Cameo helmetAstrea tuber Green star shellStrombus raninus Hawkwing conchStrombus costatus Milk conchStrombus gallus Roostertail conchStrombus pugilis West Indian fighting conchFasciolaria tulipa True tulip
FMP Amendments Stock Complexes
• Management stock complexes defined in the Comprehensive Amendment (FR 2005)
• Modified in the Draft Amendment 2 to the FMP for Queen Conch and Amendment 5 of the Reef Fish FMP (CFMC and NOAA, 2010).
• Review if proposed changes to FMUs affect designations of EFH.
Complex Current ProposedSnapper Unit 1 Silk
BlackBlackfinVermilion
SilkBlackBlackfinVermilionWenchman
Snapper Unit 2 QueenWenchman
QueenCardinal
Snapper Unit 3 GrayLaneMuttonDogSchoolmasterMahogany
No changes
Snapper Unit 4 Yellowtail No changeGrouper Unit 1 Nassau No changeGrouper Unit 2 Goliath No changeGrouper Unit 3 Red hind
ConeyRock hindGraysbyCreole-fish
Remove creole-fish and move it to a monitoring only category.
Grouper Unit 4 YellowfinRedTigerYellowedgeMisty
YellowfinRedTigerBlack
Grouper Unit 5 Yellowedge Misty
Parrotfish BlueMidnightPrincessQueenRainbowRedfinRedtailStoplightRedbandStriped
PrincessQueenRedfinRedtailStoplightRedbandStriped
Parrotfish Unit 2 BlueMidnightRainbow
FMP Amendments Stock Complexes
• Management stock complexes defined in the Comprehensive Amendment (FR 2005)
• Modified in the Draft Amendment 2 to the FMP for Queen Conch and Amendment 5 of the Reef Fish FMP (CFMC and NOAA, 2010).
• Review if proposed changes to FMUs affect designations of EFH.
Complex Current ProposedSnapper Unit 1 Silk
BlackBlackfinVermilion
SilkBlackBlackfinVermilionWenchman
Snapper Unit 2 QueenWenchman
QueenCardinal
Snapper Unit 3 GrayLaneMuttonDogSchoolmasterMahogany
No changes
Snapper Unit 4 Yellowtail No changeGrouper Unit 1 Nassau No changeGrouper Unit 2 Goliath No changeGrouper Unit 3 Red hind
ConeyRock hindGraysbyCreole-fish
Remove creole-fish and move it to a monitoring only category.
Grouper Unit 4 YellowfinRedTigerYellowedgeMisty
YellowfinRedTigerBlack
Grouper Unit 5 Yellowedge Misty
Parrotfish BlueMidnightPrincessQueenRainbowRedfinRedtailStoplightRedbandStriped
PrincessQueenRedfinRedtailStoplightRedbandStriped
Parrotfish Unit 2 BlueMidnightRainbow
3.0 Review Changes in the Biological Environment 3.2. Changes to the Status of Managed Species
SPECIES STATUS REFERENCE
Nassau grouper Undergoing overfishing CFMC and NOAA 2009
Caribbean spiny lobster
Data insufficient SEFSC 2005
Caribbean yellowtail snapper
Data insufficient SEFSC 2005
Yellowfin grouper Undergoing overfishing/Stock not rebuilt but stock assessment results were inconclusive
SEFSC 2007a
Mutton snapper Not overfished and not undergoing overfishing Insufficient information for stock assessment analysis
SEFSC 2007b
Queen conch Overfished and undergoing overfishing
SEFSC 2007c