Caribbean Fishery Bulletin Bringing Fishing News to You
FB23-003 FISHERY BULLETIN ISSUE DATE: January 27, 2023 CONTACT: Sarah Stephenson, 727-824-5305, sarah.stephenson@noaa.gov
Reminder of Seasonal Fishing Closure for Certain Groupers in Federal Waters around Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John, and St. Croix and Seasonal Closure of Grammanik Bank off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands What/When: Seasonal Grouper Closure NOAA Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the upcoming seasonal closure on fishing for or possession of red, black, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge* grouper in federal waters around Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John, and St. Croix. *This seasonal closure does not apply to yellowedge grouper in St. Croix, as this species is no longer managed by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council in federal waters off St. Croix. •
This closure begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on February 1, 2023, and extends through 11:59 p.m., local time, April 30, 2023.
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This prohibition on possession does not apply to such grouper harvested and landed on shore prior to the closure.
animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds. The Grammanik Bank area is located south of St. Thomas and bounded by the following coordinates: A B C D
18°11.898' N 18°11.645' N 18°11.058' N 18°11.311' N
64°56.328' W 64°56.225' W 64°57.810' W 64°57.913' W
Fishing Prohibitions in Grammanik Bank, U.S. Virgin Islands NOAA Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the upcoming seasonal closure on fishing for or possession of any fish species, except highly migratory species, in the Grammanik Bank area off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Figure 1). •
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This closure begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on February 1, 2023, and extends through 11:59 p.m., local time, April 30, 2023. The term “fish” means finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and all other forms of marine
Figure 1. Map showing the Grammanik Bank area (hatched) off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Why These Closures Are Happening: These seasonal closures protect species when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore more vulnerable to fishing pressure.