PotentialCriteriaforRevisingtheListof StocksManagedundertheIsland-based FisheryManagementPlans
SarahStephenson,NMFSSoutheastRegionalOffice
188thCaribbeanFisheryManagementCouncilMeeting
December3-4,2025
August2025CouncilMeeting
● Reviewedguidanceonidentifyingwhichstocksareinneedoffederal conservationandmanagement.
○ 10NationalStandardfactors;and
○ CriteriaappliedtostocksintheIsland-basedFisheryManagementPlans(FMPs).
● Reviewedanoptiontoclassifystocksasecosystemcomponentspecies.
● Discussedusingaspeciesmatrix(summaryofavailabledata)asatoolto reconsiderthelistofstocksthatcouldbemanagedundereachFMP.
● Councilmadeamotiontodevelopanamendmenttoevaluateandrevise thelistofspeciesmanagedundertheFMPs.
PotentialCriteriaforRevisingManagedStocks
FromthelistofstockscurrentlymanagedunderthePuertoRico,St.Croix, andSt.Thomas/St.JohnFisheryManagementPlans:
● Retainstocksthatarecurrentlyclassifiedasoverfished.
● Retainstockspredominantlycaughtinfederalwaters.
○ if50%ormoreofthereportedlandingsarefromfederalwaters.
○ if75%ormoreofthereportedlandingsarefromfederalwaters.
● RetainstocksthataretargetedbytheUSVIandPuertoRicofisheries(allwaters).
○ ifaverageannuallandingsreportedare5,000poundsormore.
○ ifaverageannuallandingsreportedare10,000poundsormore.
NumbersingreenareexamplesandcouldbechangedbasedonCouncilinput.
PotentialCriteriaforRevisingManagedStocks-
● RetainstockslistedasendangeredorthreatenedundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct.
● Considerremovingstocksthatareadequatelymanagedbytheterritories.
○ RecommendCouncil/NMFSgetinputfromPuertoRicoDNER/U.S.VirginIslandsDPNR.
● Retainstocksthatthatcanbeadequatelymonitoredorassessed.
○ Datacollectionprograminplaceorthereisafeasiblemethod/reasontocollectdata.
○ UseinformationfromtheSEFSCdatatriagetosupportdecisions.
PotentialCriteriaforRevisingManagedStocks-
● Reclassifyecologicallyimportantstocksretainedasecosystemcomponentspecies (ECS).
○ Habitatorhabitatengineers(e.g.coral,urchins):noneedforcatchlimitsoraccountability measures,butcouldretainharvestprohibitiontoprotecttheirroleintheecosystem.
○ Otherspecies/speciesgroup(e.g.,surgeonfish):noneedforcatchlimitsoraccountability measures;couldretaintoachieveecosystemmanagementobjectives(collectdataor minimizebycatchmortality).
▪ TheCouncilandNMFS,incooperationwiththePuertoRicoandtheU.S.VirginIslands,could continuetomonitorfisheriesthatcatchECS.
▪ IfanECSstockbecomesatargetofafederalfisheryinthefuture,NMFSandtheCouncilmay considerincludingthatstockinthemanagementunittoactivelymanagethatstock.
● Othercriteriatoconsider?
DiscussionandNextSteps
● Arethereothercriteria(qualitativeorquantitative)theCouncilwouldlikestaff to consider?
● Arethereotherthresholds(numbersingreen)theCouncilwouldlikestaffto consider?
● Forspeciesthatdon’tmeetcriteriaforretention,whatcriteriawouldbeused forremovalvs.classificationasanECspecies?
● Staffandworkgroupwilldraftamendmentwithcriteriaoptions(including potentiallistofstockstomanage)andbringtoApril2026meeting.
Questions
NationalStandardFactorsCouncilsShouldUsetoDecideif Stocks
RequireConservationandManagement
1. Thestockisanimportantcomponentofthemarineenvironment.
2. Thestockiscaughtbythefishery.
3. WhetheranFMPcanimproveormaintaintheconditionofthestock.
4. Thestockisatargetofafishery.
5. Thestockisimportanttocommercial,recreational,orsubsistenceusers.
6. ThefisheryisimportanttotheNationortotheregionaleconomy.
7. TheneedtoresolvecompetinginterestsandconflictsamongusergroupsandwhetheranFMP canfurtherthatresolution.
8. TheeconomicconditionofafisheryandwhetheranFMPcanproducemoreefficientutilization.
9. Theneedsofadevelopingfishery,andwhetheranFMPcanfosterorderlygrowth.
10.Theextenttowhichthefisheryisalreadyadequatelymanagedbystates,bystate/federal programs,orbyfederalregulationspursuanttootherFMPsorinternationalcommissions,or byindustryself-regulation,consistentwiththerequirementsoftheMagnuson-StevensActand otherapplicablelaw.
SelectionCriteriausedbytheCouncilintheFMPs
Criterion A. Include speciesclassifiedasoverfishedinfederalwaters,orforwhichharvestis prohibitedduetotheirecologicalimportanceashabitat(corals)orhabitatengineers(midnight, blue,rainbowparrotfish),orthosewithseasonalclosuresorsizelimits.
Criterion B. Fromthoseremaining, exclude speciesthatinfrequentlyoccurinfederalwaters basedonexpertanalysisandavailabledata.
Criterion C. Fromthoseremaining, include speciesthatarebiologicallyvulnerable,constrainedto ahabitatthatmakesthemvulnerable,orhaveessentialecologicalvalue,basedonexpertanalysis.
Criterion D. Fromthoseremaining, include speciesimportanttothenational/regionaleconomy fortherecreational,commercial,andaquariumtradesectorsasappropriate(e.g.,top90%of landings)andthosethatareanimportantcomponentofbycatch,basedonexpertanalysis.
Criterion E. Fromthoseremaining, include anyotherspeciesthattheCouncildeterminesarein needofconservationandmanagement.
Puerto Rico
St. Croix
Snappers: black, blackfin, silk, vermilion, lane, mutton, yellowtail
Groupers: Nassau, goliath, red hind, black, red, tiger, yellowfin, yellowedge
Parrotfish: blue, midnight, rainbow
Queen Conch
Spiny Lobster
Corals
n = 20 + corals
Snappers: dog, schoolmaster, cubera
Groupers: coney, graysby, rock hind, misty, yellowmouth
Parrotfish: queen, princess, redtail, stoplight, redband, striped
Surgeonfish: blue tang, ocean, doctorfish
Triggerfish: ocean, queen, gray
Wrasses: hogfish, puddingwife, Spanish hogfish
Angelfish: queen, gray, French
Great barracuda
Tripletail
Rays: giant manta, spotted eagle, southern stingray n = 31
Snappers: wenchman, cardinal, queen
White grunt
Jacks - crevalle, African pompano, rainbow runner Wahoo
Dolphinfish - dolphin, pompano
dolphin
Tunas - little tunny, blackfin
Mackerels - king, cero n = 14
Sea cucumbers
Sea urchins
St. Thomas/ St. John
Snappers: black, blackfin, silk, vermilion, lane, mutton, yellowtail
Groupers: Nassau, goliath, red hind, black, red, tiger, yellowfin
Parrotfish: blue, midnight, rainbow, queen, princess, redfin, redtail, redband, striped, stoplight
Queen Conch
Spiny Lobster
Corals n = 26 + corals
Snappers: black, blackfin, silk, vermilion, lane, mutton, yellowtail
Groupers: Nassau, goliath, red hind, black, red, tiger, yellowfin, yellowedge
Parrotfish: blue, midnight, rainbow
Queen Conch
Spiny Lobster
Corals n = 20 + corals
Groupers: coney, graysby, rock hind, misty
Bluestriped grunt
Longspine squirrelfish
Surgeonfish: blue tang, ocean, doctorfish
Angelfish: queen, gray, French n = 12
Snappers: queen, gray, schoolmaster
White grunt
Queen triggerfish
Dolphin Wahoo n = 7 Sea cucumbers Sea urchins
Groupers: coney, misty, yellowmouth
Parrotfish: queen, princess, redtail, stoplight, redband, striped, redfin
Grunts: white, margate, bluestriped
Porgies: jolthead, sea bream, sheepshead, saucereye
Surgeonfish: blue tang, ocean, doctorfish
Angelfish: queen, gray, French
Hogfish n = 24
Queen snapper
Blue runner
Queen triggerfish
Dolphin Wahoo n = 5
Sea cucumbers
Sea urchins
SpeciesMatrix-Variables
Qualitative
FMP selection criterion (A, C, D, E)
Indicator stock for the complex (Y/N)
ABC Control Rule Tier (3, 4a, 4b)
Species listed on the current commercial catch report form (Y/N)
ESA-listed species and if 4d rule in place (Y/N)
List of federal/territorial regulations applicable to the species (e.g., size limit, seasonal closure)
Stock status (overfished/overfishing)
Critical role in ecosystem (e.g., grazer) or fishery (e.g., bait)
Years that ACLs or OFL/OFL proxy were exceeded
Species on the SEDAR stock assessment schedule (year)
Quantitative
Number of years the species was reported in the commercial landings during historical (2012-2023) and recent (2021-2023) periods.
Average commercial landings for the species during historical (2012-2023) and recent (2021-2023) periods.
Percent of the commercial landings reported from federal waters for each species during historical (2012-2023) and recent (2021-2023) periods.
Rank of each species in commercial landings during historical (2012-2023) and recent (2021-2023) periods.
Comparison of the commercial landings in recent years (2019-2023) to the historical period (2012-2023).
For Puerto Rico only, the number of years the species was reported in the recreational landings, average recreational landings per species, and rank of each species for years 2000-2016.
Productivity and Susceptibility scores assigned by SSC included in FMPs
Pending - TIP length data; NCRMP abundance/biomass data; price per pound