August 13, 2025
Stock assessment updates – SEDARs 84, 91, 103
of Reference*
Social Science projects
Strategic Planning progress report
Data and analytical improvements update
Collaborative projects with US Caribbean partners
* CFMC action requested
Strategic Planning
10 ongoing projects
37 completed
Improving collaborative data collection to support fisheries management
Enhancing collaborations and workflows
Engaging regional federal, territorial, and university partners and stakeholders
Data Collection Collaborate with regional partners and local fishers to conduct:
● Port sampling in PR and USVI
● Cooperative lobster trap surveys in PR and USVI (2025)
● Reef fish life history sampling
● Reef fish survey in PR (2024) and USVI (2025)
● Research with regional graduate students
Stock Assessments
Data Analysis and Provision
Reproducible workflows to support:
● Stock assessments
● Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission reporting requirements
● Caribbean Fishery Management Council and external requests
● Data storage and automation
● Management Strategy Evaluation
● Aquaculture stakeholders support and capacity building
Coordinated by the SouthEast Data and Review Process
2025
Yellowtail Snapper Stoplight Parrotfish
Spiny Lobster
2026
Procedural Workshop: Analytical Methods
SEDAR 84 – Yellowtail Snapper (PR & STTJ), Stoplight Parrotfish (STX)
• Assessment Workshop Reports – have been released to the public, see SEDAR website (SEDARweb.org)
• Review workshop July 15 -18, 2025 (CIE/SSC) – completed, RW reports being prepared by the CIE/SSC panel, addenda added to AW reports
• Additional models runs, as recommended by the RW panel will be explored for SSC review
• Assessment to be reviewed by the SSC in November ** 2025 and presented to the CFMC in December 2025
• Assessment workshop reports scheduled for AW panel review on May 26, 2025 – completed
• Assessment workshop reports under final review at the SEFSC, to be provided to SEDAR for public release by August 15, 2025
• Assessment to be reviewed by the SSC in September 23-25, 2025* and presented to the CFMC in December 2025*
• Review and recommend options for alternative approaches to providing scientific advice to managers
• Approaches likely to differ among species and species groups
• Goal is to have analytical approaches recommended for every federally managed species in the US Caribbean
• Organizing committee included CFMC staff, SSC, SEFSC, CIMAS, SEDAR
1. Methods Development Terms of Reference
2. Methods Application Terms of Reference
1. Assessment begins with Scoping webinar week of October 7, 2025
2. In person workshop in April 27 – May 1, 2026 - location TBD
3. Report completed by TBD, 2026
1. Review SEFSC data triage efforts for US Caribbean species and determine what types of alternative methods may be feasible for implementation.
2.Examine non-traditional approaches to single species assessments to provide information for consideration in management. Additionally, consider novel ecosystem-based fishery management approaches that have not been applied in the US Caribbean. Approaches to be evaluated might include (but not limited to):
a. ecosystem reference points
b. ecosystem productivity or biodiversity approaches
c. portfolio approach
d. empirical management procedures
3. For the species listed in the island-based FMPs, provide recommendations of specific analytical procedures for developing management advice that will meet legal mandates when using tools that are alternative or complementary to conventional stock assessment.
4. Provide research recommendations to advance development and implementation of other methods and necessary data collection that could be most easily applied in the US Caribbean; i.e., tools that are alternative or complementary to conventional stock assessment.
5. Prepare a report documenting the methods and analyses reviewed and the recommendations made by the panel.
1.Apply approaches recommended at the model development workshop to some or all of the species listed in the island-based FMPs.
2.Review and recommend analytical approaches to ensure that the results are scientifically sound and, following the review and consent of the SSC, will provide information useful for management advice.
3.Provide recommendations to guide future SEDAR assessments in the US Caribbean.
4.Provide recommendations to further the development of analytical methods and necessary data collection that could be most easily applied in the US Caribbean; i.e., tools that are alternative or complementary to conventional stock assessment.
5. Prepare a report documenting the application of recommended approaches to species listed in the islandbased FMPs. Evaluate and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the methods used given the available data.
• St.CroixoralhistoryinterviewsSeptember3-12,2025
• CollectingadditionaloralhistoriesinPuertoRicoin2025
• St.ThomasOralHistoriesnowintheVoicesDatabasewithexistingPuerto Ricohistoriestobeadded
• Writingapaperthatdiscussestheuseoforalhistoriesasameansif incorporatingLocalEcologicalKnowledgeintoFisheriesManagement
• Examiningperceivedandexperiencedchangesinthemarineenvironment, particularlyregarding Sargassum
• InterviewingStCroixlobsterfishermenregardingthehistoryoflobster fishinginStCroix
• Identify the main environmental (biological, ecological, climate, oceanography) and socioeconomic factors affecting lobster and conch fisheries.
• Understand changes in the ecology, biology, economy and commerce of lobster and conch
• Understand annual fishing practices and routines and reliance on other species throughout the year
• Understand overall management preferences and management objectives for lobster and conch fisheries
• Objective –collaborativelyidentifydataimprovementstrategiestoenhancestockassessmentand fisheriesmanagementadviceforPuertoRicoandtheU.S.VirginIslands
• Projects –53short-termprojectstotal(39SEFSC,14Regional)
• 37completed,10inprogress,6remaining
• Publishing –workshopreportsasTechMemos;Manuscriptinprep
• Future steps –Continuetoaccomplishprojects;Planforprojectsoperationalneeds
• Deliverables –https://sefsc.github.io/SFD-CFB-Caribbean-Strategic-Planning/
• Guiding the work of CFB –Coordinationtooptimizeresourceusage;Strengthenedworking relationships;Operationalizedautomationfordataprocesses;Openscienceprinciples
• Objective –tosupportthemanagementbodiesintheregion bydeterminingappropriatealternativemethodsand approachestoinformmanagementwiththeavailabledata
• SEDAR 103 –CaribbeanApplicationofAlternateAssessment Methods
• Objective –todefineneedsandmechanismsforestablishingafundinggovernance structureforaninformative,transparentfundingframeworktofacilitatecoordinationof activities
• Goals –1) Create conceptual models of current funding,collaborations,andstructures,2) Benchmarkotherregionalfundingmechanismsthataddressbottlenecks,3)Modify conceptualmodelstostreamlineprocessesandaddressgaps
• Deliverables (planned) –Conceptualmodelsofcurrentfundingstructures(includingpain points)forfundingprogramsandmechanisms(CFMC,CIMAS,CooperativeAgreements, CRCP,CRP,CSP,federalgrants,FIN,InterjurisdictionalFisheries,MRIP,SeaGrant,SEAMAPC,SportfishRestorationProgram)
STEP 1
Select Species*
Group A: Indicator species
Group B: Not indicator species in single species stock
Group C: Multiple species stock without indicator species STEP 2
Which analytical options are available?
*Exclude only those species that are in species groups with an indicator species and the species in question is not the indicator
• Caribbean Trip Interview Program Modernization Project - complete
• Length composition data from port sampling
• Developed improved data accuracy, quality control, and analysis
• WECAFC Data Provisioning – funding not renewed in FY25
• WECAFC data provisioning processes aligned with Data Collection Reference Framework (DCRF) – US Caribbean, Gulf, and Atlantic
• Outlier Analysis SEDAR 91 Caribbean Spiny Lobster – other species?
• Collaborative project between Puerto Rico DRNA and the SEFSC resulting from the SEDAR 91 Data Workshop
• ACL implications
• Calculation of Puerto Rico Correction Factors 2020 - present
• Collaborative project between Puerto Rico DRNA and the SEFSC resulting from the SEDAR 91 Data Workshop
• ACL implications
• Species and Gears on the Island-Based Catch Records Forms
• USVI - Numerous form changes over time, particularly prior to ~2000, but also 2011, 2016, 2019
• ACL implications
• Systematic review of trip level landings outliers – all islands
• Systematic review of Puerto Rico commercial landings correction factors
• Resolve database incompatibilities and calculate Puerto Rico correction factors by year and coast
• Systematic review of Commercial Catch Logbooks/Reports to determine species missing from the forms
• SSC/CFMC review of ACLs in light of above items
Morphometricconversionsarerequiredto producemanynecessarydataproductsin federalmanagementofmarinestocksand ecosystems.
Phase 1 - FY 22 FIS Project - Complete Development of a Morphometric Conversions Database
Phase 2 - FY 24 FIS Project - Ongoing Development of Decision Tool to Identify “Recommended” Equations
Acompleteandaccuratetimeseriesoffisherymanagementactionsarenecessaryforcredible andefficientstockassessmentsandACLmonitoring.Previousmanagementhistorydocuments lackedstandardizationandwerehardcodedforanalyses.
Development of a Management History database
DatabasepopulatedwithmanagementactionspublishedintheFederalRegisterthrough2021 for13fisherymanagementplansincludingUSCaribbean
Keep the database up-to-date and process management actions to create an accurate time series
Developprocessingstepstotransformdataintoauseableformat foranalyses,thecouncils,andpartners.
• Fishery independent lobster trap survey in cooperation with Puerto Rico commercial fishers and local scientific consulting firm
• Second year of sampling to develop an index of recruitment to the fishery
• Collection of life history samples in Puerto Rico
• Collected samples sent to SEFSC Panama City laboratory and USC Aiken
• Parrotfish samples analyzed by Jesus Rivera
• Puerto Rico Recreational Port Sampling Support
• Port sampling underway 2024-present; focus on vessels, shore based fishing in future
• USVI Port Sampling (all sectors) Collaboration
• Field testing electronic measuring system
Puerto Rico deep water snapper survey
• Hook & line and video survey in cooperation with Puerto Rico fishers and local scientific consulting firm
• Two years of surveys in Puerto Rico at depths of 50-450m
• Additional years with survey now 20-450m – that survey now overlaps with the NCRMP/RVC diver survey
NCRMP/RVC diver survey
• Survey conducted every two years, all islands (sampling ongoing in US Caribbean this year)
• Depths of 0-30m; some years to 50m
• Only long term FI survey that has supplied abundance indices for stock assessments
• Fishery independent diver survey
• Population surveys are in their final year:
• - 2023 - St. Thomas and St. John
• - 2024 - St. Croix
• - 2025 - Puerto Rico (planned for September in conjunction with SEAMAP-C program)
Genetic connectivity study:
• - sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of samples from the Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas, USVI, and PR is nearly complete
• - additional samples have been collected from the BVI, Saba, and Grand Cayman with efforts under way to acquire samples from the Turks and Caicos, Tobago, Barbados, Belize, and Bermuda by end of year
• Research Associate to integrate and coordinate fishery independent sampling surveys in the US Caribbean – Hired
• Incorporating AI/machine learning to improve fishery independent Queen Conch surveys
• Prototype camera system
• Field testing and AI development funding rescinded
• Extend existing Puerto Rico lobster recruit survey into the US Virgin Islands
• Extend existing Puerto Rico reef fish hook and line survey into US Virgin Islands and include shallower water sampling sites (20-450m)