Commercial trip limits for Atlantic Spanish mackerel in the Southern Zone

Summary 4

Table of Contents 6

Chapter 1. Introduction 10

1.1What Action is Being Proposed? 10

1.2Who is Proposing the Action? 10

1.3 Why is the South Atlantic Council Considering Action? 11

1.3.1 Purpose and Need Statement 12

1.4Which species and areas would be affected by the actions? 12

Chapter 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives 15

Action: Modify the system of quota and trip limit adjustments for Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the Southern Zone 15

Chapter 3. Affected Environment 22

3.1 Habitat Environment 22

3.2 Biological and Ecological Environment 23

3.2.1 Fish Populations Affected by this Amendment 23

3.2.2 Description of the Fishery 24

3.2.3 Protected Species 26

3.3. Economic Environment 29

3.4 Social Environment 31

3.5 Administrative Environment 35

3.5.1 The Fishery Management Process and Applicable Laws 35

3.5.1.1 Federal Fishery Management 35

3.5.1.2 State Fishery Management 36

3.5.1.3 Enforcement 37

Chapter 4. Environmental Effects and Comparison of Alternatives 38

4.1 Action: Modify the system of quota and trip limit adjustments for Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the Southern Zone 38

4.1.1 Biological Effects 38

4.1.2 Economic Effects 42

4.1.3 Social Effects 45

4.1.4 Administrative Effects 46

Chapter 5. Council’s Choice for the Preferred Alternatives 48

5.1 Action: Modify the system of quota and trip limit adjustments for Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel in the Southern Zone 48

5.1.1 Public Comments and Recommendations 48

5.1.2 Council’s Choice for Preferred Alternative 49

Chapter 6. Cumulative Effects 50

6.1 Affected Area 50

6.2 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Actions Impacting the Affected Area 50

6.3 Consideration of Climate Change and Other Non-Fishery Related Issues 52

6.4 Overall Impacts Expected from Past, Present, and Future Actions 54

6.5 Monitoring and Mitigation 54

Chapter 7. List of Interdisciplinary Plan Team (IPT) Members 56

Chapter 8. Agencies Consulted 57

Chapter 9. References 58

Appendix A. Glossary 66

Appendix B. Alternative Considered but Rejected 72

Appendix C. History of Management 73

Appendix D. Bycatch Practicability Analysis 78

Appendix E. Regulatory Impact Review 86

1 Introduction 86

2 Problems and Objectives 86

3 Description of Fisheries 86

4 Impacts of Management Measures 86

5 Public and Private Costs of Regulations 87

6 Determination of Significant Regulatory Action 88

Appendix F. Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 89

1 Introduction 89

2 Statement of the need for, objective of, and legal basis for the proposed action 89

3 Description and estimate of the number of small entities to which the proposed action would apply 90

4 Description of the projected reporting, record-keeping and other compliance requirements of the proposed action, including an estimate of the classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills necessary for the preparation of the report or records 90

5 Identification of all relevant federal rules, which may duplicate, overlap or conflict with the proposed action 91

6 Significance of economic impacts on a substantial number of small entities 91

7 Description of the significant alternatives to the proposed action and discussion of how the alternatives attempt to minimize economic impacts on small entities 92

Appendix G. Other Applicable Law 93

Appendix H. Spanish Mackerel Quota and Trip Limit Analysis 100