Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment for the U.S. Caribbean

Book excerpt: "The 2011 Caribbean ACL Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for the Reef Fish, Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch resources and Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates in the U.S. Caribbean is intended to bring those fisheries into compliance with the 2007 revisions to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Actions analyzed in this Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) include alternatives to: 1) revise management reference points and overfished and overfishing status determination criteria; 2) implement annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) to prevent overfishing pursuant to MSA National Standard 1 Guidelines; 3) revise management measures for aquarium trade species and conch species within the Reef Fish, Corals and Reef and Associated Plants and Invertebrates and Queen Conch FMPs; 4) establish recreational bag limits for reef fish and spiny lobster species; 5) establish exclusive economic zone sub-boundaries for purposes of applying accountability measures (AMs); and 6) establish framework procedures to facilitate future modifications to National Standard 1 harvest parameters and management measures if needed"--Executive summary (page 21).