Compatibility of Commercial Trip Limits and Recreational Bag Limits in the Management Area

of St. Croix, USVI

Regulatory Amendment 2 Queen Conch Fishery Management Plan

PUBLIC HEARING –St. CroixMarch 25, 2013

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Queen Conch Harvest

• USVI Territorial waters

• Federal waters (in the area east of 64°34' W, bound

within the 100-fathom curve, which includes Lang Bank to

the east of St. Croix)

Open Season : November 1 - May 31

Closed Season: June 1 – October 31

STX Territorial/Federal Quota:

50,000 lbs combined state and federal waters

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Purpose and Need for Action

• To establish compatible regulations for the commercial and recreational harvest of queen conch between the U.S. Caribbean exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and USVI territorial regulations.

• Compatibility of regulations will aid in the enforcement of queen conch regulations and enhance compliance by eliminating the inconsistency in the number of queen conch allowed to be possessed on the water.

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Federal vs. Territorial Management

Why is the Council considering Action?

Federal USVI (St. Croix)

Commercial Trip Limits

150 queen conch per licensed fisherman /day

200 queen conch per vessel /day

RecreationalBag Limits

3 queen conch per person /day

Max. 12 queen conch per vessel /day

6 queen conch per person /day

Max. 24 queen conch per vessel /day

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Action 1: Modify the trip limit for the commercial harvest of queen conch in the

U.S. Caribbean EEZ

Alternative 1

No Action. No change to current commercial trip limit. No more than 150 queen conch per licensed fisherman per day.

Alternative 2Commercial trip limit compatible with the USVI.

No more than 200 queen conch per vessel per day.

Alternative 3

No more than 150 queen conch per day if there is one licensed commercial fisherman on board, or no more than 200 queen conch per vessel per day if more than one licensed commercial fisherman is on board.

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Action 2: Modify the bag limit for the recreational harvest of queen conch in the

U.S. Caribbean EEZ

Alternative 1

No Action

3 queen conch per person per day, no more than 12 queen conch per boat per day

Alternative 2

Compatible6 queen conch per person per day, 24 per boat per day

Alternative 3 6 queen conch per person per day, 12 per boat per day

Alternative 4 3 queen conch per person per day, 24 per boat per day

Partially compatible

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AlternativesNumber of Recreational Fishers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > 8

1 3 6 9 12 12 12 12 12 12

2 6 12 18 24 24 24 24 24 24

3 6 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

4 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 24

Number of queen conch that can be harvested per fisher under each of the proposed alternatives for Action 2. Shaded cells represent instances where the numbers that could be fished is higher than currently allowed in the EEZ.