UPDATES CFMC
FEBRUARY 2025
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) newsletter contains activity announcements, facts on various marine species, and valuable information on fishing and the regulations that govern this activity in federal waters around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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FEW WORDS ABOUT A FEW WORDS ABOUT GROUPERS GROUPERS
Groupers along with snappers are among the most requested fish in local fish markets and restaurants in the Caribbean. To achieve a sustainable grouper fishery and protect their spawning aggregations, seasonal closures prohibit fishing during the peak of their reproductive season. For groupers whose numbers have been significantly reduced, fishing is permanently prohibited, as is the case of Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus).
According to the publication "A Glimpse into the World of Fishermen in Puerto Rico”, “during the years 1950 to 1980, the Nassau grouper was the main species landed in pounds and number of individuals in Puerto Rico. This grouper was, in 1970, the fourth species with the highest volume of landings, and nearly fifteen years later, in 1986, it was considered commercially extinct, since its catches were a minimal fraction of the total
local catches”. Many of these animals came from other Caribbean jurisdictions as some fishing boats left Puerto Rico for neighboring islands. In the Virgin Islands, the aggregation south of St. Thomas was documented as extirpated during 1979 when 85% of the catch was obtained from this aggregation (see the publication “A study of a Virgin Islands Grouper Fishery Based on a Breeding Aggregation” by Olsen and La Place).
Groupers return to the same areas every year to congregate to spawn in a group. This makes them extremely vulnerable to fishing, including incidental. Historically, fishers used this traditional knowledge to catch large quantities of fish within weeks. Fishing during aggregations, along with marine pollution, habitat destruction, derelict fishing gear, and climate change, among other factors, caused a significant decline in some of these populations
Nassau grouper populations declined to such an extent that since 1991, under the CFMC Fishery Management Plan, fishing for this species was prohibited in the waters of the Caribbean EEZ. Five years later, in 1996, the grouper was included in the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and it is classified as critically endangered worldwide More recently, in 2016 it was designated as threatened with extinction under the U.S. federal law, Endangered Species Act.
REPORT REPORT NASSAU NASSAU GROUPERS! GROUPERS!
If you are conducting any activity at sea and see a Nassau grouper, report it to MerosPR.com. Your report contributes to the recovery efforts of this species. Even if it is caught incidentally, it is important to release it and report it to help document its current status in our region
Reporting is easy. Use the Meros PR form. Open the form in any browser. You will not need a password. Visit https://www.merospr.com/ to access the form
Meros PR is a project that aims to investigate the habitats that juvenile Nassau grouper need to grow. Nassau grouper habitats must be protected to ensure that this first phase of the life cycle of the Nassau grouper and several other commercially important species, such as queen conch and lobster, is completed.
U S Caribbean Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) U S Caribbean Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) ritorial Waters ritorial Waters
Yellowfin Grouper Guajil de aleta amarilla (Mycteroperca venenosa)
OVERVIEW OF FISHING CLOSURES OVERVIEW OF FISHING CLOSURES FOR GROUPERS
Seasonal Fishing Prohibitions for Groupers from: February 1st until April 30th
U.S. Caribbean EEZ and USVI Territorial Waters
U.S. Caribbean EEZ and USVI Territorial Waters
Black Grouper
Guajil negro (Mycteroperca bonaci)
Tiger Grouper
Mero tigre o diente de sable (Mycteroperca tigris)
Red Grouper
Mero rojo o cherna americana (Epinephelus morio)
t. Thomas / St. John . Thomas / St. John I Territorial Waters I Territorial Waters
Yellowedge Grouper
Guasa amarilla (Hyporthodus flavolimbatus)
AREA AREA CLOSURES CLOSURES
Fishing Prohibitions in the Grammanik Bank, U.S. Virgin Islands
The seasonal closure for fishing or possession of any fish species, except highly migratory species (HMS), in the Grammanik Bank area off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands begins on:
February 1st and extends through April 30th.
NOTE: The term “fish” means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds.
The Grammanik Bank area is located south of St. Thomas and bounded by the following coordinates (see map):
A 18°11.898' N 64°56.328' W
B 18°11.645' N 64°56.225' W
C 18°11.058' N 64°57.810' W
D 18°11.311' N 64°57.913' W
Fishing Prohibitions in Bajo de Sico
No fishing for or possession of any reef fish managed by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) in or from those parts of the Bajo de Sico management area that are in federal waters (EEZ). This closure is from
October 1st and extends through March 31.
These regulations only apply in the federal portion of the Bajo de Sico management area located off the west coast of Puerto Rico, which is bisected by the nine nautical mile boundary between Puerto Rico Commonwealth and federal waters (EEZ).
The Bajo de Sico management area is located off the west coast of Puerto Rico and bounded by the following coordinates (see map):
IMPORTANT:
Fishing and possession prohibitions apply to Council-managed reef fish in or from those parts of the Bajo de Sico management area that are in federal waters.
Fishers are allowed to harvest spiny lobster, Council-managed pelagic fish, and species not managed by the Council, including highly migratory species (HMS).
Fishing with pots, traps, bottom longlines, gillnets, or trammel nets and anchoring are prohibited year-round in Bajo de Sico federal waters and remain prohibited during the seasonal closure.
To see a list of the reef fish managed by the Council, visit the CFMC Updates, January 2025 issue:
https://issuu.com/caribbeanfmc/docs/cfmc_updates_january_2025
VISIT TO ACCESS:
Una mirada al mundo de los pescadores en Una mirada al mundo de los pescadores en Puerto Rico: Una perspectiva global Puerto Rico: Una perspectiva global
(A Glimpse to the World of Fishermen in Puerto Rico)
https://issuu.com/seagrantpr/docs/prsg-mirada-al-mundo-de-los-pescadores
The regulations, seasonal and area closures, and restrictions that appear in this bulletin are those in effect at the time of publication. These can change at any time. For official laws and regulations, please consult the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as an official federal resource, as well as the relevant offices associated with the State Government: PR-DNER and USVIDPNR. The newsletter was created for education and outreach purposes. Reading and reviewing it is not a substitute for applicable laws, regulations, and agency documents.
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Credits
Written by: Cristina D. Olán Martínez (CFMC staff)
Revised by: Dra. Michelle T. Schärer Umpierre (SSC Member), Jannette Ramos García (OEAP Chair), Miguel Rolón (CFMC Executive Director)
Layout and Design by: Rosana López Muñoz (contratista) / Illustrations of groupers by: PR Sea Grant
