CFMC Updates (January 2024)

CFMC UPDATES

DEL CFMC NOTICIAS

Octubre 2023

January 2024

In the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC)'s bulletin you will find announcements, facts about marine species, and valuable information on fishing and rule that regulate this activity in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

En el boletín del Consejo de Administración Pesquera del Caribe (CFMC, en inglés) encontrarás anuncios de actividades, datos sobre distintas especies marinas y valiosa información sobre la pesca y las regulaciones que rigen esta actividad en Puerto Rico y en las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) produced a 2024 Calendar focused on the topic of Island Based Fishery Management Plans.

https://issuu.com/caribbeanfmc/docs/calendario cfmc 2024!

PATRICIA SKOV:

FISHER OF THE MONTH AND ST. CROIX DAP MEMBER

Patricia Skov has been fishing since the 1980s, sometimes part-time, sometimes full-time, with her husband Jens Skov. It was he who taught her how to fish back in 1968. As a woman in fishing, at first she felt like she was entering a different world, but she found that many women have been taking part in it.

Nowadays, they are grandparents and their grandson is also a commercial fisherman. Patricia was a commercial fisher but currently she fishes recreationally and helps her husband and grandson to weigh and sell their catch. For a long time, she used to do trap fishing with her husband, but then they switched to deep water snapper fishing.

She prefers to do hook and line fishing because when fishing pelagic it is more challenging. Her passion for fishing also translates into participation in several committees and collaboration with science.

Patricia Skov with her husband Jens Skov, who taught her how to fish.

“Over the years I have been a member of the St Croix Fishing Committee, a council member and now I am a DAP member from St. Croix. I have with my husband done science projects for a college lab that was on St Croix, for DPNR-Fish and Wildlife Division and with the Council (CFMC). Fishers’ knowledge contributes to understanding how the animal matures, habitat, spawning seasons and how to avoid overfishing,” Patricia mentioned.

For Patricia, who also was Council Chairperson, it is important that fishers are part of the public policy and decision-making processes because this affects their livelihood and market decisions. Furthermore, she highly values her experience at CFMC and the knowledge acquired.

“I learned so much when I became a member of the Council. I experienced a learning process that has given me so much knowledge as to the process of regulating the fishing industry and the changes that have taken place. The Knowledge from all participants from science to government procedures was valuable information. I have more courage to express my opinions and listen to others,” Patricia shared.

For Patricia, a responsible fisher is someone who “captures only what they can sell and preserves the habitat and the future for other generations.” Her advice to younger generations is to “keep good conservation habits.”

As a fisher, she is concerned about the future of this activity and profession. Patricia expressed that she has seen changes in the climate and in the sea: severe hurricanes, higher temperatures, drought and changes in the tides. She is worried about sea warming and future storms.

“I worry about the future of fishing and our planet. We are seeing more severe weather changes and fishing is getting more expensive. Prices of fish continue increasing because of those expenses and supply and demand. My opinion on fishing licenses is twofold. I would like a moratorium back on commercial licenses and for those who hold licenses the renewal process needs to be streamlined. I believe that people looking to fish recreationally need licenses and a reporting process. The life of a fisher like a farmer is dawn to dusk and work intensive. I have a great respect for those who chose this path. Fishing to me is a way of life and living with nature. I also want to see this activity continue through the generations,” Patricia said.

Acknowledgments: The CFMC thanks Patricia Skov for her time and availability for the interview, and the pictures supplied. Also, thank Carlos Farchette (CFMC Chairman) for conducting the interview with Patricia Skov and for his continued collaboration.

GROUPERS

Fishing for certain species of groupers is prohibited from February 1st through April 30.

Remember that closures are implemented to protect the species during their reproduction period, a time when they are very vulnerable to fishing. Do not catch, transport, sell, buy, or consume species during the closures!

PUERTO RICO (9-200 NAUTICAL MILES) AND US VIRGIN ISLANDS (3-200 NAUTICAL MILES) FEDERAL WATERS AND USVI LOCAL WATERS (0 3 NAUTICAL MILES)

Black grouper

Mero negro Mycteroperc

Red grouper

Mero rojo Epinephelus morio

Tiger grouper

Mero tigre o Diente de sable Mycteroperca tigris

Yellowfin grouper

Guajil Mycteroperca venenosa

Yellowedge grouper*

Guajil amarillo

Hyporthodus flavolimbatus