Updated August 5, 2009

 

BACKGROUND

 

Biscayne National Park, the largest marine park in the National Park system, features a spectacular array of mangrove, coastal hammocks, seagrass, hardbottom, and coral reef habitats. The Park hosts both commercial and recreational fishers. Increases in South Florida’s boating and fishing population combined with improved fishing and boating technology pose a threat to the long-term sustainability of fishery-related resources of BISC. Within the last decade, a variety of scientific studies completed by different institutions and agencies have all indicated that Biscayne National Park’s fisheries resources have declined from previous levels, and all studies indicate concern about the long-term sustainability of the Park’s fisheries resources. Many fishery-targeted species (particularly snapper and grouper species) that once were plentiful in Biscayne National Park have declined in abundance and/or size so substantially that legal-sized individuals of these species are now only rarely, if ever, observed in or harvested from park waters. In order to protect and restore Biscayne National Park’s diminishing fisheries resources, ensure that fishing activities in the park are conducted in a sustainable manner, and comply with the National Park Service mandate to provide inspiration, education and enjoyment to this and future generations, the National Park Service has developed a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to guide fishery management decisions in Biscayne National Park for the next five to ten years.

 

THE FMP DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Biscayne National Park’s Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Five alternatives addressing concerns about the status and long-term conservation of the park’s fisheries resources are described in the draft EIS. The development of the alternatives and the identification of the preferred alternative were based on a combination of public input (derived from two public comment periods and two series of public meetings, and the input of the FMP Working Group), inter-agency meetings, and environmental and socioeconomic analyses. The alternatives are as follows: 

 

Alternative Name	Description
Maintain Status Quo	This no-action alternative serves as a basis of comparison with the other alternatives. No regulatory changes would be triggered by the establishment of the FMP
Maintain At Or Above Current Levels	This alternative seeks to maintain Biscayne National Park’s fisheries resources at or above currently existing levels. As needed, management actions would be implemented (in conjunction with the FWC) and could include moderate increases in minimum harvest sizes, moderate decreases in bag limits, and seasonal and/or spatial closures.
Improve Over Current Levels	This alternative aims to increase the abundance and average size of fishery-targeted species within the Park by at least 10% over existing conditions. A range of management actions to achieve the desired resource status would be considered, and include moderate increases in minimum harvest sizes, moderate decreases in bag limits, and seasonal and/or spatial closures. Under this alternative, lobster mini-season would be eliminated in the Park and regulations would be enacted to prohibit the use of an air supply or gear with a trigger mechanism while spearfishing. Numbers of commercial fishers would remain at current levels or decrease over time, and fishing-related habitat impacts would be reduced. Under this and all subsequent alternatives, the Park would require a recreational use permit for all boats engaged in any recreational activity (such as fishing or diving); the permit would not be required for boaters passing through (e.g. traveling the Intracoastal Waterway), but not recreating in, the Park.
Rebuild and Conserve Park Fisheries Resources	This alternative is the NPS’s preferred alternative and proposes to increase the abundance and average size of fishery-targeted species within the Park by at least 20% over existing conditions, as well as reduce fishing-related habitat impacts. Possible management actions to achieve substantial improvement of fisheries resources could include considerable increases in minimum size limits, designation of slot limits, substantial decreases in bag limits, and seasonal and/or spatial closures. Under Alternative 4, lobster mini-season would be eliminated in the Park and regulations would be enacted to prohibit the use of an air supply or gear with a trigger mechanism while spearfishing. Numbers of commercial fishers would decrease over time via establishment of a non-transferable permit system. As described in Alternative 3, the Park would require a recreational use permit for all boats engaged in any recreational activity in the Park.
Restore Park Fisheries Resources	This alternative seeks to return the sizes and abundance of targeted species within 20% of their estimated, historic (pre-exploitation) levels and to prevent further decline in fishing-related habitat impacts. Possible management actions to achieve the desired conditions would be enacted in conjunction with the FWC and could include substantial increases in minimum size limits, designation of slot limits, substantial decreases in bag limits, seasonal and/or spatial closures, prohibition of extractive fishing (i.e. only allowing catch-and-release fishing), and a temporary moratorium on all fishing activity within the Park. Under this alternative, lobster mini-season would be eliminated in the Park and regulations would be enacted to prohibit spearfishing within the Park. Numbers of commercial fishers would decrease over time via establishment of a non-transferable permit system.  As described in Alternative 3, the Park would require a recreational use permit for all boats engaged in any recreational activity in the Park.

 

 

 

 

YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

Biscayne National Park will be accepting public comments on the FMP during the public comment period, which closes on October 6, 2009. The draft EIS document can be downloaded in its entirety from the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov). Printed copies will also be available for public review at the following public libraries in Miami-Dade County:

 

• Main Library, 101 W. Flagler Street, Miami 33130
• South Dade Regional Library, 10750 S.W. 211^th Street, Miami 33189
• Homestead Library, 700 N Homestead Blvd, Homestead 33030

 

If you wish to comment on the FMP draft EIS, you may submit your comments by any one of several methods:

 

1)     Mail comments to: Fishery Management Plan, Biscayne National Park, 9700 SW 328^th Street, Homestead, Florida 33033. 

2)    Comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received your Internet message, contact BISC Fisheries at 305-230-1144. 

3)     Hand-deliver comments to Biscayne National Park, 9700 SW 328^th Street, Homestead, Florida 33033. 

4)     Attend one of our public meetings, where you can provide comments verbally and/or in writing. Dates, times and locations of the public meetings are detailed below. 

 

Please note that before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

 

 

PUBLIC MEETINGS

A series of public meetingswill provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the draft EIS and submit verbal and/or written comments. Presentations and exhibits will be available to facilitate understanding of the status of Biscayne National Park’s fisheries resources and the goals and potential management actions under each alternative presented in the draft  EIS. Park staff will be present to discuss the draft EIS and answer questions. Three meetings have been scheduled to run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

 

September 15, 2009                          

Florida City City Hall

404 W. Palm Drive

Florida City, FL 33034

 

September 16, 2009                         

Crowne Plaza Hotel

950 NW 42 Ave

Miami, FL 33126

 

September 17, 2009

Holiday Inn

99701 Overseas Hwy  

Key Largo, FL 33037

 

For further information on the FMP developmental process or on specific information pertaining to the draft EIS, contact the Park’s Resource Management Division by phone at 305-230-1144.