Caribbean Island-based Fishery Management Plans
Summary
At their December 2019 meeting, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted the Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Croix Fishery Management Plans (FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce. These FMPs will transition fisheries management in the respective exclusive economic zones from the historic U.S. Caribbean-wide approach to an island-based approach, attentive to the unique biological, economic, and cultural attributes of each island/island group. This island-based approach to management would facilitate a more responsive and nuanced fishery management framework and provides the foundation for an ecosystem-based approach to managing fisheries in the U.S. Caribbean region.