Amendment 4 to the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Seagrass Management
NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 4 to the Corals and Reef Associated Plants and Invertebrates Fishery Management Plan (FMP) of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) (Coral FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule removes seagrass species from the Coral FMP. The purpose of this rule and Amendment 4 to the Coral FMP is to address the future management of seagrasses in the U.S. Caribbean exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).