Notice2021-25699
Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
Primary source
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Published
November 26, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in January, February, and March of 2022. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops will be conducted during 2022 and will be announced in a future notice. In addition, NMFS anticipates the implementation of online recertification workshops beginning in the fall of 2021 for persons who have already taken in-person training. Affected permit holders will be notified of this option when it becomes available.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 225 (Friday, November 26, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 225 (Friday, November 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67447-67449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25699]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XB601]
Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and
Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
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SUMMARY: Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in
January, February, and March of 2022. Certain fishermen and shark
dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory
requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic
Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted
Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been
issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free
workshops will be conducted during 2022 and will be announced in a
future notice. In addition, NMFS anticipates the implementation of
online recertification workshops beginning in the fall of 2021 for
persons who have already taken in-person training. Affected permit
holders will be notified of this option when it becomes available.
DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on
January 20, and March 10, 2022. The Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held on January 7, February 23, and
March 9, 2022. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.
ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in
Manahawkin, NJ, and Fort Pierce, FL. The Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held in Charleston, SC; Portsmouth,
NH; and Houston, TX. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details
on workshop locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Pearson by phone: (727) 824-5399,
or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#26544f454d08470856434754554948664849474708414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7a5beb4bcf9b6f9a7b2b6a5a4b8b997b9b8b6b6f9b0b8a1">[email protected]</span></a>, or Craig Cockrell by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f7c6d7e7678317c707c746d7a73735f71707e7e31787069"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e68594878f81c88589858d94838a8aa688898787c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS)
fisheries are managed under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas
Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). The 2006
Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan and its amendments
are implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.8
describes the requirements for the Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification
[[Page 67448]]
Workshops. The workshop schedules, registration information, and a list
of frequently asked questions regarding the Atlantic Shark
Identification and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops
are posted online at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-shark-identification-workshops">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-shark-identification-workshops</a> and <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/safe-handling-release-and-identification-workshops">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/safe-handling-release-and-identification-workshops</a>.
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops
Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark dealers have been prohibited
from receiving, purchasing, trading, or bartering for Atlantic sharks
unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate is on
the premises of each business listed under the shark dealer permit that
first receives Atlantic sharks (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006). Dealers
who attend and successfully complete a workshop are issued a
certificate for each place of business that is permitted to receive
sharks. These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus, certificates
that were initially issued in 2019 will expire in 2022. Approximately
189 free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops have been conducted
since October 2008.
Currently, permitted dealers may send a proxy to an Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop. However, if a dealer opts to send a proxy, the
dealer must designate a proxy for each place of business covered by the
dealer's permit that first receives Atlantic sharks. Only one
certificate will be issued to each proxy. A proxy must be a person who
is currently employed by a place of business covered by the dealer's
permit; is a primary participant in the identification, weighing, and/
or first receipt of fish as they are offloaded from a vessel; and who
fills out dealer reports. Atlantic shark dealers are prohibited from
renewing a Federal shark dealer permit unless a valid Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop certificate for each business location that
first receives Atlantic sharks has been submitted with the permit
renewal application. Additionally, a copy of a valid dealer or proxy
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate must be in any
trucks or other conveyances that are extensions of a dealer's place of
business.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. January 20, 2022, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72
East, Manahawkin, NJ 08050.
2. March 10, 2022, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., Hampton Inn, 1985 Reynolds
Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34945.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop,
please contact Eric Sander at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3c6d1cac0d0d0cbc2d1c8c4d6cac7c6e3dac2cbcccc8dc0ccce"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ceabbca7adbdbda6afbca5a9bba7aaab8eb7afa6a1a1e0ada1a3">[email protected]</span></a> or at (386)
852-8588. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not required.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items
to the workshop:
<bullet> Atlantic shark dealer permit holders must bring proof that
the attendee is an owner or agent of the business (such as articles of
incorporation), a copy of the applicable permit, and proof of
identification.
<bullet> Atlantic shark dealer proxies must bring documentation
from the permitted dealer acknowledging that the proxy is attending the
workshop on behalf of the permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a
specific business location, a copy of the appropriate valid permit, and
proof of identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops are designed to reduce
the number of unknown and improperly identified sharks reported in the
dealer reporting form and increase the accuracy of species-specific
dealer-reported information. Reducing the number of unknown and
improperly identified sharks will improve quota monitoring and the data
used in stock assessments. These workshops will train shark dealer
permit holders or their proxies to properly identify Atlantic shark
carcasses.
Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
Since January 1, 2007, shark limited-access and swordfish limited-
access permit holders who fish with longline or gillnet gear have been
required to submit a copy of their Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop certificate in order to renew either permit (71
FR 58057; October 2, 2006). These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years.
Certificates issued in 2019 will expire in 2022. As such, vessel owners
who have not already attended a workshop and received a NMFS
certificate, or vessel owners whose certificate(s) will expire prior to
the next permit renewal, must attend a workshop to fish with, or renew,
their swordfish and shark limited-access permits. Additionally, new
shark and swordfish limited-access permit applicants who intend to fish
with longline or gillnet gear must attend a Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop and submit a copy of their workshop certificate
before either of the permits will be issued. Approximately 388 free
Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops have been
conducted since 2006.
In addition to vessel owners, at least one operator on board
vessels issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit that uses
longline or gillnet gear is required to attend a Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshop and receive a certificate. Vessels
that have been issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit and
that use longline or gillnet gear may not fish unless both the vessel
owner and operator have valid workshop certificates onboard at all
times. Vessel operators who have not already attended a workshop and
received a NMFS certificate, or vessel operators whose certificate(s)
will expire prior to their next fishing trip, must attend a workshop to
operate a vessel with swordfish and shark limited-access permits on
which longline or gillnet gear is used.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. January 7, 2022, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hampton Inn, 678 Citadel Haven
Drive, Charleston, SC 29414.
2. February 23, 2022, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Residence Inn, 100 Deer
Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801.
3. March 9, 2022, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 9300 South
Main Street, Houston, TX 77025.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop, please contact Angler Conservation Education
at (386) 682-0158. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not
required.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items
with them to the workshop:
<bullet> Individual vessel owners must bring a copy of the
appropriate swordfish and/or shark permit(s), a copy of the vessel
registration or documentation, and proof of identification;
<bullet> Representatives of a business-owned or co-owned vessel
must bring proof that the individual is an agent of the business (such
as articles of incorporation), a copy of the applicable
[[Page 67449]]
swordfish and/or shark permit(s), and proof of identification; and
<bullet> Vessel operators must bring proof of identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops are
designed to teach longline and gillnet fishermen the required
techniques for the safe handling and release of entangled and/or hooked
protected species, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, smalltooth
sawfish, Atlantic sturgeon, and prohibited sharks. In an effort to
improve reporting, the proper identification of protected species and
prohibited sharks will also be taught at these workshops. Additionally,
individuals attending these workshops will gain a better understanding
of the requirements for participating in these fisheries. The overall
goal of these workshops is to provide participants with the skills
needed to reduce the mortality of protected species and prohibited
sharks, which may prevent additional regulations on these fisheries in
the future.
Online Recertification Workshops
NMFS anticipates the implementation of online recertification
workshops beginning in the fall of 2021 for persons who have already
taken in-person training. Affected permit holders will be notified of
this option when it becomes available.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 19, 2021.
Ngagne Jafnar Gueye,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-25699 Filed 11-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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