Notice2025-22758
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing, Scientific Research, Display, and Shark Research Fishery Permits; Letters of Acknowledgement
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces its intent to issue exempted fishing permits (EFPs), scientific research permits (SRPs), display permits, shark research fishery permits, and letters of acknowledgement (LOAs) for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) in 2026. NMFS also requests applications for the 2026 shark research fishery. EFPs, SRPs, display permits, and shark research fishery permits exempt permit holders from specific portions of the regulations for the purposes of scientific research, data collection, and public display, among other things. The shark research fishery provides fishery-dependent and biological data collection to support stock assessments and other NMFS research and management objectives. LOAs acknowledge that researchers are conducting scientific research activities on board a scientific research vessel. Generally, exempted fishing and related permits are valid from the date of issuance through the end of the calendar year for which they are issued, unless otherwise specified in the permit, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57954-57958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22758]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RTID 0648-XF282
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing, Scientific
Research, Display, and Shark Research Fishery Permits; Letters of
Acknowledgement
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments; request for
applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces its intent to issue exempted fishing permits
(EFPs), scientific research permits (SRPs), display permits, shark
research fishery permits, and letters of acknowledgement (LOAs) for
Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) in 2026. NMFS also requests
applications for the 2026 shark research fishery. EFPs, SRPs, display
permits, and shark research fishery permits exempt permit holders from
specific portions of the regulations for the purposes of scientific
research, data collection, and public display, among other things. The
shark research fishery provides fishery-dependent and biological data
collection to support stock assessments and other NMFS research and
management objectives. LOAs acknowledge that researchers are conducting
scientific research activities on board a scientific research vessel.
Generally, exempted fishing and related permits are valid from the date
of issuance through the end of the calendar year for which they are
issued, unless otherwise specified in the permit, subject to the terms
and conditions of individual permits.
DATES: Submit comments on the issuance of exempted fishing and related
permits on or before January 14, 2026. Submit applications for the 2026
shark research fishery on or before January 14, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the issuance of exempted fishing
and related permits by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#553b3833267b3d38267b30253326153b3a34347b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="234d4e45500d4b4e500d46534550634d4c42420d444c55">[email protected]</span></a>. You may submit
shark research fishery applications by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d5bbb8b3a6fba7b0a6b0b4a7b6bdfbb3bca6bdb0a7ac95bbbab4b4fbb2baa3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="513f3c37227f23342234302332397f37382239342328113f3e30307f363e27">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the issuance
of exempted fishing and related permits, contact Ann Williamson,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbdad5d595ccd2d7d7d2dad6c8d4d5fbd5d4dada95dcd4cd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e0818e8ece97898c8c89818d938f8ea08e8f8181ce878f96">[email protected]</span></a>, at 301-427-8503. For information regarding the
shark research fishery, contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d1bab0a3a8bdffb3a3b4a6a2a5b4a3fcb6b4b8a2ab91bfbeb0b0ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f39892818a9fdd9181968480879681de94969a8089b39d9c9292dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>, or Delisse Ortiz, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4125242d283232246f2e3335283b012f2e20206f262e37"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3652535a5f454553185944425f4c765859575718515940">[email protected]</span></a>, at 301-427-
8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HMS fisheries (swordfish, sharks, tunas, and
billfish) are managed under the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) and its amendments pursuant to the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and consistent with the Atlantic
Tunas Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). ATCA is the
implementing statute for binding recommendations of the International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. HMS implementing
regulations are at 50 CFR part 635. The regulations specific to HMS
exempted fishing and related permits can be found at Sec. 635.32. The
regulations specific to the shark research fishery can be found at
Sec. Sec. 635.24(a), 635.27(b) and 635.32(f).
Exempted Fishing and Related Permits
NMFS issues exempted fishing and related permits in cases where HMS
regulations (e.g., fishing seasons, prohibited species, authorized
gear, closed areas, minimum sizes) may otherwise prohibit scientists
and other interested parties from conducting scientific research;
acquiring information and data related to HMS and fishing for HMS;
enhancing safety at sea; collecting HMS for public education or
display; investigating bycatch, economic discards, or regulatory
discards in HMS fisheries; or conducting other fishing activities that
NMFS has an interest in permitting or acknowledging. Consistent with
Sec. Sec. 600.745 and 635.32, a NMFS Regional Administrator or
Director may authorize, for limited testing, public display, data
collection, exploratory fishing, compensation fishing, conservation
engineering, health and safety surveys, environmental cleanup, and/or
hazard removal purposes, the target or incidental harvest of species
managed under an FMP or fishery regulations that would otherwise be
prohibited. These permits exempt permit holders from the specific
portions of the regulations that may otherwise be prohibited.
Collection of HMS under exempted fishing and related permits represents
a small portion of the overall fishing mortality for HMS, and NMFS
counts this mortality against the relevant quota, as appropriate and
applicable. The terms and conditions of individual permits are unique;
however, all permits include reporting requirements, limit the number
and/or species of HMS to be collected (if appropriate), and only
authorize collection and/or other research activities in Federal waters
of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America, and Caribbean Sea (for Atlantic
tunas, we may authorize the activities all the way to shore).
The Magnuson-Stevens Act exempts any scientific research activity
conducted by a scientific research vessel from the definition of
``fishing.'' NMFS issues LOAs acknowledging such bona fide research
activities involving species that are directly regulated only under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act (e.g., most shark species) and not under ATCA.
NMFS generally does not consider recreational or commercial vessels to
be bona fide research vessels. However, if the researcher contracts a
vessel only to conduct research and not participate in any commercial
or recreational fishing activities during that research, NMFS may
consider those vessels as bona fide research platforms while conducting
the specified research. For example, in the past, NMFS has determined
that commercial pelagic longline fishing vessels assisting with shark
population surveys may be considered ``bona fide research vessels''
while engaged only in the specified research. For such activities, NMFS
reviews the scientific research plans and may issue an LOA
acknowledging that the proposed activity is scientific research for
purposes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
While scientific research is not defined as ``fishing'' subject to
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, scientific research is not exempt from
regulation under ATCA. Therefore, NMFS issues SRPs that authorize
researchers to conduct scientific research related to HMS from bona
fide research vessels for species managed directly under this statute
(i.e., swordfish, tunas, and billfish). One example of research
conducted under SRPs would be swordfish, tunas, and billfish scientific
surveys conducted from NOAA research vessels.
NMFS issues EFPs for activities conducted from commercial or
recreational fishing vessels. Examples of activities conducted under
EFPs include collection of young-of-the-year bluefin tuna for genetic
research from recreational fishing vessels; conducting billfish larval
tows to determine billfish habitat use, life history, and population
[[Page 57955]]
structure from private vessels; and tagging sharks caught on commercial
or recreational fishing gear to determine post-release mortality rates
from commercial or recreational fishing vessels.
NMFS issues display permits for the collection of HMS for public
display. Collection of HMS for public display in aquaria often involves
collection when the commercial fishing seasons are closed, collection
of otherwise prohibited species (e.g., sand tiger sharks), and
collection of fish below the regulatory minimum size. Not all HMS can
be collected for public display. NMFS published the final rule for
Amendment 2 to the HMS FMP (73 FR 35778, June 24, 2008; corrected 73 FR
40658, July 15, 2008) that, among other things, prohibited the
collection of dusky sharks for public display. In 2022, NMFS published
a final rule (87 FR 39373, July 1, 2022) that, among other things,
prohibited the collection of shortfin mako sharks for public display.
Most exempted fishing and related permits described in this annual
notice relate to scientific sampling and tagging of HMS within existing
quotas, and the impacts of these activities were previously analyzed in
various environmental assessments and environmental impact statements
for HMS management. NMFS' intent generally is to issue these permits
without additional opportunity for public comment beyond what is
provided in this notice. However, occasionally, NMFS receives
applications which may warrant further consideration, such as those for
unanticipated research activities, for research that is outside the
scope of general scientific sampling and tagging of HMS, or for
research that is particularly controversial. In those instances, NMFS
will provide additional opportunity for public comment, consistent with
the regulations at Sec. 600.745.
On May 10, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency published a
notice announcing the availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for Amendment 15 to the HMS FMP (89 FR 40481). In Amendment
15, NMFS prefers an alternative that would allow for cooperative
research via an EFP within the various areas that are currently closed
to pelagic longline fishing. NMFS would use the data collected to help
assess the effectiveness of the pelagic longline closed areas. At this
time, NMFS has not yet published any final rule for Amendment 15. NMFS
is not aware of any researchers who plan to conduct research specific
to the objectives in Amendment 15 in the closed areas in 2026. If after
the publication of any final rule, NMFS receives such applications,
NMFS may consider providing additional opportunity for public comment,
dependent upon the particulars of the scientific research plan
submitted, consistent with the regulations at Sec. 600.745.
Additionally, this notice invites comments on the shark research
fishery, which NMFS implemented in 2008 through Amendment 2 to the HMS
FMP. In short, the shark research fishery is a program where interested
commercial shark fishermen voluntarily apply for the opportunity to
participate in shark research; qualified applicants who are selected to
participate are permitted to harvest sandbar sharks commercially under
specific terms and conditions (described below). NMFS conducts this
research fishery under the auspices of the HMS EFP Program and issues
specific shark research fishery EFPs to selected participants. Shark
research fishery participants assist NMFS in collecting valuable shark
life history and other scientific data required in shark stock
assessments. Since NMFS established the shark research fishery, the
research fishery has allowed for:
<bullet> Fishery-dependent data collection for current and future
stock assessments;
<bullet> Cooperative research to meet NMFS' ongoing research
objectives;
<bullet> Collection of updated life-history information used in the
sandbar shark (and other species) stock assessments;
<bullet> Data collection on habitat preferences that might help
reduce fishery interactions through bycatch mitigation;
<bullet> Evaluation of the utility of the mid-Atlantic closed area
on the recovery of dusky sharks;
<bullet> Collection of hook-timer and pop-up satellite archival tag
information to determine at-vessel and post-release mortality of dusky
sharks; and
<bullet> Collection of sharks to update the weight conversion
factor from dressed weight to whole weight.
Shark research fishery participants are subject to 100-percent
observer coverage. In recent years, NMFS has required shark research
fishery participants to retain all non-prohibited shark species dead at
haulback and NMFS has counted that mortality against the appropriate
quotas of the shark research fishery participant. Additionally, in
recent years, all shark research fishery participants were limited to a
very small number of dusky shark mortalities on a regional basis. Once
the designated number of dusky shark mortalities occurs in a specific
region, certain terms and conditions are applied (e.g., soak time
limits). See the Shark Research Fishery section for information on the
2026 shark research fishery objectives and the specific terms and
conditions expected for the 2026 shark research fishery permits. NMFS
requests public comment regarding NMFS' intent to issue shark research
fishery permits in 2026 during the comment period of this notice.
Table 1 summarizes the number of specimens authorized under EFPs,
SRPs, display permits, and LOAs and the total number of specimens
collected in 2024. Table 2 summarizes the number of specimens
authorized under EFPs, SRPs, display permits, and LOAs in 2025. The
total number of specimens collected in 2025 will be available when NMFS
receives all 2025 interim and annual reports.
In all cases, NMFS counts mortalities associated with EFPs, SRPs,
or display permits (except for larvae) against the appropriate quota.
In 2024, NMFS issued a total of 47 EFPs, SRPs, display permits, and
LOAs for the collection, sampling, and/or tagging of HMS and a total of
3 shark research fishery permits. As of November 21, 2025, NMFS has
issued a total of 44 EFPs, SRPs, display permits, and LOAs and a total
of 3 shark research fishery permits for the year.
Table 1--Summary of HMS Exempted Fishing Permits, Scientific Research Permits, Display Permits, and Letters of Acknowledgement Issued in 2024
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorized fish (numbers) \1\ Fish kept or discarded dead (numbers)
Permit type Permits --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
issued Swordfish Sharks Tunas Billfish Swordfish Sharks Tunas Billfish
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EFP.................................................... 10 0 24 190 0 0 0 28 0
SRP.................................................... 7 5 1,525 50 0 0 96 2 0
Display................................................ 4 0 259 18 0 0 23 0 0
[[Page 57956]]
LOA.................................................... 26 N/A \1\ N/A N/A N/A N/A 266 N/A N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This table does not include shark research fishery permits.
\1\ NMFS issued some EFPs, SRPs, and LOAs for the purposes of tagging and the opportunistic sampling of HMS and were not expected to result in large
amounts of mortality, thus no limits on sampling were set.
Table 2--Summary of HMS Exempted Fishing Permits, Scientific Research Permits, Display Permits, and Letters of
Acknowledgement Issued in 2025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorized fish (numbers) \1\
Permit type Permits issued ---------------------------------------------------------------
Swordfish Sharks Tunas Billfish
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EFP............................. 11 0 24 260 0
SRP............................. 8 25 135 135 120
Display......................... 5 0 250 18 0
LOA............................. 20 N/A \1\ N/A N/A N/A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This table does not include shark research fishery permits.
\1\ NMFS issued some EFPs, SRPs, and LOAs for the purposes of tagging and the opportunistic sampling of HMS and
were not expected to result in large amounts of mortality, thus no limits on sampling were set. NMFS will
account for any mortality that may occur throughout 2025 under the appropriate HMS research and display quota.
NMFS does not currently anticipate any significant environmental
impacts from the issuance of exempted fishing and related permits,
consistent with the assessment of such activities as identified in
Categorical Exclusion B12 of the Companion Manual for NOAA
Administrative Order 216-6A or within the environmental impacts
analyses in existing HMS actions. Existing actions include the 1999
FMP, HMS FMP and its amendments, Amendment 2 to the HMS FMP, the
Environmental Assessment for the 2012 Swordfish Specifications, the
Environmental Assessment for the 2022 Final Bluefin Tuna Quota and
Atlantic Tuna Fisheries Management Measures, and the 2022 Zero Atlantic
Shortfin Mako Shark Retention Limit Final Rule.
Final decisions on the issuance of any exempted fishing or related
permits will depend on:
<bullet> The submission of all required information about the
proposed activities;
<bullet> NMFS' review of public comments received on this notice;
<bullet> The applicant's reporting history on past permits;
<bullet> If vessels or applicants were issued any prior violations
of marine resource laws administered by NOAA;
<bullet> Consistency with relevant National Environmental Policy
Act analyses; and
<bullet> Any consultations with appropriate Regional Fishery
Management Councils, states, or Federal agencies.
Shark Research Fishery
Generally, the shark research fishery permits are valid only for
the calendar year for which they are issued. The shark research fishery
allows selected commercial fishermen the opportunity to earn revenue
from selling additional sharks, including sandbar sharks. Only shark
research fishery participants are authorized to land sandbar sharks
subject to the sandbar quota available each year. The base annual
commercial quotas for sandbar sharks is 90.7 metric tons (mt) dressed
weight (dw) and for research large coastal sharks (LCS) is 50 mt dw per
year, although the quotas may be reduced in the event of overharvests.
The selected shark research fishery participants will also be allowed
to land other shark species consistent with any restrictions
established on their shark research fishery permit. In 2026, NMFS may,
consistent with the objectives of the shark research fishery, consider
modifying the terms and conditions of the shark research fishery
permits to allow for the limited harvest of some prohibited shark
species (e.g., bignose sharks) to collect data needed for stock
assessments and other scientific purposes.
NMFS requires 100-percent observer coverage on shark research
fishery trips. The specific 2026 trip limits and number of trips per
month will depend on the availability of funding, number of selected
vessels, the availability of observers, the available quota, and the
objectives of the research fishery, and will be included in the permit
terms at time of issuance. The number of shark research fishery
participants varies each year. In 2025, three fishermen participated in
the shark research fishery. From 2008 through 2025, an average of 6
fishermen participated in the shark research fishery each year with a
range from 3 to 11 fishermen. Overall, the timing and number of trips
participants take varies year-to-year based on seasonal availability of
certain species and available quota. Specifically, the scientific and
research needs of the Agency and the number of NMFS-approved observers
available limits the number of trips taken per month. In the last few
years, participating vessels on average have been able to take one trip
per month. Participants may also be limited in the amount of gear they
can deploy on a given set (e.g., number of hooks and sets, soak times,
length of longline). These limits have changed both between years and
during the year depending on research goals and bycatch limits.
In 2025, NMFS split 90 percent of the sandbar and LCS research
fishery quotas equally among selected participants, with 16.3 mt dw
(35,935 pounds (lb) dw) of sandbar shark research fishery quota and 9.0
mt dw (19,841 lb dw) of other LCS research fishery quota available to
each vessel. NMFS held the remaining quota in reserve to ensure that
shark research fishery participants did not exceed the overall sandbar
and
[[Page 57957]]
LCS research fishery quotas. NMFS may use this process again for the
2026 research fishery quotas or may consider other methods of
distributing the available quotas. Shark research fishery participants
will be notified of their sandbar and LCS research fishery quotas upon
issuance of their shark research fishery permits.
In 2025, NMFS continued to implement a regional dusky shark bycatch
limit, which was first established in the shark research fishery in
2013, applicable to four regions across the Gulf of America and
Atlantic. Per the terms and conditions in the shark research fishery
permit, under this limit, when shark research fishery participants
bring four or more dusky sharks to the vessel dead in a region, the
shark research fishery participants in that region are prohibited from
soaking their gear for longer than 3 hours. If, after the change in
soak time, three additional dusky shark interactions (alive or dead)
are observed, shark research fishery participants are prohibited from
making a trip in that region for the remainder of the year, unless
otherwise permitted by NMFS. NMFS established slightly different
measures for shark research fishery participants in the mid-Atlantic
shark closed area to allow NMFS observers to place satellite archival
tags on dusky sharks and collect other scientific information on dusky
sharks while also minimizing any dusky shark mortality. NMFS expects to
continue to implement the dusky shark bycatch limit in 2026.
Also in 2025, NMFS provided monetary compensation to participants
who had electronic monitoring sensors installed and operating on their
vessels for some of their shark research fishery trips. Similarly, NMFS
may provide participants monetary compensation in 2026 for some fishing
trips, dependent on the fulfillment of any relevant requirements in the
terms and conditions of the permit.
To be considered for selection to participate in the shark research
fishery, commercial shark fishermen must submit a completed shark
research fishery permit application by the deadline noted above (see
DATES) showing that the vessel and owner(s) meet the specific criteria
outlined below.
Shark Research Fishery Objectives
As established in Amendment 2 to the HMS FMP, each year, a shark
board, which is comprised of NMFS representatives from the Southeast
Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Panama City Laboratory, the Southeast
Regional Office Protected Resources Division, and the HMS Management
Division, develops the shark research fishery objectives for that year.
The 2026 objectives are based on various documents, including the May
2020 Biological Opinion on the Operation of the Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species Fisheries Excluding Pelagic Longline and stock
assessments for various Atlantic shark species (stock assessments can
be found at <a href="https://sedarweb.org/">https://sedarweb.org/</a>).
The 2026 objectives are:
<bullet> Collect biological data (e.g., reproductive, length, sex,
and age data) from sandbar and other sharks and other data (e.g.,
harvest levels) throughout the calendar year for species-specific stock
assessments and fishery management needs;
<bullet> Monitor the size distribution of sandbar sharks and other
species captured in the fishery;
<bullet> Collect information regarding depredation events;
<bullet> Continue ongoing shark tagging programs for identification
of migration corridors and stock structure using dart and/or spaghetti
tags;
<bullet> Maintain time-series of abundance from previously derived
indices for the shark bottom longline observer program;
<bullet> Acquire fin-clip samples of all shark and other species
for genetic analysis;
<bullet> Attach satellite archival tags to endangered smalltooth
sawfish to provide information on critical habitat, preferred depth,
and post-release mortality, consistent with the requirements listed in
the take permit issued under section 10 of the Endangered Species Act
to the SEFSC Observer Program;
<bullet> Attach satellite archival tags to prohibited dusky and
other sharks (see table 1 of appendix A to part 635), as needed, to
provide information on daily and seasonal movement patterns, and
preferred depth;
<bullet> Evaluate the effects of controlled gear experiments to
determine the effects of potential hook changes to prohibited species
interactions and fishery yields; and
<bullet> Examine the size distribution of sandbar and other sharks
captured including in the Mid-Atlantic shark time/area closure off the
coast of North Carolina from January 1 through July 31.
Selection Criteria
NMFS will only accept shark research fishery permit applications
from commercial shark fishermen who hold a current Atlantic shark
Directed or Incidental limited access permit. If NMFS receives a large
number of applications, NMFS will give priority to Directed limited
access permit holders to ensure that shark research fishery
participants land an appropriate number of sharks to meet the
objectives.
The shark research fishery permit application includes, but is not
limited to, a request for the following information:
<bullet> Type of commercial shark permit possessed;
<bullet> Past participation and availability in the commercial
shark fishery (not including sharks caught for display);
<bullet> Past and present availability to participate in the shark
research fishery year-round;
<bullet> Ability to fish in the regions and seasons requested;
<bullet> Ability to attend necessary meetings regarding the
objectives and research protocols of the shark research fishery; and
<bullet> Ability to carry out the 2026 shark research fishery
objectives of the Agency.
NMFS will give preference to those applicants who are willing and
available to fish year-round and who affirmatively state that they
intend to do so, to ensure the timely and accurate data collection NMFS
needs to meet this year's shark research fishery objectives. NMFS will
not consider an applicant who has been charged criminally or civilly
(e.g., issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) or Notice of
Permit Sanction) for any HMS-related violation for participation in the
shark research fishery. In addition, NMFS will not consider applicants
who were selected to carry an observer in the previous 2 years for any
HMS fishery but failed to contact NMFS to arrange the placement of an
observer or failed to comply with any other observer regulations per
Sec. 635.7. NMFS will make exceptions for vessels that were selected
for HMS observer coverage but did not fish in the quarter when selected
and thus did not require an observer. NMFS will not consider applicants
who do not possess a valid U.S. Coast Guard safety inspection decal
when they submit their application. Applicants who have been non-
compliant with any of the HMS observer program regulations in the
previous 2 years, as described above, may be eligible for future
participation in the shark research fishery by demonstrating 2
subsequent years of compliance with observer regulations at Sec.
635.7.
Selection Process
The HMS Management Division will review all applications received
by the deadline (see DATES) and develop a list of qualified applicants
(i.e., the application is complete and the
[[Page 57958]]
applicant meets the selection criteria listed above) for participation
in the 2026 shark research fishery. The HMS Management Division will
provide the list of qualified applicants, without identifying
information, to the SEFSC. The SEFSC will then evaluate the list of
applicants and, based on the temporal and spatial needs of the
objectives, the availability of observers, the availability of
applicants, and the available quota for a given year, will select
applicants to conduct the prescribed research as part of the shark
research fishery. If NMFS determines that a public meeting is
necessary, NMFS will announce details of a public selection meeting in
a subsequent Federal Register notice.
Once the selection process is complete, NMFS will notify the
selected applicants and issue the shark research fishery permits. The
shark research fishery permits will be valid through December 31, 2026,
unless otherwise specified. If needed, NMFS will arrange a captain's
meeting with the shark research fishery participants to discuss the
objectives and protocols. In the past, NMFS held mandatory captain's
meetings before placing observers on vessels, particularly if there are
participants who have not participated in recent years or if there are
changes in the permit terms and conditions from previous years. NMFS
did not hold a captain's meeting in 2025. Once the fishery starts,
shark research fishery participants must contact NMFS or the NMFS-
designee to arrange the placement of a NMFS-approved observer for each
shark research trip. Selected applicants must allow observers the
opportunity to perform their duties and assist observers as necessary.
A shark research fishery permit will only be valid for the vessel,
owner(s), and terms and conditions listed on the permit, and, thus,
cannot be transferred to another vessel or owner(s). Shark research
fishery participants must carry a NMFS-approved observer on shark
research fishery trips. However, issuance of a shark research fishery
permit does not guarantee that the permit holder will be assigned a
NMFS-approved observer on any particular trip. Rather, issuance
indicates that a vessel may be issued a NMFS-approved observer for a
particular trip, and on such trips, may be allowed to harvest Atlantic
sharks, including sandbar sharks, in excess of the retention limits
described in Sec. 635.24(a). Applicable retention limits will be based
on available quota, number of vessels participating in the 2026 shark
research fishery, NMFS' shark research fishery objectives, the extent
of other restrictions placed on the vessel, and may vary by vessel and/
or location. When not operating under the auspices of the shark
research fishery, the vessel would still be able to land other shark
species subject to existing retention limits on trips without a NMFS-
approved observer.
NMFS annually invites commercial shark limited access permit
holders (Directed and Incidental) to submit an application to
participate in the shark research fishery (see ADDRESSES). Final
decisions on the issuance of a shark research fishery permit will
depend on the submission of all required information by the deadline
(see DATES), and NMFS' review of applicant information as outlined
above. The 2026 shark research fishery will start after the commercial
shark fishery opens on January 1, 2026 under base quotas and default
retention limits, unless otherwise published in the Federal Register.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 10, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-22758 Filed 12-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 15, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.