[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 21, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 43185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21238]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 678

[I.D. 072396A]


Atlantic Shark Fisheries; Large Coastal Sharks Closure

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the commercial fishery for large coastal 
sharks conducted by vessels with a Federal Atlantic Shark permit in the 
Western North Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and 
Caribbean Sea. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 
semiannual quota for the period July 1 through December 31, 1996.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 2330 hours local time August 31, 1996, through December 
31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: C. Michael Bailey, 301-713-2347; Mark 
Murray-Brown, 508-281-9260; or John M. Ward, 813-570-5335.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fishery is managed by 
NMFS according to the fishery management plan (FMP) for Atlantic Sharks 
under authority of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by 
regulations implementing the FMP at 50 CFR part 678.
    Section 678.24(b) of the regulations provides for two semiannual 
quotas of large coastal sharks to be harvested from Atlantic, 
Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico waters by commercial fishermen. The 
second semiannual quota is available for harvest from July 1 through 
December 31, 1996.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), is required 
under Sec. 678.25 to monitor the catch and landing statistics and, on 
the basis of these statistics, to determine when the catch of Atlantic, 
Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico sharks will equal any quota under 
Sec. 678.24(b). When shark harvests reach, or are projected to reach, a 
quota established under Sec. 678.24(b), the AA is further required 
under Sec. 678.25 to close the fishery.
    The AA has determined, based on the reported catch and other 
relevant factors, that the semiannual quota for the period July 1 
through December 31, 1996, for large coastal sharks, in or from the 
Western North Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and 
Caribbean Sea, will be attained by August 31, 1996. During this 
closure, for vessels issued a permit under Sec. 678.4, retention of 
large coastal sharks from the management unit is prohibited, unless the 
vessel is operating as a charter vessel or headboat, in which case the 
vessel limit per trip is four large coastal sharks. In addition, the 
sale, purchase, trade, or barter or attempted sale, purchase, trade, or 
barter of carcasses and/or fins of large coastal sharks harvested by a 
person aboard any vessel that has been issued a permit under 
Sec. 678.4, is prohibited, except for those that were harvested, off-
loaded, and sold, traded, or bartered prior to August 31, 1996, and 
were held in storage by a dealer or processor.
    Vessels that have been issued a Federal permit under Sec. 678.4 are 
reminded that as a condition of permit issuance, the vessel may not 
retain a large coastal shark during the closure, except as provided by 
Sec. 678.24(a)(2). Fishing for pelagic and small coastal sharks may 
continue. The recreational fishery is not affected by this closure.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR part 678 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: August 15, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Mangement, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-21238 Filed 8-15-96; 5:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F