[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 221 (Tuesday, November 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 63911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30617]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 103098B]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Atlantic Shark Fisheries; 
Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs)

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

ACTION: Application for EFP; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an EFP. If 
granted, this EFP would authorize, over a period of 1 year, collections 
of a limited number of sharks from the large coastal, pelagic, and 
small coastal groups from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean for the 
purpose of shark identification training.

DATES: Written comments on the applications must be received on or 
before December 2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Rebecca Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory 
Species Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910. The application and copies of the regulations 
under which exempted fishing permits are subject may also be requested 
from this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margo Schulze, 301-713-2347; fax: 301-
713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EFP is requested under the authority of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.) and regulations at 50 CFR 600 concerning scientific 
research activity, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activity.
    Special Agent Paul Raymond intends to conduct a series of shark 
species identification courses for NMFS enforcement, United States 
Coast Guard, and Florida Marine Patrol personnel. In order to obtain 
specimens for this ``hands-on'' training, Special Agent Raymond has 
requested that Mr. Eric Sanders, a former commercial fisherman, be 
authorized to collect a maximum of 234 sharks (i.e., two individuals 
per the 39 federally-managed species for three training sessions for a 
total of 234 fish) by bottom longline. Fishing will occur in the 
Atlantic Ocean off east central Florida. Issuance of an EFP is 
necessary because possession of five large coastal shark species is 
prohibited and because the commercial fishery for large coastal sharks 
is closed for extended periods.
    The proposed collections involve activities otherwise prohibited by 
regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the 
Atlantic Ocean. The applicant requests authorization to fish for and to 
possess large coastal sharks outside the Federal commercial seasons and 
to fish for and to possess prohibited species.
    NMFS finds that this application warrants further consideration 
because Atlantic sharks are extremely difficult to identify by species 
once the carcasses have been commercially dressed and the primary 
diagnostic characteristics (head, fins, and tail) have been removed. 
Therefore, thorough ``hands-on'' training of Federal and state 
personnel that will be enforcing Atlantic shark regulations is 
extremely critical to the effectiveness of the regulations. A final 
decision on issuance of EFPs will depend on the submission of all 
required information, NMFS' review of public comments received on the 
applications, conclusions of any environmental analyses conducted 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, and on any 
consultations with any appropriate Regional Fishery Management 
Councils, states, or Federal agencies.

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

    Dated: November 6, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-30617 Filed 11-16-98; 8:45 am]
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