[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 19734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9071]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 112399D]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Petition for Rulemaking on the Prohibition of Shark Finning and Related 
Measures

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for rulemaking; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces receipt of, and requests public comment on, a 
petition for rulemaking. The Western Pacific Fisheries Coalition 
(Petitioner), consisting of the Hawaii Fishermen's Foundation and 
Hawaii Audubon Society, has petitioned the Secretary of Commerce 
(Secretary) to prohibit shark finning (i.e., removal of only the fins 
and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea), and implement 
measures to require full utilization of sharks harvested in fisheries 
conducted under the Fishery Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries 
of the Western Pacific Region (FMP).

DATES: Comments on the petition must be received by NMFS no later than 
May 12, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to, and copies of the 
petition are available from, Dr. Charles Karnella, Administrator, 
Pacific Islands Area Office, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814. Please mark the outside of the envelope ``Shark 
Petition.'' Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to 808-973-
2941. Comments submitted via e-mail or Internet will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alvin Katekaru, 808-973-2935 ext. 207, 
fax 808-973-2941, e-mail [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery affected by this petition for 
rulemaking is primarily the Hawaii-based longline fishery, which is 
managed according to the FMP developed by the Western Pacific Regional 
Fishery Management Council (Council). The Secretary has management 
authority, under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, over the shark resources in the U.S. Exclusive Economic 
Zone of the western Pacific region.
    The purpose of the petition is to facilitate maximum utilization of 
sharks harvested in the western Pacific, particularly in the Hawaii 
longline fishery. The Petitioner maintains that the continued 
unrestricted practice of shark finning in the fishery is wasteful and 
could lead to overexploitation of certain vulnerable shark species that 
are managed under the FMP. A prohibition on shark finning would be 
consistent with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's 
International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of 
Sharks.
    The Petitioner requests the Secretary to amend the FMP and to 
promulgate regulations for the western Pacific region that would govern 
the possession at-sea and landing of sharks, as well as implement 
restrictions on the sale/purchase of sharks, similar to those contained 
in the regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for 
Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks (50 CFR 635.30(c); 64 FR 29090, 
May 28, 1999). Such regulations would be precautionary and would likely 
reduce the harvest of Pacific shark stocks, including the relatively 
abundant blue shark.
    NMFS requests comments on the petition for rulemaking. NMFS 
recognizes that shark fin transshipments and importation of processed 
shark fins into the United States are closely related to the 
conservation and management issues raised in this petition. In addition 
to comments on the petition for rulemaking, NMFS requests public 
comment addressing the practice of shark finning as it relates to 
transshipments and importation of processed fins. NMFS will consider 
this information in determining whether to proceed with the development 
of regulations requested by the Petitioner.

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

    Dated: April 7, 2000.
Andrew A. Rosenberg,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-9071 Filed 4-7-00; 3:54 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F