[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 9 (Thursday, January 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1941-1942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00596]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE382


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management 
Measures; 2016 Research Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: On November 4, 2015, NMFS published a notice inviting 
qualified commercial shark permit holders to submit applications to 
participate in the 2016 shark research fishery. The shark research 
fishery allows for the collection of fishery-dependent data for future 
stock assessments and cooperative research with commercial fishermen to 
meet the shark research objectives of the Agency. Every year, the 
permit terms and permitted activities (e.g., number of hooks and 
retention limits) specifically authorized for selected participants in 
the shark research fishery are designated depending on the scientific 
and research needs of the Agency, as well as the number of NMFS-
approved observers available. In order to inform selected participants 
of this year's specific permit requirements and ensure all terms and 
conditions of the permit are met, NMFS is holding a mandatory permit 
holder meeting (via conference call) for selected participants. The 
date and time of that meeting is announced in this notice.

DATES: A conference call will be held on January 15, 2016.

ADDRESSES: A conference call will be conducted. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for information on how to access the conference call.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Delisse Ortiz, 
or Gu[yacute] DuBeck at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed 
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 2006 Consolidated Highly 
Migratory species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is implemented by 
regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
    The final rule for Amendment 2 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (73 
FR 35778, June 24, 2008, corrected at 73 FR 40658, July 15, 2008) 
established, among other things, a shark research fishery to maintain 
time-series data for

[[Page 1942]]

stock assessments and to meet NMFS' research objectives. On August 18, 
2015, NMFS implemented Amendment 6 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (80 
FR 50074) which, among other things, established a new base annual 
quota for the sandbar shark research fishery as 90.7 mt dw (199,943 lb 
dw). The shark research fishery gathers important scientific data and 
allows selected commercial fishermen the opportunity to earn more 
revenue from selling the sharks caught, including sandbar sharks. Only 
the commercial shark fishermen selected to participate in the shark 
research fishery are authorized to land/harvest sandbar sharks subject 
to the sandbar quota available each year. The selected shark research 
fishery participants also have access to the research large coastal 
shark, small coastal shark, and pelagic shark quotas subject to 
retention limits and quotas per Sec. Sec.  635.24 and 635.27, 
respectively.
    On November 4, 2015 (80 FR 68513), NMFS published a notice inviting 
qualified commercial shark directed and incidental permit holders to 
submit an application to participate in the 2016 shark research 
fishery. NMFS received 16 applications, of which 11 applicants were 
determined to meet all the qualifications. NMFS selected five qualified 
participants after considering how to meet research objectives in 
particular regions. NMFS expects to invite qualified commercial shark 
permit holders to submit an application for the 2017 shark research 
fishery later in 2016.
    As with past years, the 2016 permit terms and permitted activities 
(e.g., number of hooks and retention limits) specifically authorized 
for selected participants in the shark research fishery were designated 
depending on the scientific and research needs of the Agency, as well 
as the number of NMFS-approved observers available. In order to inform 
selected participants of this year's specific permit requirements and 
ensure all terms and conditions of the permit are met, per the 
requirements of Sec.  635.32 (f)(4), NMFS is holding a mandatory permit 
holder meeting via conference call.

Conference Call Date, Time, and Dial-in Number

    The conference call will be held on January 15, 2016, from 2 to 4 
p.m. (EST). Participants and interested parties should call 1-888-324-
3180 and use the passcode 9803191. Selected participants who do not 
attend will not be allowed to participate in the shark research 
fishery. While the conference call is mandatory for selected 
participants, other interested parties may call in and listen to the 
discussion.
    Selected participants are encouraged to invite their captain, crew, 
or anyone else who may assist them in meeting the terms and conditions 
of the shark research fishery permit.

    Dated: January 11, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-00596 Filed 1-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P