[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65115-65117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25673]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT029


Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe 
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshops.

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SUMMARY: Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe 
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in 
January, February, and March of 2020. Certain fishermen and shark 
dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory 
requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic 
Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted 
Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification 
Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom 
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been 
issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free 
workshops will be conducted during 2020 and will be announced in a 
future notice.

DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on 
January 9, February 6, and March 12, 2020. The

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Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held on 
January 6, January 17, February 3, February 13, March 3, and March 17, 
2020. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in 
Kenner, LA; Norfolk, VA; and Fort Pierce, FL. The Safe Handling, 
Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in Portsmouth, NH; 
Largo, FL; Charleston, SC; Gulfport, MS; Manahawkin, NJ; and Houston, 
TX. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details on workshop 
locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Pearson by phone: (727) 824-5399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The workshop schedules, registration 
information, and a list of frequently asked questions regarding the 
Atlantic Shark ID and Safe Handling, Release, and ID workshops are 
posted on the internet at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-shark-identification-workshops and 
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/safe-handling-release-and-identification-workshops.

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops

    Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark dealers have been prohibited 
from receiving, purchasing, trading, or bartering for Atlantic sharks 
unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate is on 
the premises of each business listed under the shark dealer permit that 
first receives Atlantic sharks (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006). Dealers 
who attend and successfully complete a workshop are issued a 
certificate for each place of business that is permitted to receive 
sharks. These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus, certificates 
that were initially issued in 2017 will be expiring in 2020. 
Approximately 166 free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops have 
been conducted since April 2008.
    Currently, permitted dealers may send a proxy to an Atlantic Shark 
Identification Workshop. However, if a dealer opts to send a proxy, the 
dealer must designate a proxy for each place of business covered by the 
dealer's permit which first receives Atlantic sharks. Only one 
certificate will be issued to each proxy. A proxy must be a person who 
is currently employed by a place of business covered by the dealer's 
permit; is a primary participant in the identification, weighing, and/
or first receipt of fish as they are offloaded from a vessel; and who 
fills out dealer reports. Atlantic shark dealers are prohibited from 
renewing a Federal shark dealer permit unless a valid Atlantic Shark 
Identification Workshop certificate for each business location that 
first receives Atlantic sharks has been submitted with the permit 
renewal application. Additionally, trucks or other conveyances that are 
extensions of a dealer's place of business must possess a copy of a 
valid dealer or proxy Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop 
certificate.

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations

    1. January 9, 2020, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., La Quinta Inn, 2610 Williams 
Boulevard, Kenner, LA 70062.
    2. February 6, 2020, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., La Quinta Inn, 1387 North 
Military Highway, Norfolk, VA 23502.
    3. March 12, 2020, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., Hampton Inn, 1985 Reynolds 
Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34945.

Registration

    To register for a scheduled Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop, 
please contact Eric Sander at [email protected] or at (386) 
852-8588. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not required.

Registration Materials

    To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct 
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items 
to the workshop:
     Atlantic shark dealer permit holders must bring proof that 
the attendee is an owner or agent of the business (such as articles of 
incorporation), a copy of the applicable permit, and proof of 
identification.
     Atlantic shark dealer proxies must bring documentation 
from the permitted dealer acknowledging that the proxy is attending the 
workshop on behalf of the permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a 
specific business location, a copy of the appropriate valid permit, and 
proof of identification.

Workshop Objectives

    The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops are designed to reduce 
the number of unknown and improperly identified sharks reported in the 
dealer reporting form and increase the accuracy of species-specific 
dealer-reported information. Reducing the number of unknown and 
improperly identified sharks will improve quota monitoring and the data 
used in stock assessments. These workshops will train shark dealer 
permit holders or their proxies to properly identify Atlantic shark 
carcasses.

Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops

    Since January 1, 2007, shark limited-access and swordfish limited-
access permit holders who fish with longline or gillnet gear have been 
required to submit a copy of their Safe Handling, Release, and 
Identification Workshop certificate in order to renew either permit (71 
FR 58057; October 2, 2006). These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. 
Certificates issued in 2017 will be expiring in 2020. As such, vessel 
owners who have not already attended a workshop and received a NMFS 
certificate, or vessel owners whose certificate(s) will expire prior to 
the next permit renewal, must attend a workshop to fish with, or renew, 
their swordfish and shark limited-access permits. Additionally, new 
shark and swordfish limited-access permit applicants who intend to fish 
with longline or gillnet gear must attend a Safe Handling, Release, and 
Identification Workshop and submit a copy of their workshop certificate 
before either of the permits will be issued. Approximately 334 free 
Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops have been 
conducted since 2006.
    In addition to certifying vessel owners, at least one operator on 
board vessels issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit that 
uses longline or gillnet gear is required to attend a Safe Handling, 
Release, and Identification Workshop and receive a certificate. Vessels 
that have been issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit and 
that use longline or gillnet gear may not fish unless both the vessel 
owner and operator have valid workshop certificates onboard at all 
times. Vessel operators who have not already attended a workshop and 
received a NMFS certificate, or vessel operators whose certificate(s) 
will expire prior to their next fishing trip, must attend a workshop to 
operate a vessel with swordfish and shark limited-access permits that 
uses longline or gillnet gear.

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations

    1. January 6, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 300 Woodbury 
Avenue, Portsmouth, NH 03801.
    2. January 17, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 210 Seminole 
Boulevard, Largo, FL 33770.
    3. February 3, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hampton Inn, 678 Citadel Haven 
Drive, Charleston, SC 29414.
    4. February 13, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 9515 U.S. Route 
49, Gulfport, MS 39503.

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    5. March 3, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72, 
Manahawkin, NJ 08050.
    6. March 17, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 9300 South 
Main Street, Houston, Texas 77025.

Registration

    To register for a scheduled Safe Handling, Release, and 
Identification Workshop, please contact Angler Conservation Education 
at (386) 682-0158. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not 
required.

Registration Materials

    To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct 
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items 
with them to the workshop:
     Individual vessel owners must bring a copy of the 
appropriate swordfish and/or shark permit(s), a copy of the vessel 
registration or documentation, and proof of identification.
     Representatives of a business-owned or co-owned vessel 
must bring proof that the individual is an agent of the business (such 
as articles of incorporation), a copy of the applicable swordfish and/
or shark permit(s), and proof of identification.
     Vessel operators must bring proof of identification.

Workshop Objectives

    The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops are 
designed to teach longline and gillnet fishermen the required 
techniques for the safe handling and release of entangled and/or hooked 
protected species, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, and smalltooth 
sawfish, and prohibited sharks. In an effort to improve reporting, the 
proper identification of protected species and prohibited sharks will 
also be taught at these workshops. Additionally, individuals attending 
these workshops will gain a better understanding of the requirements 
for participating in these fisheries. The overall goal of these 
workshops is to provide participants with the skills needed to reduce 
the mortality of protected species and prohibited sharks, which may 
prevent additional regulations on these fisheries in the future.

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

    Dated: November 21, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-25673 Filed 11-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P