[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 106 (Friday, June 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30005-30006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11712]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB092]


Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and 
Protected Species 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 July, 
August, and September of 2021. 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 2021 and will be announced in a future notice.

DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on July 
8, August 19, and September 9, 2021. The Safe Handling, Release, and 
Identification Workshops will be held on July 20, July 28, August 3, 
August 31, September 3, and September 10, 2021. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for further details.

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in 
Bohemia, NY; Norfolk, VA; and Panama City Beach, FL. The Safe Handling, 
Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in Galveston, TX; 
Manahawkin, NJ; Vero Beach, FL; Charleston, SC; Ronkonkoma, NY; and 
Gulfport, MS. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details on 
workshop locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Pearson by phone: (727) 824-5399, 
or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) 
fisheries are managed under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). The 2006 
Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan and its amendments 
are implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.8 
describes the requirements for the Atlantic Shark Identification 
Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops. The 
workshop schedules, registration information, and a list of frequently 
asked questions regarding the Atlantic Shark Identification and Safe 
Handling, Release, and Identification workshops are posted online 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 2018 will be expiring in 2021. 
Approximately 183 free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops have 
been conducted since October 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 that 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, a copy of a valid dealer or proxy 
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate must be in any 
trucks or other conveyances that are extensions of a dealer's place of 
business.

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations

    1. July 8, 2021, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., LaQuinta Inn, 10 Aero Road, 
Bohemia, NY 11716.
    2. August 19, 2021, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, 1500 North 
Military Highway, Norfolk, VA 23502.
    3. September 9, 2021, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., LaQuinta Inn and Suites, 7115 
Coastal Palms Boulevard, Panama City Beach, FL 32407.

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

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permit (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006). These certificate(s) are valid 
for 3 years. Certificates issued in 2018 will be expiring in 2021. 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 376 free Safe Handling, Release, and Identification 
Workshops have been conducted since 2006.
    In addition to 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 on 
which longline or gillnet gear is used.

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations

    1. July 20, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hilton Hotel, 5400 Seawall 
Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77551.
    2. July 28, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72, 
Manahawkin, NJ 08050.
    3. August 3, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 3384 Ocean Drive, 
Vero Beach, FL 32963.
    4. August 31, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hampton Inn, 678 Citadel Haven 
Drive, Charleston, SC 29414.
    5. September 3, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Marriott Courtyard, 5000 
Express Drive South, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779.
    6. September 10, 2021, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn, 9515 US 49, 
Gulfport, MS 39503.

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; and
     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, smalltooth 
sawfish, Atlantic sturgeon, 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: May 28, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-11712 Filed 6-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P