Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures, 62331-62335 [2011-26021]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 195 / Friday, October 7, 2011 / Proposed Rules
B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone
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www.BCPIWEB.com. This document
does not contain proposed information
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Public Law 104–13. In addition,
therefore, it does not contain any
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Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of
2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4).
Provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to
this proceeding.
Members of the public should note
that from the time a Notice of Proposed
Rule Making is issued until the matter
is no longer subject to Commission
consideration or court review, all ex
parte contacts are prohibited in
Commission proceedings, such as this
one, which involve channel allotments.
See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules
governing permissible ex parte contacts.
For information regarding proper
filing procedures for comments, see
47 CFR 1.415 and 1.420.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73
Radio, Radio broadcasting.
Federal Communications Commission.
Nazifa Sawez,
Assistant Chief, Audio Division, Media
Bureau.
PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST
SERVICES
1. The authority citation for part 73
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, 336.
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[Amended]
2. Amend § 73.202(b) Table of FM
Allotments as follows:
a. Remove Cove, under Arkansas,
Cove, Channel 232A and Daisy, Channel
293C3.
b. Remove Alamo, under Georgia,
Channel 287C3.
c. Remove Grayville, under Illinois,
Channel 229A.
d. Remove Clayton, under Louisiana,
Channel 266A.
e. Remove Harrison, under Michigan,
Channel 280A.
f. Remove Alton, under Missouri,
Channel 290A.
g. Remove Ennis, under Montana,
Channel 254C2.
h. Remove Buffalo, under Oklahoma,
Channel 224C2; Erick, Channel 259C2;
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[FR Doc. 2011–26028 Filed 10–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 635
RIN 0648–BB29
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Shark Management Measures
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Stock Status Determinations;
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS);
request for comments.
AGENCY:
Based on the 2010/2011
Southeast Data, Assessment and Review
(SEDAR) assessments for sandbar,
dusky, and blacknose sharks, NMFS is
declaring the following stock status
determinations. Sandbar sharks are still
overfished, but no longer experiencing
overfishing. Dusky sharks are still
overfished and still experiencing
overfishing (i.e., their stock status has
not changed). Blacknose sharks were
assessed as two separate stocks for the
first time in the 2010/2011 assessment
(Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico); therefore,
NMFS is making separate stock status
determinations for the two blacknose
shark stocks. The Atlantic stock is
overfished and experiencing
overfishing, and the status of the Gulf of
Mexico stock is unknown. Scalloped
hammerhead sharks were previously
determined to be overfished and
experiencing overfishing by NMFS in
April 2011. As such, NMFS announces
its intent to prepare an EIS under the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). This EIS would assess the
potential effects on the human
environment of action proposed through
rulemaking to rebuild and end
overfishing of these stocks, consistent
with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act). Through the
SUMMARY:
For the reasons discussed in the
preamble, the Federal Communications
Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR
part 73 as follows:
§ 73.202
Haworth, Channel 294A; Leedey,
Channel 297A; Reydon, Channel 264C2;
Taloga, Channel 226A; Thomas,
Channel 288A; and Wright City,
Channel 226A.
i. Remove Weinert, under Texas,
Channel 266C3.
j. Remove Boscobel, under Wisconsin,
Channel 244C3; Owen, Channel 242C3;
and Tigerton, Channel 295A.
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62331
rulemaking process, NMFS would
amend the 2006 Consolidated Highly
Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) and examine
management alternatives available to
rebuild these shark stocks and end
overfishing, as necessary. To begin
scoping for that rulemaking process,
NMFS is requesting comments on a
range of commercial and recreational
management measures, in both directed
and incidental fisheries, including, but
not limited to, quota levels, regional and
seasonal quotas, retention limits, gear
modifications, and time/area closures.
DATES: Five scoping meetings and a
conference call will be held from
October through December 2011. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for meeting
and call dates and locations. Scoping
comments must be received no later
than 5 p.m., local time, on December 31,
2011.
ADDRESSES: Scoping meetings will be
held in Galloway, New Jersey;
Morehead City, North Carolina; Panama
City and Fort Pierce, Florida; and Belle
Chasse, Louisiana. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for dates and locations.
You may also submit comments on this
document, identified by NOAA–NMFS–
2011–0229, by any of the following
methods:
• Electronic Submission: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal https://
www.regulations.gov. To submit
comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal,
first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon,
then enter NOAA–NMFS–2011–0229 in
the keyword search. Locate the
document you wish to comment on
from the resulting list and click on the
‘‘Submit a Comment’’ icon on the right
of that line.
• Mail: Submit written comments to
Peter Cooper, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark
the outside of the envelope ‘‘Scoping
Comments on Amendment 5 to HMS
FMP.’’
• Fax: (301) 713–1917. Attn: Peter
Cooper.
Comments must be submitted by one
of the above methods to ensure that the
comments are received, documented,
and considered by NMFS. Comments
sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after
the end of the comment period, may not
be considered. All comments received
are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing
on https://www.regulations.gov without
change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.)
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. Do not submit
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 195 / Friday, October 7, 2011 / Proposed Rules
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept
anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in
the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft
Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe
PDF file formats only.
For a copy of the stock assessments,
please contact Peter Cooper (301) 427–
8503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Peter Cooper at
(301) 427–8503, or Jackie Wilson at
(240) 338–3936, or online at https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or https://
www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/Index.jsp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Act. The 2006 Consolidated
HMS FMP is implemented by
regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
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Determination of Overfished Shark
Fisheries
NMFS’ determination of the status of
a stock relative to overfishing and an
overfished condition is based on both
the exploitation rate and the current
stock size. Thresholds used to
determine the status of Atlantic HMS
are fully described in Chapter 3 of the
1999 FMP for Atlantic Tunas,
Swordfish, and Shark, and were fully
adopted in the 2006 Consolidated HMS
FMP. A species is considered overfished
when the current biomass is less than
the minimum stock size threshold. The
minimum stock size threshold is
determined based on the natural
mortality of the stock and the biomass
at maximum sustainable yield (BMSY).
Maximum sustainable yield is the
maximum long-term average yield that
can be produced by a stock on a
continuing basis. The biomass can be
lower than BMSY, and the stock not
declared overfished, as long as the
biomass is above the biomass at the
minimum stock size threshold.
Overfishing may be occurring on a
species if the current fishing mortality is
greater than the fishing mortality (F) at
maximum sustainable yield (FMSY)
(F>FMSY). In the case of F, the maximum
fishing mortality threshold is FMSY.
Thus, if F exceeds FMSY, the stock is
experiencing overfishing.
Recent assessments of sandbar, dusky,
and blacknose sharks were completed
through the SEDAR process (SEDAR
21). The SEDAR process is a cooperative
process initiated in 2002 to improve the
quality and reliability of fishery stock
assessments in the South Atlantic, Gulf
of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean. For
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these assessments, SEDAR used two
face-to-face workshops and a series of
webinars. The Data Workshop was a
week-long face-to-face meeting, during
which fisheries, monitoring, and life
history data were reviewed and
compiled. The SEDAR 21 Data
Workshop was held June 21–25, 2010,
in Charleston, SC (May 4, 2010, 75 FR
23676). The Assessment Process was
conducted via a series of webinars,
during which assessment models were
developed and population parameters
were estimated using the information
provided from the Data Workshop. The
SEDAR 21 Assessment Process was held
via 18 webinars between September
2010 and January 2011 (August 26,
2010, 75 FR 52510; October 12, 2010, 75
FR 62506; November 17, 2010, 75 FR
70216; December 16, 2010, 75 FR
78679). Finally, the Review Workshop
was a week-long face-to-face meeting
during which independent experts
reviewed the input data, assessment
methods, and assessment products. The
Review Workshop for these assessments
was held in Annapolis, MD, on April
18–22, 2011 (March 15, 2011, 76 FR
13985). All meetings were open to the
public, and all materials from these
meetings are available on the SEDAR
Web site or upon request.
The final 2010/2011 stock assessment
reports for sandbar, dusky, and
blacknose sharks in the U.S. Atlantic
and Gulf of Mexico were recently
completed (76 FR 61092, October 3,
2011). In each assessment, a base model
was used to assess the individual
populations. In addition, numerous
sensitivity analyses were conducted
during the assessment cycle for each
assessment, which provided verification
that the results of the assessment were
robust to the assumptions about the
underlying stock productivity and
assumed levels of removal. Of these
sensitivity runs, the Review Panel of the
SEDAR 21 Review Panel Workshop
selected which runs represented
plausible ‘‘states of nature’’ of the stocks
and requested projections of these and
the base model. The ranges based on
these selected sensitivity runs and the
base models are given below. However,
details on the different sensitivity
analyses and projections are provided in
the SEDAR 21 Stock Assessment Report
for each assessment.
In the following stock assessment
summaries, total allowable catch (TAC)
is equal to the annual catch limit (ACL)
for all fisheries that interact with the
species, including directed commercial,
incidental commercial, and recreational
fisheries. After accounting for the
mortality associated with other
fisheries, NMFS is able to establish
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quotas for each stock, which are a subset
of the ACL or TAC. Copies of the final
2010/2011 SEDAR 21 Stock Assessment
Reports for each species are available
(see ADDRESSES).
A. Sandbar Sharks
The 2010/2011 sandbar shark stock
assessment provides an update from the
2005/2006 stock assessment on the
status of the stock and projects their
future abundance under a variety of
catch levels in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.
Based on the 2005/2006 assessment,
sandbar sharks were determined to be
overfished and experiencing
overfishing. NMFS established a
rebuilding plan for this species in July
2008. The 2010/2011 assessment
includes updated catch estimates, new
biological data, and a number of fisheryindependent and fishery-dependent
catch rate series.
The base model used in the 2010/
2011 sandbar assessment, an agestructured production model, indicated
that the stock is overfished (spawning
stock fecundity [SSF]2009/SSFMSY=0.66),
but no longer experiencing overfishing
(F2009/FMSY=0.62). In addition, 20
sensitivity runs were performed
throughout the assessment cycle. The
Review Panel selected seven sensitivity
runs in addition to the base model to
assess the underlying states of nature of
the stock. Current biomass (i.e., SSF)
values from these selected sensitivity
runs all indicated that the stock is
overfished (SSF2009/SSFMSY=0.51–0.72).
In addition, current F values from most
of the selected sensitivity runs indicated
that the stock is currently not
experiencing overfishing (F2009/
FMSY=0.29–0.93); whereas the low
productivity sensitivity run indicated
overfishing is occurring (F2009/
FMSY=2.62). The assessment scientists,
however, noted that the low and high
productivity scenarios were unlikely to
represent the true state of nature of the
stock. Based on this, NMFS has
determined that sandbar sharks are still
overfished, but are no longer
experiencing overfishing. Projections of
the base model indicated that there is a
70 percent probability of rebuilding by
2066 with a TAC of 178 metric tons (mt)
whole weight (ww) (128 mt dressed
weight [dw]). There is a 50 percent
probability of rebuilding by 2066 with a
TAC of 286 mt ww (205.8 mt dw). The
rebuilding year determined from the
base model in the 2010/2011 assessment
was calculated as the year the stock
would rebuild with no fishing pressure
(i.e., F=0), or 2046, plus one generation
time (the generation time for sandbar
sharks is 20 years). The target year for
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rebuilding ranged from 2047 to 2360
depending on the state of nature (i.e.,
sensitivity run) of the stock. In addition,
it was determined that the current TAC
for the fishery (i.e., 220 mt ww or 158.3
mt dw) could result in a greater than 70
percent probability of rebuilding by the
current rebuilding date of 2070.
B. Dusky Sharks
The 2010/2011 dusky stock
assessment provided an update to the
2006 dusky assessment. This is the first
assessment for dusky sharks conducted
within the SEDAR process. Based on the
2006 assessment, dusky sharks were
determined to be overfished and
experiencing overfishing. NMFS
established a rebuilding plan for this
species in July 2008. The base model
used for the 2010/2011 assessment, an
age-structured catch-free production
model, showed that dusky sharks
continue to be overfished (spawning
stock biomass [SSB]2009/SSBMSY=0.44)
and are still experiencing overfishing
(F2009/FMSY=1.59). In addition, 19
sensitivity analyses were performed
during the assessment cycle. The
Review Panel selected four sensitivity
runs in addition to the base model to
assess the underlying states of nature of
the stock. Current biomass (i.e., SSB)
values from these selected sensitivity
runs all indicated that the stock is
overfished (SSB2009/SSBMSY=0.41–0.50).
In addition, current F values from the
selected sensitivity runs indicated that
the stock is currently experiencing
overfishing (F2009/FMSY=1.39–4.35).
Based on this, NMFS has determined
that dusky sharks are still overfished
and experiencing overfishing. The 2006
assessment predicted that dusky sharks
could rebuild within 100 to 400 years.
The rebuilding year determined from
the base model in the 2010/2011
assessment was calculated as the year
the stock would rebuild with no fishing
pressure (i.e., F=0), or 2059, plus one
generation time (the generation time for
dusky sharks is 40 years) or 2099. The
target year for rebuilding ranged from
2081 to 2257 depending on the state of
nature (i.e., sensitivity run) of the stock.
The base model indicated that the
current fishing mortality (F2009=0.06)
would have to be reduced by more than
half (to F=0.02) in order to have a 70
percent probability of rebuilding by
2099. The base model also estimated
that with the current fishing mortality
rate there is a low probability (11
percent) of stock recovery by 2408 (or
400 years).
C. Blacknose Sharks
The 2010/2011 blacknose shark stock
assessment provides an update from the
2007 blacknose shark stock assessment.
However, unlike the 2007 assessment,
the 2010/2011 assessment assessed
blacknose sharks for the first time as
two separate stocks: a Gulf of Mexico
and an Atlantic stock. In addition,
because the assessment model for the
Gulf of Mexico stock was unable to fit
the apparent trends in some of the
abundance indices and there was a
fundamental lack of fit of the model to
some of the input data, the Review
Panel of the SEDAR 21 Review Panel
Workshop did not accept the stock
assessment for the Gulf of Mexico
blacknose stock. Therefore, NMFS is
declaring the status of the Gulf of
Mexico blacknose shark stock as
unknown.
For the Atlantic blacknose shark
stock, the base model used for the 2010/
2011 assessment, an age-structured
production model, showed that Atlantic
blacknose sharks are overfished
(SSF2009/SSFMSY=0.60) and
experiencing overfishing (F2009/
FMSY=5.02). In addition, 14 sensitivity
analyses were performed over the
assessment cycle. The Review Panel
selected five sensitivity runs in addition
to the base model to assess the
underlying states of nature of the stock.
Current biomass (i.e., SSF) values from
these selected sensitivity runs all
indicated that the stock is overfished
(SSF2009/SSFMSY=0.43–0.64). In
addition, current F values from the
selected sensitivity runs indicated that
the stock is currently experiencing
overfishing (F2009/FMSY=3.26–22.53).
Based on this, NMFS has determined
that the Atlantic blacknose shark stock
is overfished and experiencing
overfishing. Projections of the base
model indicated that the stock could
rebuild by 2043 with a TAC of 7,300
blacknose sharks. The rebuilding year
determined from the base model in the
2010/2011 assessment was calculated as
the year the stock would rebuild with
no fishing pressure (i.e., F=0), or 2034,
plus one generation time (the generation
time for Atlantic blacknose sharks is 9
years). The target year for rebuilding
ranged from 2033 to 2086 depending on
the state of nature (i.e., sensitivity run)
of the stock. Thus, Atlantic blacknose
sharks would not be able to rebuild by
the current rebuilding target of 2027
under the current fishery-wide TAC of
19,200 blacknose sharks.
TABLE 1—SUMMARY TABLE OF BIOMASS AND FISHING MORTALITY FOR THE 2010/2011 SEDAR SHARK STOCK
ASSESSMENTS
[Age-Structured Production Models (ASPMs) Were Used for Sandbar and Blacknose Sharks, and an Age-Structured Catch-Free Production
Model (ASCFM) Was Used for Dusky Sharks]
Species
Sandbars sharks ...............
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Dusky sharks ....................
Atlantic blacknose sharks
Gulf of Mexico blacknose
sharks.
Current
relative
biomass
level*
0.51–0.72
(SSF2009/
SSFMSY)
0.41–0.50
(SSB2009/
SSBMSY)
0.43–0.64
(SSF2009/
SSFMSY)
***NA
Current
biomass
(SSF2009)
Maximum
sustainable
yield
biomass
(SSFMSY)
Minimum
stock size
threshold
(MSST)
Current
relative
fishing mortality rate
(F2009/FMSY)
Maximum
fishing
mortality
threshold
(FMSY)
Outlook
215,900–
984,770
349,330–
1,377,800
395,922–
423,622
0.29–2.62†
0.004–0.06
Overfished; overfishing is
not occurring.
**NA
**NA
**NA
1.39–4.35
0.01–0.05
Overfished; Overfishing is
occurring.
38,816–
168,300
77,577–
288,360
72,607–
77,447
3.26–22.53
0.01–0.15
Overfished; Overfishing is
occurring.
***NA
***NA
***NA
***NA
***NA
***NA
* Spawning stock fecundity (SSF) or spawning stock biomass (SSB) was used as a proxy of biomass.
** An age-structured catch-free production model was used for the dusky shark stock assessment; therefore, absolute estimates of number of
sharks are not available.
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*** The Gulf of Mexico blacknose shark stock assessment was rejected because the model was unable to fit the apparent trends in some of
the abundance indices and there was a fundamental lack of fit of the model to some of the input data; therefore, estimates are not available.
† F values from most of the selected sensitivity runs indicated that the stock is currently not experiencing overfishing (F2009/FMSY=0.29–0.93)
whereas the low productivity sensitivity run indicated overfishing is occurring (F2009/FMSY=2.62). The assessment scientists, however, noted that
the low and high productivity scenarios were unlikely to represent the true state of nature of the stock.
Request for Comments
Currently, both commercial and
recreational fishermen may target
blacknose sharks. However, dusky
sharks are prohibited in all fisheries,
and sandbar sharks are only allowed to
be commercially harvested within a
limited Shark Research Fishery.
Recreational anglers are not allowed to
retain sandbar sharks. In addition,
scalloped hammerhead sharks, which
were recently determined to be
overfished and experiencing overfishing
(April 28, 2011, 76 FR 23794), are
managed within the non-sandbar large
coastal shark (LCS) complex and are
caught in recreational and commercial
fisheries targeting sharks and in
commercial pelagic longline (PLL)
fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish.
However, scalloped hammerhead sharks
may only be retained when caught in
directed recreational and commercial
shark fisheries, and they are not allowed
to be retained when caught in
association with tuna and tuna-like
fisheries, such as tuna and swordfish
PLL fisheries per a recent final rule
(August 29, 2011, 76 FR 53652).
Commercial regulations for blacknose
sharks include, but are not limited to,
no retention limit for directed shark
permit holders, 16 pelagic and small
coastal shark (SCS) species combined
per vessel per trip for incidental shark
permit holders, and an annual
blacknose shark quota of 19.9 mt dw,
which is adjusted each year for any
overharvest in past fishing years.
Commercial regulations for scalloped
hammerhead sharks include, but are not
limited to, a trip limit of 33 non-sandbar
LCS for directed shark permit holders
and a trip limit of 3 non-sandbar LCS for
incidental shark permit holders.
Scalloped hammerhead sharks are part
of the non-sandbar LCS annual quota of
578.3 mt dw, which is split between the
Gulf of Mexico (390.5 mt dw) and the
Atlantic (187.8 mt dw). This quota is
also adjusted each year for any
overharvest from past fishing years.
Recreational regulations for blacknose
and scalloped hammerhead sharks
include, but are not limited to, retention
limit of 1 shark per vessel per trip with
a 4.5-ft (54-in) fork length minimum
size, although blacknose sharks rarely
reach this minimum size.
Within the sandbar Shark Research
Fishery, sandbar shark harvest is
contingent upon the conditions of a
Shark Research Fishery Permit, which is
issued on an annual basis. There is an
annual quota of 116.6 mt dw for sandbar
sharks, and as with quotas for blacknose
sharks and non-sandbar LCS, this quota
is adjusted each year for any overharvest
in past fishing years. Vessels
participating in the Shark Research
Fishery must carry federal fisheries
observers whenever harvesting sandbar
sharks, and all sharks, including
blacknose and scalloped hammerhead
sharks, must be offloaded with all their
fins naturally attached.
NMFS anticipates changes to shark
management as a result of the latest
stock assessments through the
rulemaking process and requests
comments on potential future
management options for this action.
Five scoping meetings and a conference
call will be held (see Table 2 for meeting
times and locations) to provide the
opportunity for public comment on
potential shark management measures.
These comments will be used to assist
in the development of the upcoming
amendment to the 2006 Consolidated
Atlantic HMS FMP. Based on the
assessment results, NMFS will focus on
dusky sharks, which are already
prohibited but found to still be
experiencing overfishing; scalloped
hammerhead sharks, which are often
brought to the vessel dead and whose
retention is limited in certain fisheries;
and Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
blacknose sharks, which may require
regional management. It appears that
current management measures for
sandbar sharks may remain appropriate,
with the current TAC having a high
probability of rebuilding within the
rebuilding timeframe. Because of the
mixed nature of the fisheries, it is likely
that any changes could affect effort and
mortality for all sharks.
TABLE 2—TIME AND LOCATIONS OF THE FIVE SCOPING MEETINGS AND CONFERENCE CALL
Time
Meeting location
Meeting address
October 12, 2011 ...............
7–9 p.m. ............................................
Dolce Seaview Resort ......................
October 26, 2011 ...............
5–7 p.m. ............................................
Belle Chasse Auditorium ..................
November 2, 2011 .............
4:30–6:30 p.m. ..................................
November 3, 2011 .............
4:30–6:30 p.m. ..................................
Southeast Fisheries Science Center,
Panama City Laboratory.
Fort Pierce Branch Library ...............
December 7, 2011 .............
4:30–6:30 p.m. ..................................
December 15, 2011 ...........
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Date
2–4 p.m. ............................................
401 South New York Road, Galloway, NJ 08205.
8398 HWY. 23, Belle Chasse, LA
70037.
3500 Delwood Beach Drive, Panama City, FL 32408.
101 Melody Lane, Fort Pierce, FL
34950.
5285 HWY. 70 West/Arendell Street,
Morehead City, NC 28557.
To participate, please call: 888–989–
7538;
Passcode: 3994893.
In addition to the five scoping
meetings and conference call, NMFS has
requested to present the issues and
options presentation to the five Atlantic
Regional Fishery Management Councils
(the New England, Mid-Atlantic, South
Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean
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North Carolina Division of Marine
Fisheries, Central District Office.
Conference Call ................................
Fishery Management Councils) and the
Atlantic and Gulf States Marine
Fisheries Commissions during the
public comment period. Please see the
Councils’ and Commissions’ fall
meeting notices for times and locations.
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NMFS requests comments on
potential commercial management
options including, but not limited to,
quota levels, regional and seasonal
quotas, trip limits, minimum sizes, gear
and effort modifications, time/area
closures, and prohibited species. In
E:\FR\FM\07OCP1.SGM
07OCP1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 195 / Friday, October 7, 2011 / Proposed Rules
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
addition, NMFS is seeking comments on
recreational management options
including, but not limited to, retention
limits, minimum sizes, authorized gears,
and prohibited species. NMFS also
seeks comments on display quotas and
collection of sharks through exempted
fishing permits, display permits, and
scientific research permits. Comments
received during scoping will assist
NMFS in determining the options for
future proposed rulemaking to conserve
and manage shark resources and shark
fisheries, consistent with the MagnusonStevens Act and the 2006 Consolidated
HMS FMP. NMFS has drafted an issues
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:24 Oct 06, 2011
Jkt 226001
and options presentation that
summarizes the scalloped hammerhead,
sandbar, dusky, and blacknose stock
assessments, and offers preliminary
ideas on potential management
approaches to address overfishing on/
overfished stocks in order to encourage
and initiate public comment. The
scoping meetings will focus on the
issues raised in the issues and options
presentation. NMFS welcomes
additional thoughts and comments on
appropriate management measures. The
issues/options presentation is available
online and by request (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT).
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
62335
Based on the 2010/2011 stock
assessments, NMFS believes the
implementation of new management
measures via the rulemaking process to
amend the 2006 Consolidated HMS
FMP is necessary to rebuild Atlantic
shark stocks. NMFS anticipates
completing this amendment and any
related documents in April of 2013.
Dated: October 4, 2011.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–26021 Filed 10–4–11; 4:15 pm]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 195 (Friday, October 7, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62331-62335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26021]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
RIN 0648-BB29
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management
Measures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Stock Status Determinations; Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Based on the 2010/2011 Southeast Data, Assessment and Review
(SEDAR) assessments for sandbar, dusky, and blacknose sharks, NMFS is
declaring the following stock status determinations. Sandbar sharks are
still overfished, but no longer experiencing overfishing. Dusky sharks
are still overfished and still experiencing overfishing (i.e., their
stock status has not changed). Blacknose sharks were assessed as two
separate stocks for the first time in the 2010/2011 assessment
(Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico); therefore, NMFS is making separate stock
status determinations for the two blacknose shark stocks. The Atlantic
stock is overfished and experiencing overfishing, and the status of the
Gulf of Mexico stock is unknown. Scalloped hammerhead sharks were
previously determined to be overfished and experiencing overfishing by
NMFS in April 2011. As such, NMFS announces its intent to prepare an
EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This EIS would
assess the potential effects on the human environment of action
proposed through rulemaking to rebuild and end overfishing of these
stocks, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Through the rulemaking process,
NMFS would amend the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS)
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and examine management alternatives
available to rebuild these shark stocks and end overfishing, as
necessary. To begin scoping for that rulemaking process, NMFS is
requesting comments on a range of commercial and recreational
management measures, in both directed and incidental fisheries,
including, but not limited to, quota levels, regional and seasonal
quotas, retention limits, gear modifications, and time/area closures.
DATES: Five scoping meetings and a conference call will be held from
October through December 2011. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for
meeting and call dates and locations. Scoping comments must be received
no later than 5 p.m., local time, on December 31, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Scoping meetings will be held in Galloway, New Jersey;
Morehead City, North Carolina; Panama City and Fort Pierce, Florida;
and Belle Chasse, Louisiana. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates
and locations. You may also submit comments on this document,
identified by NOAA-NMFS-2011-0229, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal https://www.regulations.gov. To submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal,
first click the ``submit a comment'' icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2011-
0229 in the keyword search. Locate the document you wish to comment on
from the resulting list and click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon on
the right of that line.
Mail: Submit written comments to Peter Cooper, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the
envelope ``Scoping Comments on Amendment 5 to HMS FMP.''
Fax: (301) 713-1917. Attn: Peter Cooper.
Comments must be submitted by one of the above methods to ensure
that the comments are received, documented, and considered by NMFS.
Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual,
or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered.
All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name,
address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly
accessible. Do not submit
[[Page 62332]]
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the
required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
For a copy of the stock assessments, please contact Peter Cooper
(301) 427-8503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Peter Cooper
at (301) 427-8503, or Jackie Wilson at (240) 338-3936, or online at
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/Index.jsp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 2006 Consolidated
HMS FMP is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
Determination of Overfished Shark Fisheries
NMFS' determination of the status of a stock relative to
overfishing and an overfished condition is based on both the
exploitation rate and the current stock size. Thresholds used to
determine the status of Atlantic HMS are fully described in Chapter 3
of the 1999 FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Shark, and were
fully adopted in the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP. A species is considered
overfished when the current biomass is less than the minimum stock size
threshold. The minimum stock size threshold is determined based on the
natural mortality of the stock and the biomass at maximum sustainable
yield (BMSY). Maximum sustainable yield is the maximum long-
term average yield that can be produced by a stock on a continuing
basis. The biomass can be lower than BMSY, and the stock not
declared overfished, as long as the biomass is above the biomass at the
minimum stock size threshold. Overfishing may be occurring on a species
if the current fishing mortality is greater than the fishing mortality
(F) at maximum sustainable yield (FMSY) (F>FMSY).
In the case of F, the maximum fishing mortality threshold is
FMSY. Thus, if F exceeds FMSY, the stock is
experiencing overfishing.
Recent assessments of sandbar, dusky, and blacknose sharks were
completed through the SEDAR process (SEDAR 21). The SEDAR process is a
cooperative process initiated in 2002 to improve the quality and
reliability of fishery stock assessments in the South Atlantic, Gulf of
Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean. For these assessments, SEDAR used two face-
to-face workshops and a series of webinars. The Data Workshop was a
week-long face-to-face meeting, during which fisheries, monitoring, and
life history data were reviewed and compiled. The SEDAR 21 Data
Workshop was held June 21-25, 2010, in Charleston, SC (May 4, 2010, 75
FR 23676). The Assessment Process was conducted via a series of
webinars, during which assessment models were developed and population
parameters were estimated using the information provided from the Data
Workshop. The SEDAR 21 Assessment Process was held via 18 webinars
between September 2010 and January 2011 (August 26, 2010, 75 FR 52510;
October 12, 2010, 75 FR 62506; November 17, 2010, 75 FR 70216; December
16, 2010, 75 FR 78679). Finally, the Review Workshop was a week-long
face-to-face meeting during which independent experts reviewed the
input data, assessment methods, and assessment products. The Review
Workshop for these assessments was held in Annapolis, MD, on April 18-
22, 2011 (March 15, 2011, 76 FR 13985). All meetings were open to the
public, and all materials from these meetings are available on the
SEDAR Web site or upon request.
The final 2010/2011 stock assessment reports for sandbar, dusky,
and blacknose sharks in the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico were
recently completed (76 FR 61092, October 3, 2011). In each assessment,
a base model was used to assess the individual populations. In
addition, numerous sensitivity analyses were conducted during the
assessment cycle for each assessment, which provided verification that
the results of the assessment were robust to the assumptions about the
underlying stock productivity and assumed levels of removal. Of these
sensitivity runs, the Review Panel of the SEDAR 21 Review Panel
Workshop selected which runs represented plausible ``states of nature''
of the stocks and requested projections of these and the base model.
The ranges based on these selected sensitivity runs and the base models
are given below. However, details on the different sensitivity analyses
and projections are provided in the SEDAR 21 Stock Assessment Report
for each assessment.
In the following stock assessment summaries, total allowable catch
(TAC) is equal to the annual catch limit (ACL) for all fisheries that
interact with the species, including directed commercial, incidental
commercial, and recreational fisheries. After accounting for the
mortality associated with other fisheries, NMFS is able to establish
quotas for each stock, which are a subset of the ACL or TAC. Copies of
the final 2010/2011 SEDAR 21 Stock Assessment Reports for each species
are available (see ADDRESSES).
A. Sandbar Sharks
The 2010/2011 sandbar shark stock assessment provides an update
from the 2005/2006 stock assessment on the status of the stock and
projects their future abundance under a variety of catch levels in the
U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Based on the
2005/2006 assessment, sandbar sharks were determined to be overfished
and experiencing overfishing. NMFS established a rebuilding plan for
this species in July 2008. The 2010/2011 assessment includes updated
catch estimates, new biological data, and a number of fishery-
independent and fishery-dependent catch rate series.
The base model used in the 2010/2011 sandbar assessment, an age-
structured production model, indicated that the stock is overfished
(spawning stock fecundity [SSF]2009/SSFMSY=0.66),
but no longer experiencing overfishing (F2009/
FMSY=0.62). In addition, 20 sensitivity runs were performed
throughout the assessment cycle. The Review Panel selected seven
sensitivity runs in addition to the base model to assess the underlying
states of nature of the stock. Current biomass (i.e., SSF) values from
these selected sensitivity runs all indicated that the stock is
overfished (SSF2009/SSFMSY=0.51-0.72). In
addition, current F values from most of the selected sensitivity runs
indicated that the stock is currently not experiencing overfishing
(F2009/FMSY=0.29-0.93); whereas the low
productivity sensitivity run indicated overfishing is occurring
(F2009/FMSY=2.62). The assessment scientists,
however, noted that the low and high productivity scenarios were
unlikely to represent the true state of nature of the stock. Based on
this, NMFS has determined that sandbar sharks are still overfished, but
are no longer experiencing overfishing. Projections of the base model
indicated that there is a 70 percent probability of rebuilding by 2066
with a TAC of 178 metric tons (mt) whole weight (ww) (128 mt dressed
weight [dw]). There is a 50 percent probability of rebuilding by 2066
with a TAC of 286 mt ww (205.8 mt dw). The rebuilding year determined
from the base model in the 2010/2011 assessment was calculated as the
year the stock would rebuild with no fishing pressure (i.e., F=0), or
2046, plus one generation time (the generation time for sandbar sharks
is 20 years). The target year for
[[Page 62333]]
rebuilding ranged from 2047 to 2360 depending on the state of nature
(i.e., sensitivity run) of the stock. In addition, it was determined
that the current TAC for the fishery (i.e., 220 mt ww or 158.3 mt dw)
could result in a greater than 70 percent probability of rebuilding by
the current rebuilding date of 2070.
B. Dusky Sharks
The 2010/2011 dusky stock assessment provided an update to the 2006
dusky assessment. This is the first assessment for dusky sharks
conducted within the SEDAR process. Based on the 2006 assessment, dusky
sharks were determined to be overfished and experiencing overfishing.
NMFS established a rebuilding plan for this species in July 2008. The
base model used for the 2010/2011 assessment, an age-structured catch-
free production model, showed that dusky sharks continue to be
overfished (spawning stock biomass [SSB]2009/
SSBMSY=0.44) and are still experiencing overfishing
(F2009/FMSY=1.59). In addition, 19 sensitivity
analyses were performed during the assessment cycle. The Review Panel
selected four sensitivity runs in addition to the base model to assess
the underlying states of nature of the stock. Current biomass (i.e.,
SSB) values from these selected sensitivity runs all indicated that the
stock is overfished (SSB2009/SSBMSY=0.41-0.50).
In addition, current F values from the selected sensitivity runs
indicated that the stock is currently experiencing overfishing
(F2009/FMSY=1.39-4.35). Based on this, NMFS has
determined that dusky sharks are still overfished and experiencing
overfishing. The 2006 assessment predicted that dusky sharks could
rebuild within 100 to 400 years. The rebuilding year determined from
the base model in the 2010/2011 assessment was calculated as the year
the stock would rebuild with no fishing pressure (i.e., F=0), or 2059,
plus one generation time (the generation time for dusky sharks is 40
years) or 2099. The target year for rebuilding ranged from 2081 to 2257
depending on the state of nature (i.e., sensitivity run) of the stock.
The base model indicated that the current fishing mortality
(F2009=0.06) would have to be reduced by more than half (to
F=0.02) in order to have a 70 percent probability of rebuilding by
2099. The base model also estimated that with the current fishing
mortality rate there is a low probability (11 percent) of stock
recovery by 2408 (or 400 years).
C. Blacknose Sharks
The 2010/2011 blacknose shark stock assessment provides an update
from the 2007 blacknose shark stock assessment. However, unlike the
2007 assessment, the 2010/2011 assessment assessed blacknose sharks for
the first time as two separate stocks: a Gulf of Mexico and an Atlantic
stock. In addition, because the assessment model for the Gulf of Mexico
stock was unable to fit the apparent trends in some of the abundance
indices and there was a fundamental lack of fit of the model to some of
the input data, the Review Panel of the SEDAR 21 Review Panel Workshop
did not accept the stock assessment for the Gulf of Mexico blacknose
stock. Therefore, NMFS is declaring the status of the Gulf of Mexico
blacknose shark stock as unknown.
For the Atlantic blacknose shark stock, the base model used for the
2010/2011 assessment, an age-structured production model, showed that
Atlantic blacknose sharks are overfished (SSF2009/
SSFMSY=0.60) and experiencing overfishing (F2009/
FMSY=5.02). In addition, 14 sensitivity analyses were
performed over the assessment cycle. The Review Panel selected five
sensitivity runs in addition to the base model to assess the underlying
states of nature of the stock. Current biomass (i.e., SSF) values from
these selected sensitivity runs all indicated that the stock is
overfished (SSF2009/SSFMSY=0.43-0.64). In
addition, current F values from the selected sensitivity runs indicated
that the stock is currently experiencing overfishing (F2009/
FMSY=3.26-22.53). Based on this, NMFS has determined that
the Atlantic blacknose shark stock is overfished and experiencing
overfishing. Projections of the base model indicated that the stock
could rebuild by 2043 with a TAC of 7,300 blacknose sharks. The
rebuilding year determined from the base model in the 2010/2011
assessment was calculated as the year the stock would rebuild with no
fishing pressure (i.e., F=0), or 2034, plus one generation time (the
generation time for Atlantic blacknose sharks is 9 years). The target
year for rebuilding ranged from 2033 to 2086 depending on the state of
nature (i.e., sensitivity run) of the stock. Thus, Atlantic blacknose
sharks would not be able to rebuild by the current rebuilding target of
2027 under the current fishery-wide TAC of 19,200 blacknose sharks.
Table 1--Summary Table of Biomass and Fishing Mortality for the 2010/2011 SEDAR Shark Stock Assessments
[Age-Structured Production Models (ASPMs) Were Used for Sandbar and Blacknose Sharks, and an Age-Structured Catch-Free Production Model (ASCFM) Was Used
for Dusky Sharks]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current
Current Maximum Minimum relative Maximum
relative Current sustainable stock size fishing fishing
Species biomass biomass yield threshold mortality mortality Outlook
level* (SSF2009) biomass (MSST) rate (F2009/ threshold
(SSFMSY) FMSY) (FMSY)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandbars sharks............................ 0.51-0.72 215,900-984 349,330-1,3 395,922-423 0.29-2.62[d 0.004-0.06 Overfished; overfishing is
(SSF2009/ ,770 77,800 ,622 agger] not occurring.
SSFMSY)
Dusky sharks............................... 0.41-0.50 **NA **NA **NA 1.39-4.35 0.01-0.05 Overfished; Overfishing is
(SSB2009/ occurring.
SSBMSY)
Atlantic blacknose sharks.................. 0.43-0.64 38,816-168, 77,577-288, 72,607-77,4 3.26-22.53 0.01-0.15 Overfished; Overfishing is
(SSF2009/ 300 360 47 occurring.
SSFMSY)
Gulf of Mexico blacknose sharks............ ***NA ***NA ***NA ***NA ***NA ***NA ***NA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Spawning stock fecundity (SSF) or spawning stock biomass (SSB) was used as a proxy of biomass.
** An age-structured catch-free production model was used for the dusky shark stock assessment; therefore, absolute estimates of number of sharks are
not available.
[[Page 62334]]
*** The Gulf of Mexico blacknose shark stock assessment was rejected because the model was unable to fit the apparent trends in some of the abundance
indices and there was a fundamental lack of fit of the model to some of the input data; therefore, estimates are not available.
[dagger] F values from most of the selected sensitivity runs indicated that the stock is currently not experiencing overfishing (F2009/FMSY=0.29-0.93)
whereas the low productivity sensitivity run indicated overfishing is occurring (F2009/FMSY=2.62). The assessment scientists, however, noted that the
low and high productivity scenarios were unlikely to represent the true state of nature of the stock.
Request for Comments
Currently, both commercial and recreational fishermen may target
blacknose sharks. However, dusky sharks are prohibited in all
fisheries, and sandbar sharks are only allowed to be commercially
harvested within a limited Shark Research Fishery. Recreational anglers
are not allowed to retain sandbar sharks. In addition, scalloped
hammerhead sharks, which were recently determined to be overfished and
experiencing overfishing (April 28, 2011, 76 FR 23794), are managed
within the non-sandbar large coastal shark (LCS) complex and are caught
in recreational and commercial fisheries targeting sharks and in
commercial pelagic longline (PLL) fisheries targeting tuna and
swordfish. However, scalloped hammerhead sharks may only be retained
when caught in directed recreational and commercial shark fisheries,
and they are not allowed to be retained when caught in association with
tuna and tuna-like fisheries, such as tuna and swordfish PLL fisheries
per a recent final rule (August 29, 2011, 76 FR 53652).
Commercial regulations for blacknose sharks include, but are not
limited to, no retention limit for directed shark permit holders, 16
pelagic and small coastal shark (SCS) species combined per vessel per
trip for incidental shark permit holders, and an annual blacknose shark
quota of 19.9 mt dw, which is adjusted each year for any overharvest in
past fishing years. Commercial regulations for scalloped hammerhead
sharks include, but are not limited to, a trip limit of 33 non-sandbar
LCS for directed shark permit holders and a trip limit of 3 non-sandbar
LCS for incidental shark permit holders. Scalloped hammerhead sharks
are part of the non-sandbar LCS annual quota of 578.3 mt dw, which is
split between the Gulf of Mexico (390.5 mt dw) and the Atlantic (187.8
mt dw). This quota is also adjusted each year for any overharvest from
past fishing years. Recreational regulations for blacknose and
scalloped hammerhead sharks include, but are not limited to, retention
limit of 1 shark per vessel per trip with a 4.5-ft (54-in) fork length
minimum size, although blacknose sharks rarely reach this minimum size.
Within the sandbar Shark Research Fishery, sandbar shark harvest is
contingent upon the conditions of a Shark Research Fishery Permit,
which is issued on an annual basis. There is an annual quota of 116.6
mt dw for sandbar sharks, and as with quotas for blacknose sharks and
non-sandbar LCS, this quota is adjusted each year for any overharvest
in past fishing years. Vessels participating in the Shark Research
Fishery must carry federal fisheries observers whenever harvesting
sandbar sharks, and all sharks, including blacknose and scalloped
hammerhead sharks, must be offloaded with all their fins naturally
attached.
NMFS anticipates changes to shark management as a result of the
latest stock assessments through the rulemaking process and requests
comments on potential future management options for this action. Five
scoping meetings and a conference call will be held (see Table 2 for
meeting times and locations) to provide the opportunity for public
comment on potential shark management measures. These comments will be
used to assist in the development of the upcoming amendment to the 2006
Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP. Based on the assessment results, NMFS
will focus on dusky sharks, which are already prohibited but found to
still be experiencing overfishing; scalloped hammerhead sharks, which
are often brought to the vessel dead and whose retention is limited in
certain fisheries; and Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico blacknose sharks,
which may require regional management. It appears that current
management measures for sandbar sharks may remain appropriate, with the
current TAC having a high probability of rebuilding within the
rebuilding timeframe. Because of the mixed nature of the fisheries, it
is likely that any changes could affect effort and mortality for all
sharks.
Table 2--Time and Locations of the Five Scoping Meetings and Conference Call
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Time Meeting location Meeting address
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 12, 2011................. 7-9 p.m.................. Dolce Seaview Resort.... 401 South New York Road,
Galloway, NJ 08205.
October 26, 2011................. 5-7 p.m.................. Belle Chasse Auditorium. 8398 HWY. 23, Belle
Chasse, LA 70037.
November 2, 2011................. 4:30-6:30 p.m............ Southeast Fisheries 3500 Delwood Beach
Science Center, Panama Drive, Panama City, FL
City Laboratory. 32408.
November 3, 2011................. 4:30-6:30 p.m............ Fort Pierce Branch 101 Melody Lane, Fort
Library. Pierce, FL 34950.
December 7, 2011................. 4:30-6:30 p.m............ North Carolina Division 5285 HWY. 70 West/
of Marine Fisheries, Arendell Street,
Central District Office. Morehead City, NC
28557.
December 15, 2011................ 2-4 p.m.................. Conference Call......... To participate, please
call: 888-989-7538;
Passcode: 3994893.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the five scoping meetings and conference call, NMFS
has requested to present the issues and options presentation to the
five Atlantic Regional Fishery Management Councils (the New England,
Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Fishery
Management Councils) and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries
Commissions during the public comment period. Please see the Councils'
and Commissions' fall meeting notices for times and locations.
NMFS requests comments on potential commercial management options
including, but not limited to, quota levels, regional and seasonal
quotas, trip limits, minimum sizes, gear and effort modifications,
time/area closures, and prohibited species. In
[[Page 62335]]
addition, NMFS is seeking comments on recreational management options
including, but not limited to, retention limits, minimum sizes,
authorized gears, and prohibited species. NMFS also seeks comments on
display quotas and collection of sharks through exempted fishing
permits, display permits, and scientific research permits. Comments
received during scoping will assist NMFS in determining the options for
future proposed rulemaking to conserve and manage shark resources and
shark fisheries, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP. NMFS has drafted an issues and options
presentation that summarizes the scalloped hammerhead, sandbar, dusky,
and blacknose stock assessments, and offers preliminary ideas on
potential management approaches to address overfishing on/overfished
stocks in order to encourage and initiate public comment. The scoping
meetings will focus on the issues raised in the issues and options
presentation. NMFS welcomes additional thoughts and comments on
appropriate management measures. The issues/options presentation is
available online and by request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Based on the 2010/2011 stock assessments, NMFS believes the
implementation of new management measures via the rulemaking process to
amend the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP is necessary to rebuild Atlantic
shark stocks. NMFS anticipates completing this amendment and any
related documents in April of 2013.
Dated: October 4, 2011.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-26021 Filed 10-4-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
