Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures; 2015 Research Fishery, 64750-64752 [2014-25957]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 2014 / Notices
the Department subsequently
determines, based on information
collected, that a new shipper review for
any applicant is not warranted, the
Department may rescind the review or
apply facts available pursuant to section
776 of the Act, as appropriate.
We will instruct CBP to allow, at the
option of the importer, the posting, until
the completion of the review, of a bond
or security in lieu of a cash deposit for
each entry of the subject merchandise
from each new shipper applicant in
accordance with section 751(a)(2)(B)(iii)
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.214(e).
Because each new shipper applicant
certified that it produced and exported
subject merchandise, the sale of which
is the basis for the request for a new
shipper review, we will apply the
bonding privilege to each new shipper
applicant only for subject merchandise
which was produced and exported by
each new shipper applicant.
To assist in its analysis of the bona
fides of each new shipper applicant’s
sales, upon initiation of this new
shipper review, the Department will
require each new shipper applicant to
submit on an ongoing basis complete
transaction information concerning any
sales of subject merchandise to the
United States that were made
subsequent to the POR.
Interested parties requiring access to
proprietary information in the new
shipper review should submit
applications for disclosure under
administrative protective order in
accordance with 19 CFR 351.305 and
351.306.
This initiation and notice are
published in accordance with section
751(a)(2)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.214 and 351.221(c)(1)(i).
Dated: October 24, 2014.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping
and Countervailing Duty Operations.
[FR Doc. 2014–25958 Filed 10–30–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD457
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Shark Management Measures;
2015 Research Fishery
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
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18:51 Oct 30, 2014
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has allowed for: The collection of
fishery dependent data for current and
future stock assessments; the operation
SUMMARY: NMFS announces its request
of cooperative research to meet NMFS’
for applications for the 2015 shark
ongoing research objectives; the
research fishery from commercial shark
collection of updated life-history
fishermen with directed or incidental
information used in the sandbar shark
shark limited access permits. The shark
(and other species) stock assessment;
research fishery allows for the collection the collection of data on habitat
of fishery-dependent and biological data preferences that might help reduce
for future stock assessments to meet the fishery interactions through bycatch
shark research objectives of the Agency. mitigation; and the evaluation of the
The only commercial vessels authorized utility of the mid-Atlantic closed area
to land sandbar sharks are those
on the recovery of dusky sharks and
participating in the shark research
collection of hook-timer and pop-up
fishery. Shark research fishery
satellite archival tag (PSAT) information
permittees may also land other large
to determine at-vessel and post-release
coastal sharks (LCS), small coastal
mortality of dusky sharks.
sharks (SCS), and pelagic sharks.
The shark research fishery allows
Commercial shark fishermen who are
selected commercial fishermen the
interested in participating in the shark
opportunity to earn revenue from selling
research fishery need to submit a
additional sharks, including sandbar
completed Shark Research Fishery
sharks. Only the commercial shark
Permit Application in order to be
fishermen selected to participate in the
considered.
shark research fishery are authorized to
land sandbar sharks subject to the
DATES: Shark Research Fishery
sandbar quota available each year. The
Applications must be received no later
base quota is 116.6 metric (mt) dressed
than 5 p.m., local time, on December 1,
weight (dw) per year, although this
2014.
number may be reduced in the event of
ADDRESSES: Please submit completed
overharvests, if any. The selected shark
applications to the HMS Management
research fishery permittees will also be
Division at:
allowed to land other LCS, SCS, and
´
• Mail: Attn: Guy DuBeck, HMS
pelagic sharks per any restrictions
Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS,
established on their shark research
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring,
fishery permit. Generally, the shark
MD 20910.
research fishery permits are valid only
• Fax: (301) 713–1917.
for the calendar year for which they are
For copies of the Shark Research
Fishery Permit Application, please write issued.
The specific 2015 trip limits and
to the HMS Management Division at the
number of trips per month will depend
address listed above, call (301) 427–
on the availability of funding, number of
8503 (phone), or fax a request to (301)
selected vessels, the availability of
713–1917. Copies of the Shark Research
observers, the available quota, and the
Fishery Application are also available at
objectives of the research fishery and
the HMS Web site at https://
will be included in the permit terms at
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/index.htm. time of issuance. The number of
Additionally, please be advised that
participants in the research fishery
your application may be released under change each year. In 2014, five
the Freedom of Information Act.
fishermen were chosen to participate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
From 2008 through 2014, there has been
´
Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Guy DuBeck, at an average of seven participants each
(301) 427–8503 (phone) or (301) 713–
year with the range from five to eleven.
1917 (fax).
The trip limits and the number of trips
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
taken per month have changed each
Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
year the research fishery has been
under the authority of the Magnusonactive. Participants may also be limited
Stevens Fishery Conservation and
on the amount of gear they can deploy
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
on a given set (e.g., number of hooks
Act). The Consolidated HMS Fishery
and sets, soak times, length of longline).
In 2014, NMFS split the sandbar and
Management Plan (FMP) is
LCS research fishery quotas equally
implemented by regulations at 50 CFR
among selected participants, with each
part 635.
vessel allocated 18.6 mt dw of sandbar
The shark research fishery was
shark research fishery quota and 8.0 mt
established, in part, to maintain time
dw of other LCS research fishery quota.
series data for stock assessments and to
NMFS also established a regional dusky
meet NMFS’ research objectives. Since
bycatch limit where once three or more
the shark research fishery was
established in 2008, the research fishery dusky sharks were caught dead in any
Notice of intent; request for
applications.
ACTION:
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 2014 / Notices
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
of five designated regions across the
Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic through the
entire year, any shark research fishery
permit holder in that region was not
able to soak their gear for longer than 3
hours. If there were three or more
additional dusky shark interactions
(alive or dead) observed, shark research
fishery permit holders were not able to
make a trip in that region for the
remainder of the year, unless otherwise
permitted by NMFS. There were slightly
different measures established for shark
research fishery participants in the midAtlantic shark closed area in order to
allow NMFS observers to place satellite
archival tags on dusky sharks and
collect other scientific information on
dusky sharks while also minimizing any
dusky shark mortality.
Participants were also required to
keep any dead sharks, unless they were
a prohibited species, in which case they
were required to release them. If the
regional non-blacknose SCS, blacknose,
and/or pelagic shark management group
quotas were closed, then the shark
research fishery permit holder fishing in
the closed region had to discard all of
the species from the closed management
groups regardless of condition. Any
sharks, except prohibited species or
closed management groups (i.e., SCS or
pelagic sharks), caught and brought to
the vessel alive could have been
released alive or landed. In addition,
participants were restricted by the
number of longline sets as well as the
number of hooks they could deploy and
have on board the vessel. The vessels
participating in the shark research
fishery fished an average of one trip per
month.
In order to participate in the shark
research fishery, commercial shark
fishermen need to submit a completed
Shark Research Fishery Application by
the deadline noted above (see DATES)
showing that the vessel and owner(s)
meet the specific criteria outlined
below.
Research Objectives
Each year, the research objectives are
developed by a shark board, which is
comprised of representatives within
NMFS, including representatives from
the Southeast Fisheries Science Center
(SEFSC) Panama City Laboratory,
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Narragansett Laboratory, the Southeast
Regional Office, Protected Resources
Division, and the HMS Management
Division. The research objectives for
2015 are based on various documents,
including the 2012 Biological Opinion
for the Continued Authorization of the
Atlantic Shark Fisheries and the Federal
Authorization of a Smoothhound
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Fishery, 2010/2011 U.S. South Atlantic
blacknose, U.S. Gulf of Mexico
blacknose, sandbar, and dusky sharks
stock assessment and the 2012 U.S. Gulf
of Mexico blacktip shark stock
assessment. The 2015 research
objectives are:
• Collect reproductive, length, sex,
and age data from sandbar and other
sharks throughout the calendar year for
species-specific stock assessments;
• Monitor the size distribution of
sandbar sharks and other species
captured in the fishery;
• Continue on-going tagging shark
programs for identification of migration
corridors and stock structure using dart
and/or spaghetti tags;
• Maintain time-series of abundance
from previously derived indices for the
shark bottom longline observer program;
• Sample fin sets (e.g. dorsal,
pectoral) from prioritized species to
further develop fin identification
guides;
• Acquire fin-clip samples of all
shark and other species for genetic
analysis;
• Attach satellite archival tags to
endangered smalltooth sawfish to
provide information on critical habitat
and preferred depth, consistent with the
requirements listed in the take permit
issued under Section 10 of the
Endangered Species Act to the SEFSC
observer program;
• Attach satellite archival tags to
prohibited dusky and other sharks, as
needed, to provide information on daily
and seasonal movement patterns, and
preferred depth;
• Evaluate hooking mortality and
post-release survivorship of dusky,
hammerhead, blacktip, and other sharks
using hook-timers and temperaturedepth recorders;
• Evaluate the effects of controlled
gear experiments in order to determine
the effects of potential hook changes to
prohibited species interactions and
fishery yields;
• Examine the size distribution of
sandbar and other sharks captured
throughout the fishery including in the
Mid-Atlantic shark time/area closure off
the coast of North Carolina from January
1 through July 31; and
• Develop allometric and weight
relationships of selected species of
sharks (e.g. hammerhead, sandbar,
blacktip shark).
Selection Criteria
Shark Research Fishery Permit
Applications will be accepted only from
commercial shark fishermen who hold a
current directed or incidental shark
limited access permit. While incidental
permit holders are welcome to submit
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64751
an application, to ensure that an
appropriate number of sharks are landed
to meet the research objectives for this
year, NMFS will give priority to
directed permit holders as
recommended by the shark board. As
such, qualified incidental permit
holders will be selected only if there are
not enough qualified directed permit
holders to meet research objectives.
The Shark Research Fishery Permit
Application includes, but is not limited
to, a request for the following
information: Type of commercial shark
permit possessed; past participation in
the commercial shark fishery (not
including sharks caught for display);
past involvement and compliance with
HMS observer programs per 50 CFR
635.7; past compliance with HMS
regulations at 50 CFR part 635;
availability to participate in the shark
research fishery; ability to fish in the
regions and season requested; ability to
attend necessary meetings regarding the
objectives and research protocols of the
shark research fishery; and ability to
carry out the research objectives of the
Agency. An applicant who has been
charged criminally or civilly (e.g.,
issued a Notice of Violation and
Assessment (NOVA) or Notice of Permit
Sanction) for any HMS-related violation
will not be considered for participation
in the shark research fishery. In
addition, applicants who were selected
to carry an observer in the previous 2
years for any HMS fishery, but failed to
contact NMFS to arrange the placement
of an observer as required per 50 CFR
635.7, will not be considered for
participation in the 2015 shark research
fishery. Applicants who were selected
to carry an observer in the previous 2
years for any HMS fishery and failed to
comply with all the observer regulations
per 50 CFR 635.7 will also not be
considered. Exceptions will be made for
vessels that were selected for HMS
observer coverage but did not fish in the
quarter when selected and thus did not
require an observer. Applicants who do
not possess a valid USCG safety
inspection decal when the application is
submitted will not be considered.
Applicants who have been noncompliant with any of the HMS observer
program regulations in the previous 2
years, as described above, may be
eligible for future participation in shark
research fishery activities by
demonstrating 2 subsequent years of
compliance with observer regulations at
50 CFR 635.7.
Selection Process
The HMS Management Division will
review all submitted applications and
develop a list of qualified applicants
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64752
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 2014 / Notices
from those applications that are deemed
complete. A qualified applicant is an
applicant that has submitted a complete
application by the deadline (see DATES)
and has met the selection criteria listed
above. Qualified applicants are eligible
to be selected to participate in the shark
research fishery for 2015. The HMS
Management Division will provide the
list of qualified applicants without
identifying information to the SEFSC.
The SEFSC will then evaluate the list of
qualified applicants and, based on the
temporal and spatial needs of the
research objectives, the availability of
observers, the availability of qualified
applicants, and the available quota for a
given year, will randomly select
qualified applicants to conduct the
prescribed research. Where there are
multiple qualified applicants that meet
the criteria, permittees will be randomly
selected through a lottery system. If a
public meeting is deemed necessary,
NMFS will announce details of a public
selection meeting in a subsequent
Federal Register notice.
Once the selection process is
complete, NMFS will notify the selected
applicants and issue the shark research
fishery permits. The shark research
fishery permits will be valid only in
calendar year 2015. If needed, NMFS
will communicate with the shark
research fishery permit holders to
arrange a captain’s meeting to discuss
the research objectives and protocols.
NMFS held mandatory captain’s
meetings before observers were placed
on vessels in both 2013 (78 FR 14515;
March 6, 2013) and 2014 (79 FR 12155;
March 4, 2014) and expects to hold one
again in 2015. Once the fishery starts,
the shark research fishery permit
holders must contact the NMFS
observer coordinator to arrange the
placement of a NMFS-approved
observer for each shark research trip.
A shark research fishery permit will
only be valid for the vessel and owner(s)
and terms and conditions listed on the
permit, and, thus, cannot be transferred
to another vessel or owner(s). Issuance
of a shark research permit does not
guarantee that the permit holder will be
assigned a NMFS-approved observer on
any particular trip. Rather, issuance
indicates that a vessel may be issued a
NMFS-approved observer for a
particular trip, and on such trips, may
be allowed to harvest Atlantic sharks,
including sandbar sharks, in excess of
the retention limits described in 50 CFR
635.24(a). These retention limits will be
based on available quota, number of
vessels participating in the 2015 shark
research fishery, the research objectives
set forth by the shark board, the extent
of other restrictions placed on the
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18:51 Oct 30, 2014
Jkt 235001
vessel, and may vary by vessel and/or
location. When not operating under the
auspices of the shark research fishery,
the vessel would still be able to land
LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks subject to
existing retention limits on trips
without a NMFS-approved observer.
NMFS annually invites commercial
shark permit holders (directed and
incidental) to submit an application to
participate in the shark research fishery.
Permit applications can be found on the
HMS Management Division’s Web site
at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/
index.htm or by calling (301) 427–8503.
Final decisions on the issuance of a
shark research fishery permit will
depend on the submission of all
required information by the deadline
(see DATES), and NMFS’ review of
applicant information as outlined above.
The 2015 shark research fishery will
start after the opening of the shark
fishery and under available quotas as
published in a separate Federal Register
final rule.
Dated: October 28, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–25957 Filed 10–30–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD597
New England Fishery Management
Council (NEFMC); Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:
The New England Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold a 4-day meeting to consider actions
affecting New England fisheries in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held
Monday through Thursday, November
17–20, 2014. The Monday session will
begin at 1 p.m., while the next three
days will start at 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Marriott Hotel, 25 America’s Cup
Avenue, Newport, RI 02840; telephone:
(401) 849–1000 and fax: (401) 849–3422.
For online information about the venue
www.marriott.com/hotels/hotelinformation/travel/pvdlw-newportmarriott/.
SUMMARY:
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Council address: New England
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950;
telephone: (978) 465–0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management
Counci; telephone: (978) 465–0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Monday, November 17, 2014
The Council meeting will begin with
introductions, and brief reports from the
NEFMC Chairman and Executive
Director, the NOAA Fisheries Regional
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries
Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council liaisons,
NOAA General Counsel and NOAA Law
Enforcement, and representatives of the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission and U.S. Coast Guard.
Immediately after these reports, the
Council will provide an opportunity for
the public to present brief comments on
items that are relevant to Council
business but are otherwise not listed on
the published agenda. The Monkfish
Committee will update members on the
development of alternatives for
inclusion in Amendment 6 to the
Monkfish Fishery Management Plan
(FMP) and possibly the necessity of
initiating a framework adjustment to
expedite the implementation of several
measures previously included in
Amendment 6. The Council staff will
present the annual monitoring report on
the Northeast Skate Complex FMP and
the day will end with a report from the
Small Mesh Multispecies (Whiting)
Committee. The committee will
recommend approval of the 2015–17
specifications for the small-mesh
multispecies (whiting) fishery. Although
the formal Council meeting will
adjourn, staff from the Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office will present an
overview and discuss the office’s
Strategic Plan at 5:45 p.m. or
immediately following the conclusion of
the Council’s meeting.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The day will begin with an overview
and summary of public comments on a
NOAA/NMFS-led action that will affect
all federally managed fisheries in the
Northeast. The Council then intends to
take final action on what is called the
Vessel Baseline Omnibus Amendment.
During this same morning session, the
Council also expects to approve
alternatives to be considered for
inclusion in Amendment 18 to the
Northeast Multispecies or Groundfish
FMP. The discussion will focus on
accumulation limits and an inshore/
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64750-64752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25957]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD457
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management
Measures; 2015 Research Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces its request for applications for the 2015 shark
research fishery from commercial shark fishermen with directed or
incidental shark limited access permits. The shark research fishery
allows for the collection of fishery-dependent and biological data for
future stock assessments to meet the shark research objectives of the
Agency. The only commercial vessels authorized to land sandbar sharks
are those participating in the shark research fishery. Shark research
fishery permittees may also land other large coastal sharks (LCS),
small coastal sharks (SCS), and pelagic sharks. Commercial shark
fishermen who are interested in participating in the shark research
fishery need to submit a completed Shark Research Fishery Permit
Application in order to be considered.
DATES: Shark Research Fishery Applications must be received no later
than 5 p.m., local time, on December 1, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Please submit completed applications to the HMS Management
Division at:
Mail: Attn: Gu[yacute] DuBeck, HMS Management Division (F/
SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Fax: (301) 713-1917.
For copies of the Shark Research Fishery Permit Application, please
write to the HMS Management Division at the address listed above, call
(301) 427-8503 (phone), or fax a request to (301) 713-1917. Copies of
the Shark Research Fishery Application are also available at the HMS
Web site at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/index.htm. Additionally,
please be advised that your application may be released under the
Freedom of Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Gu[yacute]
DuBeck, at (301) 427-8503 (phone) or (301) 713-1917 (fax).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Consolidated HMS Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
The shark research fishery was established, in part, to maintain
time series data for stock assessments and to meet NMFS' research
objectives. Since the shark research fishery was established in 2008,
the research fishery has allowed for: The collection of fishery
dependent data for current and future stock assessments; the operation
of cooperative research to meet NMFS' ongoing research objectives; the
collection of updated life-history information used in the sandbar
shark (and other species) stock assessment; the collection of data on
habitat preferences that might help reduce fishery interactions through
bycatch mitigation; and the evaluation of the utility of the mid-
Atlantic closed area on the recovery of dusky sharks and collection of
hook-timer and pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT) information to
determine at-vessel and post-release mortality of dusky sharks.
The shark research fishery allows selected commercial fishermen the
opportunity to earn revenue from selling additional sharks, including
sandbar sharks. Only the commercial shark fishermen selected to
participate in the shark research fishery are authorized to land
sandbar sharks subject to the sandbar quota available each year. The
base quota is 116.6 metric (mt) dressed weight (dw) per year, although
this number may be reduced in the event of overharvests, if any. The
selected shark research fishery permittees will also be allowed to land
other LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks per any restrictions established on
their shark research fishery permit. Generally, the shark research
fishery permits are valid only for the calendar year for which they are
issued.
The specific 2015 trip limits and number of trips per month will
depend on the availability of funding, number of selected vessels, the
availability of observers, the available quota, and the objectives of
the research fishery and will be included in the permit terms at time
of issuance. The number of participants in the research fishery change
each year. In 2014, five fishermen were chosen to participate. From
2008 through 2014, there has been an average of seven participants each
year with the range from five to eleven. The trip limits and the number
of trips taken per month have changed each year the research fishery
has been active. Participants may also be limited on the amount of gear
they can deploy on a given set (e.g., number of hooks and sets, soak
times, length of longline).
In 2014, NMFS split the sandbar and LCS research fishery quotas
equally among selected participants, with each vessel allocated 18.6 mt
dw of sandbar shark research fishery quota and 8.0 mt dw of other LCS
research fishery quota. NMFS also established a regional dusky bycatch
limit where once three or more dusky sharks were caught dead in any
[[Page 64751]]
of five designated regions across the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
through the entire year, any shark research fishery permit holder in
that region was not able to soak their gear for longer than 3 hours. If
there were three or more additional dusky shark interactions (alive or
dead) observed, shark research fishery permit holders were not able to
make a trip in that region for the remainder of the year, unless
otherwise permitted by NMFS. There were slightly different measures
established for shark research fishery participants in the mid-Atlantic
shark closed area in order to allow NMFS observers to place satellite
archival tags on dusky sharks and collect other scientific information
on dusky sharks while also minimizing any dusky shark mortality.
Participants were also required to keep any dead sharks, unless
they were a prohibited species, in which case they were required to
release them. If the regional non-blacknose SCS, blacknose, and/or
pelagic shark management group quotas were closed, then the shark
research fishery permit holder fishing in the closed region had to
discard all of the species from the closed management groups regardless
of condition. Any sharks, except prohibited species or closed
management groups (i.e., SCS or pelagic sharks), caught and brought to
the vessel alive could have been released alive or landed. In addition,
participants were restricted by the number of longline sets as well as
the number of hooks they could deploy and have on board the vessel. The
vessels participating in the shark research fishery fished an average
of one trip per month.
In order to participate in the shark research fishery, commercial
shark fishermen need to submit a completed Shark Research Fishery
Application by the deadline noted above (see DATES) showing that the
vessel and owner(s) meet the specific criteria outlined below.
Research Objectives
Each year, the research objectives are developed by a shark board,
which is comprised of representatives within NMFS, including
representatives from the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)
Panama City Laboratory, Northeast Fisheries Science Center Narragansett
Laboratory, the Southeast Regional Office, Protected Resources
Division, and the HMS Management Division. The research objectives for
2015 are based on various documents, including the 2012 Biological
Opinion for the Continued Authorization of the Atlantic Shark Fisheries
and the Federal Authorization of a Smoothhound Fishery, 2010/2011 U.S.
South Atlantic blacknose, U.S. Gulf of Mexico blacknose, sandbar, and
dusky sharks stock assessment and the 2012 U.S. Gulf of Mexico blacktip
shark stock assessment. The 2015 research objectives are:
Collect reproductive, length, sex, and age data from
sandbar and other sharks throughout the calendar year for species-
specific stock assessments;
Monitor the size distribution of sandbar sharks and other
species captured in the fishery;
Continue on-going tagging shark programs for
identification of migration corridors and stock structure using dart
and/or spaghetti tags;
Maintain time-series of abundance from previously derived
indices for the shark bottom longline observer program;
Sample fin sets (e.g. dorsal, pectoral) from prioritized
species to further develop fin identification guides;
Acquire fin-clip samples of all shark and other species
for genetic analysis;
Attach satellite archival tags to endangered smalltooth
sawfish to provide information on critical habitat and preferred depth,
consistent with the requirements listed in the take permit issued under
Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act to the SEFSC observer program;
Attach satellite archival tags to prohibited dusky and
other sharks, as needed, to provide information on daily and seasonal
movement patterns, and preferred depth;
Evaluate hooking mortality and post-release survivorship
of dusky, hammerhead, blacktip, and other sharks using hook-timers and
temperature-depth recorders;
Evaluate the effects of controlled gear experiments in
order to determine the effects of potential hook changes to prohibited
species interactions and fishery yields;
Examine the size distribution of sandbar and other sharks
captured throughout the fishery including in the Mid-Atlantic shark
time/area closure off the coast of North Carolina from January 1
through July 31; and
Develop allometric and weight relationships of selected
species of sharks (e.g. hammerhead, sandbar, blacktip shark).
Selection Criteria
Shark Research Fishery Permit Applications will be accepted only
from commercial shark fishermen who hold a current directed or
incidental shark limited access permit. While incidental permit holders
are welcome to submit an application, to ensure that an appropriate
number of sharks are landed to meet the research objectives for this
year, NMFS will give priority to directed permit holders as recommended
by the shark board. As such, qualified incidental permit holders will
be selected only if there are not enough qualified directed permit
holders to meet research objectives.
The Shark Research Fishery Permit Application includes, but is not
limited to, a request for the following information: Type of commercial
shark permit possessed; past participation in the commercial shark
fishery (not including sharks caught for display); past involvement and
compliance with HMS observer programs per 50 CFR 635.7; past compliance
with HMS regulations at 50 CFR part 635; availability to participate in
the shark research fishery; ability to fish in the regions and season
requested; ability to attend necessary meetings regarding the
objectives and research protocols of the shark research fishery; and
ability to carry out the research objectives of the Agency. An
applicant who has been charged criminally or civilly (e.g., issued a
Notice of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) or Notice of Permit Sanction)
for any HMS-related violation will not be considered for participation
in the shark research fishery. In addition, applicants who were
selected to carry an observer in the previous 2 years for any HMS
fishery, but failed to contact NMFS to arrange the placement of an
observer as required per 50 CFR 635.7, will not be considered for
participation in the 2015 shark research fishery. Applicants who were
selected to carry an observer in the previous 2 years for any HMS
fishery and failed to comply with all the observer regulations per 50
CFR 635.7 will also not be considered. Exceptions will be made for
vessels that were selected for HMS observer coverage but did not fish
in the quarter when selected and thus did not require an observer.
Applicants who do not possess a valid USCG safety inspection decal when
the application is submitted will not be considered. Applicants who
have been non-compliant with any of the HMS observer program
regulations in the previous 2 years, as described above, may be
eligible for future participation in shark research fishery activities
by demonstrating 2 subsequent years of compliance with observer
regulations at 50 CFR 635.7.
Selection Process
The HMS Management Division will review all submitted applications
and develop a list of qualified applicants
[[Page 64752]]
from those applications that are deemed complete. A qualified applicant
is an applicant that has submitted a complete application by the
deadline (see DATES) and has met the selection criteria listed above.
Qualified applicants are eligible to be selected to participate in the
shark research fishery for 2015. The HMS Management Division will
provide the list of qualified applicants without identifying
information to the SEFSC. The SEFSC will then evaluate the list of
qualified applicants and, based on the temporal and spatial needs of
the research objectives, the availability of observers, the
availability of qualified applicants, and the available quota for a
given year, will randomly select qualified applicants to conduct the
prescribed research. Where there are multiple qualified applicants that
meet the criteria, permittees will be randomly selected through a
lottery system. If a public meeting is deemed necessary, NMFS will
announce details of a public selection meeting in a subsequent Federal
Register notice.
Once the selection process is complete, NMFS will notify the
selected applicants and issue the shark research fishery permits. The
shark research fishery permits will be valid only in calendar year
2015. If needed, NMFS will communicate with the shark research fishery
permit holders to arrange a captain's meeting to discuss the research
objectives and protocols. NMFS held mandatory captain's meetings before
observers were placed on vessels in both 2013 (78 FR 14515; March 6,
2013) and 2014 (79 FR 12155; March 4, 2014) and expects to hold one
again in 2015. Once the fishery starts, the shark research fishery
permit holders must contact the NMFS observer coordinator to arrange
the placement of a NMFS-approved observer for each shark research trip.
A shark research fishery permit will only be valid for the vessel
and owner(s) and terms and conditions listed on the permit, and, thus,
cannot be transferred to another vessel or owner(s). Issuance of a
shark research permit does not guarantee that the permit holder will be
assigned a NMFS-approved observer on any particular trip. Rather,
issuance indicates that a vessel may be issued a NMFS-approved observer
for a particular trip, and on such trips, may be allowed to harvest
Atlantic sharks, including sandbar sharks, in excess of the retention
limits described in 50 CFR 635.24(a). These retention limits will be
based on available quota, number of vessels participating in the 2015
shark research fishery, the research objectives set forth by the shark
board, the extent of other restrictions placed on the vessel, and may
vary by vessel and/or location. When not operating under the auspices
of the shark research fishery, the vessel would still be able to land
LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks subject to existing retention limits on
trips without a NMFS-approved observer.
NMFS annually invites commercial shark permit holders (directed and
incidental) to submit an application to participate in the shark
research fishery. Permit applications can be found on the HMS
Management Division's Web site at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/index.htm or by calling (301) 427-8503. Final decisions on the issuance
of a shark research fishery permit will depend on the submission of all
required information by the deadline (see DATES), and NMFS' review of
applicant information as outlined above. The 2015 shark research
fishery will start after the opening of the shark fishery and under
available quotas as published in a separate Federal Register final
rule.
Dated: October 28, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-25957 Filed 10-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
