Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops, 27286-27288 [2019-12407]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2019 / Notices
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looked at the most conservative
scenario, which is that all 570 takes
could potentially be distributed to each
of the three stocks. This is a highly
unlikely scenario to occur and the
percentages of each stock taken are
predicted to be significantly lower.
Further, these percentages do not take
into consideration that some number of
these take instances are likely repeat
takes incurred by the same individuals,
thereby lowering the number of
individuals.
There are no official stock abundances
for harbor porpoise and minke whales;
however, as discussed in greater detail
in the ‘‘Description of Marine Mammals
in the Area of Specified Activities,’’ we
believe for the abundance information
that is available, the estimated takes are
likely small percentages of the stock
abundance. For harbor porpoise, the
abundance for the Southeast Alaska
stock is likely more represented by the
aerial surveys that were conducted as
these surveys had better coverage and
were corrected for observer bias. Based
on this data, the estimated take could
potentially be approximately 17 percent
of the stock abundance. However, this is
unlikely and the percentage of the stock
taken is likely lower as the take
estimates are conservative and the
project occurs in a small footprint
compared to the available habitat in
Southeast Alaska. For minke whales, in
the northern part of their range they are
believed to be migratory and so few
minke whales have been seen during
three offshore Gulf of Alaska surveys
that a population estimate could not be
determined. With only nine planned
takes for this species, the percentage of
take in relation to the stock abundance
is likely to be very small.
Based on the analysis contained
herein of the planned activity (including
the mitigation and monitoring
measures) and the anticipated take of
marine mammals, NMFS finds that
small numbers of marine mammals will
be taken relative to the population size
of the affected species or stocks.
Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis
and Determination
In September 2018, DPD contacted the
Indigenous People’s Council for Marine
Mammals (IPCoMM), the Alaska Sea
Otter and Steller Sea Lion Commission,
and the Hoonah Indian Association
(HIA) to determine potential project
impacts on local subsistence activities.
No comments were received from
IPCoMM or the Alaska Sea Otter and
Steller Sea Lion Commission. On
October 23, 2018, a conference call
between representatives from DPD,
Turnagain Marine Construction,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:00 Jun 11, 2019
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SolsticeAK, and the HIA were held to
discuss tribal concerns regarding
subsistence impacts. The tribe
confirmed that Steller sea lions and
harbor seals are harvested in and around
the project area. The HIA referenced the
2012 subsistence technical paper by
Wolf et al. (2013) as the most recent
information available on marine
mammal harvesting in Hoonah and
agreed that the planned construction
activities are unlikely to have significant
impacts to marine mammals as they are
used in subsistence applications.
Information on the timing of the IHA
issuance was provided by DPD via email
to the tribe on October 23, 2018. There
have been no further comments on this
project.
Therefore, we believe there are no
relevant subsistence uses of the affected
marine mammal stocks or species
implicated by this action. NMFS has
determined that the total taking of
affected species or stocks would not
have an unmitigable adverse impact on
the availability of such species or stocks
for taking for subsistence purposes.
National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
216–6A, NMFS must review our
proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an
incidental harassment authorization)
with respect to potential impacts on the
human environment. This action is
consistent with categories of activities
identified in Categorical Exclusion B4
(incidental harassment authorizations
with no anticipated serious injury or
mortality) of the Companion Manual for
NOAA Administrative Order 216–6A,
which do not individually or
cumulatively have the potential for
significant impacts on the quality of the
human environment and for which we
have not identified any extraordinary
circumstances that would preclude this
categorical exclusion. Accordingly,
NMFS has determined that the issuance
of the IHA qualifies to be categorically
excluded from further NEPA review.
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal
agency insure that any action it
authorizes, funds, or carries out is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any endangered or
threatened species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of
designated critical habitat. To ensure
ESA compliance for the issuance of
IHAs, NMFS consults internally, in this
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case with the Alaska Regional Office
(AKRO) whenever we propose to
authorize take for endangered or
threatened species.
NMFS is authorizing take of Mexico
DPS humpback whales, which are listed
and Western DPS Steller sea lions under
the ESA. The Permit and Conservation
Division completed a Section 7
consultation with the Alaska Regional
Office for the issuance of this IHA. The
Alaska Regional Office’s biological
opinion states that the action is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of Western DPS Steller sea
lions or Mexico DPS humpback whales.
Authorization
As a result of these determinations,
NMFS authorizes an IHA to DPD for
conducting pile driving and removal
activities for the construction of the
Hoonah Berth II cruise ship terminal
and lightering float, Icy Strait, Hoonah
Alaska provided the previously
mentioned mitigation, monitoring, and
reporting requirements are incorporated.
Dated: June 6, 2019.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–12318 Filed 6–11–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XH002
Schedules for Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshops
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
AGENCY:
Free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshops will be held in July, August,
and September of 2019. Certain
fishermen and shark dealers are
required to attend a workshop to meet
regulatory requirements and to maintain
valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic
Shark Identification Workshop is
mandatory for all federally permitted
Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshop is mandatory for vessel
owners and operators who use bottom
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet
gear, and who have also been issued
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2019 / Notices
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
shark or swordfish limited access
permits. Additional free workshops will
be conducted during 2019 and will be
announced in a future notice.
DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops will be held on July 25,
August 22, and September 12, 2019. The
Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held
on July 2, July 10, August 6, August 14,
September 4, and September 17, 2019.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for
further details.
ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops will be held in
Rosenberg, TX; Bohemia, NY; and
Panama City Beach, FL. The Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshops will be held in Galveston,
TX; Ronkonkoma, NY; Wilmington, NC;
Largo, FL; Warwick, RI; and Panama
City, FL. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for further details on
workshop locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick
Pearson by phone: (727) 824–5399.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
workshop schedules, registration
information, and a list of frequently
asked questions regarding the Atlantic
Shark ID and Safe Handling, Release,
and ID workshops are posted on the
internet at: https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/atlantic-sharkidentification-workshops and https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/safe-handling-releaseand-identification-workshops.
Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops
Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark
dealers have been prohibited from
receiving, purchasing, trading, or
bartering for Atlantic sharks unless a
valid Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshop certificate is on the premises
of each business listed under the shark
dealer permit that first receives Atlantic
sharks (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006).
Dealers who attend and successfully
complete a workshop are issued a
certificate for each place of business that
is permitted to receive sharks. These
certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus,
certificates that were initially issued in
2016 will be expiring in 2019.
Approximately 160 free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops have been
conducted since April 2008.
Currently, permitted dealers may send
a proxy to an Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop. However, if a
dealer opts to send a proxy, the dealer
must designate a proxy for each place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit
which first receives Atlantic sharks.
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17:00 Jun 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
Only one certificate will be issued to
each proxy. A proxy must be a person
who is currently employed by a place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit;
is a primary participant in the
identification, weighing, and/or first
receipt of fish as they are offloaded from
a vessel; and who fills out dealer
reports. Atlantic shark dealers are
prohibited from renewing a Federal
shark dealer permit unless a valid
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate for each business location
that first receives Atlantic sharks has
been submitted with the permit renewal
application. Additionally, trucks or
other conveyances that are extensions of
a dealer’s place of business must
possess a copy of a valid dealer or proxy
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. July 25, 2019, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., La
Quinta Inn, 28332 Southwest Freeway
59, Rosenberg, TX 77471.
2. August 22, 2019, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., La
Quinta Inn, 10 Aero Road, Bohemia, NY
11716.
3. September 12, 2019, 12 p.m.–4
p.m., La Quinta Inn, 17710 West
Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama
City Beach, FL 32413.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Atlantic
Shark Identification Workshop, please
contact Eric Sander at ericssharkguide@
yahoo.com or at (386) 852–8588. Preregistration is highly recommended, but
not required.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates
are linked to the correct permits,
participants will need to bring the
following specific items to the
workshop:
• Atlantic shark dealer permit holders
must bring proof that the attendee is an
owner or agent of the business (such as
articles of incorporation), a copy of the
applicable permit, and proof of
identification.
• Atlantic shark dealer proxies must
bring documentation from the permitted
dealer acknowledging that the proxy is
attending the workshop on behalf of the
permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a
specific business location, a copy of the
appropriate valid permit, and proof of
identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops are designed to reduce the
number of unknown and improperly
identified sharks reported in the dealer
reporting form and increase the
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Fmt 4703
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27287
accuracy of species-specific dealerreported information. Reducing the
number of unknown and improperly
identified sharks will improve quota
monitoring and the data used in stock
assessments. These workshops will train
shark dealer permit holders or their
proxies to properly identify Atlantic
shark carcasses.
Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops
Since January 1, 2007, shark limitedaccess and swordfish limited-access
permit holders who fish with longline
or gillnet gear have been required to
submit a copy of their Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshop
certificate in order to renew either
permit (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006).
These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years.
Certificates issued in 2016 will be
expiring in 2019. As such, vessel
owners who have not already attended
a workshop and received a NMFS
certificate, or vessel owners whose
certificate(s) will expire prior to the next
permit renewal, must attend a workshop
to fish with, or renew, their swordfish
and shark limited-access permits.
Additionally, new shark and swordfish
limited-access permit applicants who
intend to fish with longline or gillnet
gear must attend a Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshop
and submit a copy of their workshop
certificate before either of the permits
will be issued. Approximately 322 free
Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops have been
conducted since 2006.
In addition to certifying vessel
owners, at least one operator on board
vessels issued a limited-access
swordfish or shark permit that uses
longline or gillnet gear is required to
attend a Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop and receive a
certificate. Vessels that have been issued
a limited-access swordfish or shark
permit and that use longline or gillnet
gear may not fish unless both the vessel
owner and operator have valid
workshop certificates onboard at all
times. Vessel operators who have not
already attended a workshop and
received a NMFS certificate, or vessel
operators whose certificate(s) will
expire prior to their next fishing trip,
must attend a workshop to operate a
vessel with swordfish and shark
limited-access permits that uses
longline or gillnet gear.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. July 2, 2019, 9 a.m.—5 p.m.,
DoubleTree Hotel, 1702 Seawall
Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77550.
E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM
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27288
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 12, 2019 / Notices
2. July 10, 2019, 9 a.m.—5 p.m.,
Marriott Courtyard, 5000 Express Drive
South, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779.
3. August 6, 2019, 9 a.m.—5 p.m.,
Hilton Garden Inn, 6745 Rock Spring
Road, Wilmington, NC 28405.
4. August 14, 2019, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.,
Holiday Inn Express, 210 Seminole
Boulevard, Largo, Florida 33770.
5. September 4, 2019, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.,
Hilton Garden Inn, 1 Thurber Street,
Warwick, RI 02886.
6. September 17, 2019, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.,
Hilton Garden Inn, 1101 North U.S.
Highway 231, Panama City, FL 32405.
Registration
Dated: June 7, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–12407 Filed 6–11–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Meeting of the Columbia Basin
Partnership Task Force of the Marine
Fisheries Advisory Committee
To ensure that workshop certificates
are linked to the correct permits,
participants will need to bring the
following specific items with them to
the workshop:
• Individual vessel owners must
bring a copy of the appropriate
swordfish and/or shark permit(s), a copy
of the vessel registration or
documentation, and proof of
identification.
• Representatives of a businessowned or co-owned vessel must bring
proof that the individual is an agent of
the business (such as articles of
incorporation), a copy of the applicable
swordfish and/or shark permit(s), and
proof of identification.
• Vessel operators must bring proof of
identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops are designed
to teach longline and gillnet fishermen
the required techniques for the safe
handling and release of entangled and/
or hooked protected species, such as sea
turtles, marine mammals, and
smalltooth sawfish, and prohibited
sharks. In an effort to improve reporting,
the proper identification of protected
species and prohibited sharks will also
be taught at these workshops.
Additionally, individuals attending
these workshops will gain a better
understanding of the requirements for
participating in these fisheries. The
overall goal of these workshops is to
provide participants with the skills
needed to reduce the mortality of
protected species and prohibited sharks,
which may prevent additional
17:00 Jun 11, 2019
Jkt 247001
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of open public meeting.
AGENCY:
Registration Materials
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
RIN 0648–XU001
To register for a scheduled Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshop, please contact Angler
Conservation Education at (386) 682–
0158. Pre-registration is highly
recommended, but not required.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
regulations on these fisheries in the
future.
This notice sets forth the
proposed schedule and agenda of a
forthcoming meeting of the Marine
Fisheries Advisory Committee’s
(MAFAC’s) Columbia Basin Partnership
Task Force (CBP Task Force). The CBP
Task Force will discuss the issues
outlined in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
DATES: The meeting will be held June
26, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT and
on June 27, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PT.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Historic Davenport Hotel, 10 S Post
St., Spokane, WA 99201; 509–455–8888.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katherine Cheney; NFMS West Coast
Region; 503–231–6730; email:
Katherine.Cheney@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given of a meeting of MAFAC’s
CBP Task Force. The MAFAC was
established by the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary) and, since 1971,
advises the Secretary on all living
marine resource matters that are the
responsibility of the Department of
Commerce. The MAFAC charter and
meeting information are located online
at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/
partners#marine-fisheries-advisorycommittee-. The CBP Task Force reports
to MAFAC and is being convened to
develop recommendations for long-term
goals to meet Columbia Basin salmon
recovery, conservation needs, and
harvest opportunities, in the context of
habitat capacity and other factors that
affect salmon mortality. More
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
information is available at the CBP Task
Force web page: https://
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
columbia_river/.
Matters To Be Considered
The meeting time and agenda are
subject to change. Meeting topics
include exploring potential options,
strategies, and analytical tools for
developing scenarios that assess and
achieve the provisional quantitative
goals and the qualitative goals
recommended through the phase I work.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to
Katherine Cheney, 503–231–6730, by
June 22, 2019.
Dated: June 6, 2019.
Jennifer L. Lukens,
Federal Program Officer, Marine Fisheries
Advisory Committee, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–12363 Filed 6–11–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG644–X
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to the O’Connell
Bridge Lightering Float Pile
Replacement Project in Sitka, Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental
harassment authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
regulations implementing the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as
amended, notification is hereby given
that NMFS has issued an incidental
harassment authorization (IHA) to the
City and Borough of Sitka (CBS) to
incidentally harass, by Level B
harassment only, marine mammals
during the O’Connell Bridge Lightering
Float Pile Replacement Project in Sitka,
Alaska.
DATES: This Authorization is effective
from June 1, 2019 through May 31,
2020.
SUMMARY:
Rob
Pauline, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, and (301) 427–8401. Electronic
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM
12JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27286-27288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12407]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XH002
Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in July,
August, and September of 2019. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are
required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to
maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark
dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is
mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline,
pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued
[[Page 27287]]
shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops
will be conducted during 2019 and will be announced in a future notice.
DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on July
25, August 22, and September 12, 2019. The Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held on July 2, July 10, August 6,
August 14, September 4, and September 17, 2019. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for further details.
ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in
Rosenberg, TX; Bohemia, NY; and Panama City Beach, FL. The Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in
Galveston, TX; Ronkonkoma, NY; Wilmington, NC; Largo, FL; Warwick, RI;
and Panama City, FL. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details
on workshop locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Pearson by phone: (727) 824-5399.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The workshop schedules, registration
information, and a list of frequently asked questions regarding the
Atlantic Shark ID and Safe Handling, Release, and ID workshops are
posted on the internet at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-shark-identification-workshops and
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/safe-handling-release-and-identification-workshops.
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops
Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark dealers have been prohibited
from receiving, purchasing, trading, or bartering for Atlantic sharks
unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate is on
the premises of each business listed under the shark dealer permit that
first receives Atlantic sharks (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006). Dealers
who attend and successfully complete a workshop are issued a
certificate for each place of business that is permitted to receive
sharks. These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years. Thus, certificates
that were initially issued in 2016 will be expiring in 2019.
Approximately 160 free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops have
been conducted since April 2008.
Currently, permitted dealers may send a proxy to an Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop. However, if a dealer opts to send a proxy, the
dealer must designate a proxy for each place of business covered by the
dealer's permit which first receives Atlantic sharks. Only one
certificate will be issued to each proxy. A proxy must be a person who
is currently employed by a place of business covered by the dealer's
permit; is a primary participant in the identification, weighing, and/
or first receipt of fish as they are offloaded from a vessel; and who
fills out dealer reports. Atlantic shark dealers are prohibited from
renewing a Federal shark dealer permit unless a valid Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop certificate for each business location that
first receives Atlantic sharks has been submitted with the permit
renewal application. Additionally, trucks or other conveyances that are
extensions of a dealer's place of business must possess a copy of a
valid dealer or proxy Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. July 25, 2019, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., La Quinta Inn, 28332 Southwest
Freeway 59, Rosenberg, TX 77471.
2. August 22, 2019, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., La Quinta Inn, 10 Aero Road,
Bohemia, NY 11716.
3. September 12, 2019, 12 p.m.-4 p.m., La Quinta Inn, 17710 West
Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach, FL 32413.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop,
please contact Eric Sander at [email protected] or at (386)
852-8588. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not required.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items
to the workshop:
Atlantic shark dealer permit holders must bring proof that
the attendee is an owner or agent of the business (such as articles of
incorporation), a copy of the applicable permit, and proof of
identification.
Atlantic shark dealer proxies must bring documentation
from the permitted dealer acknowledging that the proxy is attending the
workshop on behalf of the permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a
specific business location, a copy of the appropriate valid permit, and
proof of identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops are designed to reduce
the number of unknown and improperly identified sharks reported in the
dealer reporting form and increase the accuracy of species-specific
dealer-reported information. Reducing the number of unknown and
improperly identified sharks will improve quota monitoring and the data
used in stock assessments. These workshops will train shark dealer
permit holders or their proxies to properly identify Atlantic shark
carcasses.
Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
Since January 1, 2007, shark limited-access and swordfish limited-
access permit holders who fish with longline or gillnet gear have been
required to submit a copy of their Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop certificate in order to renew either permit (71
FR 58057; October 2, 2006). These certificate(s) are valid for 3 years.
Certificates issued in 2016 will be expiring in 2019. As such, vessel
owners who have not already attended a workshop and received a NMFS
certificate, or vessel owners whose certificate(s) will expire prior to
the next permit renewal, must attend a workshop to fish with, or renew,
their swordfish and shark limited-access permits. Additionally, new
shark and swordfish limited-access permit applicants who intend to fish
with longline or gillnet gear must attend a Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop and submit a copy of their workshop certificate
before either of the permits will be issued. Approximately 322 free
Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops have been
conducted since 2006.
In addition to certifying vessel owners, at least one operator on
board vessels issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit that
uses longline or gillnet gear is required to attend a Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshop and receive a certificate. Vessels
that have been issued a limited-access swordfish or shark permit and
that use longline or gillnet gear may not fish unless both the vessel
owner and operator have valid workshop certificates onboard at all
times. Vessel operators who have not already attended a workshop and
received a NMFS certificate, or vessel operators whose certificate(s)
will expire prior to their next fishing trip, must attend a workshop to
operate a vessel with swordfish and shark limited-access permits that
uses longline or gillnet gear.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. July 2, 2019, 9 a.m.--5 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel, 1702 Seawall
Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77550.
[[Page 27288]]
2. July 10, 2019, 9 a.m.--5 p.m., Marriott Courtyard, 5000 Express
Drive South, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779.
3. August 6, 2019, 9 a.m.--5 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 6745 Rock
Spring Road, Wilmington, NC 28405.
4. August 14, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 210
Seminole Boulevard, Largo, Florida 33770.
5. September 4, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 1 Thurber
Street, Warwick, RI 02886.
6. September 17, 2019, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 1101 North
U.S. Highway 231, Panama City, FL 32405.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshop, please contact Angler Conservation Education
at (386) 682-0158. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but not
required.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct
permits, participants will need to bring the following specific items
with them to the workshop:
Individual vessel owners must bring a copy of the
appropriate swordfish and/or shark permit(s), a copy of the vessel
registration or documentation, and proof of identification.
Representatives of a business-owned or co-owned vessel
must bring proof that the individual is an agent of the business (such
as articles of incorporation), a copy of the applicable swordfish and/
or shark permit(s), and proof of identification.
Vessel operators must bring proof of identification.
Workshop Objectives
The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops are
designed to teach longline and gillnet fishermen the required
techniques for the safe handling and release of entangled and/or hooked
protected species, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, and smalltooth
sawfish, and prohibited sharks. In an effort to improve reporting, the
proper identification of protected species and prohibited sharks will
also be taught at these workshops. Additionally, individuals attending
these workshops will gain a better understanding of the requirements
for participating in these fisheries. The overall goal of these
workshops is to provide participants with the skills needed to reduce
the mortality of protected species and prohibited sharks, which may
prevent additional regulations on these fisheries in the future.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 7, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-12407 Filed 6-11-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
