Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures; 2020 Research Fishery, 64465-64467 [2019-25307]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 226 / Friday, November 22, 2019 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2019–25271 Filed 11–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XT021]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Shark Management Measures;
2020 Research Fishery
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for
applications.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces its request
for applications for the 2020 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 and to meet
the 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), smoothhound, 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 December 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Please submit completed
applications to the HMS Management
Division at:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 Nov 21, 2019
Jkt 250001
• Mail: Attn: Lauren Latchford or
Delisse M Ortiz, HMS Management
Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
• Email: NMFS.Research.Fishery@
noaa.gov.
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 email a request to
NMFS.Research.Fishery@noaa.gov.
Copies of the Shark Research Fishery
Application are also available at the
HMS website at https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/atlantic-highlymigratory-species-permits-andreporting-forms. Additionally, please be
advised that your application may be
released under the Freedom of
Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Lauren Latchford
at (301) 427–8503 (phone) or Delisse
Ortiz at (240) 681–9037 or email
NMFS.research.fishery@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act). The 2006 Consolidated HMS
Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as
amended, 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; 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 information to determine atvessel and post-release mortality of
dusky sharks; and collection of sharks to
determine the weight conversion factor
from dressed weight to whole weight.
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
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
64465
shark research fishery are authorized to
land sandbar sharks subject to the
sandbar quota available each year. The
base quota is 90.7 metric tons (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, smoothhound, and
pelagic sharks consistent with 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 2020 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
changes each year. In 2019, five
fishermen were chosen to participate.
From 2008 through 2019, there has been
an average of seven participants each
year with the range from five to eleven.
The number of trips allowed per month
can change, but in the last few years this
number has remained constant with
partipating vessels on average been able
to take one trip per month. However, the
number of trips taken per month are
limited by the scientific and research
needs of the Agency and the number of
NMFS-approved observers available.
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).
These limits may change both between
years and during the year depending on
research goals and bycatch limits.
In the 2019 fishing season, NMFS
split 90 percent of the sandbar and LCS
research fishery quotas equally among
selected participants, with each vessel
allocated 16.3 mt dw (35,992 lb dw) of
sandbar shark research fishery quota
and 9.0 mt dw (19,841 lb dw) of other
LCS research fishery quota. The
remaining quota was held in reserve to
ensure the overall sandbar and LCS
research fishery quotas were not
exceeded. NMFS also established a
regional dusky bycatch limit, which was
implemented in 2013, specific to this
small research fishery, where once three
or more dusky sharks were brought to
the vessel dead in any of four 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, after the change
in soak time, there were two additional
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64466
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 226 / Friday, November 22, 2019 / Notices
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
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
land any dead sharks, unless they were
a prohibited species, in which case they
were required to discard them. All
prohibited species must be released,
unless the observer requests that the
shark be retained for research purposes.
If the regional non-blacknose SCS,
blacknose, and/or pelagic shark
commercial management group quotas
were closed, then any shark research
fishery permit holder fishing in the
region was required to discard all of the
species from the closed management
groups regardless of condition. Any
sharks, except prohibited species or
species from closed commercial
management groups, caught and brought
to the vessel alive could be released
alive or landed. The vessels
participating in the shark research
fishery took on average 9 trips in 2019,
but the timing, and number of the trips
varied based on seasonal availability of
certain species and individual allocated
quotas.
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, the
Southeast Regional Office Protected
Resources Division, and the HMS
Management Division. The research
objectives for 2020 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, as well as
recent stock assessments for the U.S.
South Atlantic blacknose, U.S Gulf of
Mexico blacknose, U.S. Gulf of Mexico
blacktip, sandbar, and dusky sharks (all
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16:57 Nov 21, 2019
Jkt 250001
these stock assessments can be found at
https://sedarweb.org/). The 2020 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;
• Develop allometric and weight
relationships of selected species of
sharks (e.g., hammerhead, sandbar,
blacktip shark); and
• Collect samples such as liver and
muscle plugs for stable isotope analysis
as a part of a trophic level-based
ecosystem study.
Selection Criteria
Shark Research Fishery Permit
Applications will only be accepted 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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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 and
availability 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; past and present
availability to participate in the shark
research fishery year-round; 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. Preference will
be given to those applicants who are
willing and available to fish year-round
and who affirmatively state that they
intend to do so, in order to ensure the
timely and accurate data collection
NMFS needs to meet this year’s research
objectives. 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 two
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 2020 shark research
fishery. Applicants who were selected
to carry an observer in the previous two
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 two
years, as described above, may be
eligible for future participation in shark
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 226 / Friday, November 22, 2019 / Notices
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
research fishery activities by
demonstrating two 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
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 2020. 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 through
December 31, 2020, unless otherwise
specified. 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 usually holds mandatory
captain’s meetings before observers are
placed on vessels and may hold one for
the 2020 shark research fishery in early
2020. Once the fishery starts, the shark
research fishery permit holders must
contact the NMFS observer coordinator
to arrange the placement of a NMFSapproved observer for each shark
research trip. Additionally, selected
applicants are expected to allow
observers the opportunity to perform
their duties as required and assist
observers as necessary.
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). Shark
research fishery permit holders must
carry a NMFS-approved observer in
order to land sandbar sharks. Issuance
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 Nov 21, 2019
Jkt 250001
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 2020 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 website at
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantichighly-migratory-species/atlantichighly-migratory-species-permits-andreporting-forms 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 2020 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: November 18, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–25307 Filed 11–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
SEVERELY DISABLED
Procurement List; Deletions
Committee for Purchase From
People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled.
ACTION: Deletions from the Procurement
List.
AGENCY:
This action deletes products
and services to the Procurement List
that were furnished by nonprofit
agencies employing persons who are
blind or have other severe disabilities.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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64467
Date deleted from the
Procurement List: December 22, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase
From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled, 1401 S. Clark Street, Suite
715, Arlington, Virginia, 22202–4149.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael R. Jurkowski, Telephone: (703)
603–2117, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or email
CMTEFedReg@AbilityOne.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Deletions
On 10/11/2019 and 10/18/2019, the
Committee for Purchase From People
Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
published notice of proposed deletions
from the Procurement List.
After consideration of the relevant
matter presented, the Committee has
determined that the products and
services listed below are no longer
suitable for procurement by the Federal
Government under 41 U.S.C. 8501–8506
and 41 CFR 51–2.4.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
I certify that the following action will
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substantial number of small entities.
The major factors considered for this
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additional reporting, recordkeeping or
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entities.
2. The action may result in
authorizing small entities to furnish the
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3. There are no known regulatory
alternatives which would accomplish
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connection with the products and
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End of Certification
Accordingly, the following products
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Reusable, Small
E:\FR\FM\22NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64465-64467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25307]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XT021]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management
Measures; 2020 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 2020 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 and to meet the 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), smoothhound, 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 December 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Please submit completed applications to the HMS Management
Division at:
Mail: Attn: Lauren Latchford or Delisse M Ortiz, HMS
Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910.
Email: [email protected].
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 email a request to
[email protected]. Copies of the Shark Research Fishery
Application are also available at the HMS website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-permits-and-reporting-forms. Additionally,
please be advised that your application may be released under the
Freedom of Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Lauren Latchford
at (301) 427-8503 (phone) or Delisse Ortiz at (240) 681-9037 or email
[email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 2006 Consolidated HMS
Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as amended, 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; 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 information to determine at-
vessel and post-release mortality of dusky sharks; and collection of
sharks to determine the weight conversion factor from dressed weight to
whole weight.
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 90.7 metric tons (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, smoothhound, and pelagic sharks
consistent with 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 2020 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 changes
each year. In 2019, five fishermen were chosen to participate. From
2008 through 2019, there has been an average of seven participants each
year with the range from five to eleven. The number of trips allowed
per month can change, but in the last few years this number has
remained constant with partipating vessels on average been able to take
one trip per month. However, the number of trips taken per month are
limited by the scientific and research needs of the Agency and the
number of NMFS-approved observers available. 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). These limits
may change both between years and during the year depending on research
goals and bycatch limits.
In the 2019 fishing season, NMFS split 90 percent of the sandbar
and LCS research fishery quotas equally among selected participants,
with each vessel allocated 16.3 mt dw (35,992 lb dw) of sandbar shark
research fishery quota and 9.0 mt dw (19,841 lb dw) of other LCS
research fishery quota. The remaining quota was held in reserve to
ensure the overall sandbar and LCS research fishery quotas were not
exceeded. NMFS also established a regional dusky bycatch limit, which
was implemented in 2013, specific to this small research fishery, where
once three or more dusky sharks were brought to the vessel dead in any
of four 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, after the
change in soak time, there were two additional
[[Page 64466]]
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 land any dead sharks, unless
they were a prohibited species, in which case they were required to
discard them. All prohibited species must be released, unless the
observer requests that the shark be retained for research purposes. If
the regional non-blacknose SCS, blacknose, and/or pelagic shark
commercial management group quotas were closed, then any shark research
fishery permit holder fishing in the region was required to discard all
of the species from the closed management groups regardless of
condition. Any sharks, except prohibited species or species from closed
commercial management groups, caught and brought to the vessel alive
could be released alive or landed. The vessels participating in the
shark research fishery took on average 9 trips in 2019, but the timing,
and number of the trips varied based on seasonal availability of
certain species and individual allocated quotas.
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, the Southeast Regional Office Protected
Resources Division, and the HMS Management Division. The research
objectives for 2020 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,
as well as recent stock assessments for the U.S. South Atlantic
blacknose, U.S Gulf of Mexico blacknose, U.S. Gulf of Mexico blacktip,
sandbar, and dusky sharks (all these stock assessments can be found at
https://sedarweb.org/). The 2020 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;
Develop allometric and weight relationships of selected
species of sharks (e.g., hammerhead, sandbar, blacktip shark); and
Collect samples such as liver and muscle plugs for stable
isotope analysis as a part of a trophic level-based ecosystem study.
Selection Criteria
Shark Research Fishery Permit Applications will only be accepted
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 and availability 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; past
and present availability to participate in the shark research fishery
year-round; 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. Preference will be given to
those applicants who are willing and available to fish year-round and
who affirmatively state that they intend to do so, in order to ensure
the timely and accurate data collection NMFS needs to meet this year's
research objectives. 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 two 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 2020 shark research fishery.
Applicants who were selected to carry an observer in the previous two
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 two years, as described
above, may be eligible for future participation in shark
[[Page 64467]]
research fishery activities by demonstrating two 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 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 2020. 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 through December 31, 2020,
unless otherwise specified. 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 usually holds
mandatory captain's meetings before observers are placed on vessels and
may hold one for the 2020 shark research fishery in early 2020. 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. Additionally,
selected applicants are expected to allow observers the opportunity to
perform their duties as required and assist observers as necessary.
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). Shark research
fishery permit holders must carry a NMFS-approved observer in order to
land sandbar sharks. 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 2020 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 website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-permits-and-reporting-forms 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 2020 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: November 18, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-25307 Filed 11-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
