National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 7, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region Protected Resources Division (Responsible Party: Mary Colligan), One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, has been issued a modification to scientific research Permit No. 1614.

Based on the 2007 small coastal sharks (SCS) stock assessment, NMFS is declaring blacknose sharks to be overfished with overfishing occurring. As such, NMFS announces its intent to prepare an EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This EIS would assess the potential effects on the human environment of the proposed action taken to rebuild blacknose sharks and prevent overfishing per the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The EIS would amend the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and examine management alternatives available to rebuild blacknose sharks. NMFS is requesting comments on a range of commercial and recreational management measures in both directed and incidental fisheries including, but not limited to, quota levels, regional and seasonal quotas, retention limits, minimum sizes, and time/area closures.