Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Atlantic Shark Fisheries; Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 103098B]

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Atlantic Shark Fisheries;

Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Application for EFP; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an EFP. If

granted, this EFP would authorize, over a period of 1 year, collections

of a limited number of sharks from the large coastal, pelagic, and

small coastal groups from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean for the

purpose of shark identification training.

DATES: Written comments on the applications must be received on or

before December 2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Rebecca Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory

Species Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,

Silver Spring, MD 20910. The application and copies of the regulations

under which exempted fishing permits are subject may also be requested

from this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margo Schulze, 301-713-2347; fax: 301-

713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EFP is requested under the authority of

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.

1801 et seq.) and regulations at 50 CFR 600 concerning scientific

research activity, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activity.

Special Agent Paul Raymond intends to conduct a series of shark

species identification courses for NMFS enforcement, United States

Coast Guard, and Florida Marine Patrol personnel. In order to obtain

specimens for this ``hands-on'' training, Special Agent Raymond has

requested that Mr. Eric Sanders, a former commercial fisherman, be

authorized to collect a maximum of 234 sharks (i.e., two individuals

per the 39 federally-managed species for three training sessions for a

total of 234 fish) by bottom longline. Fishing will occur in the

Atlantic Ocean off east central Florida. Issuance of an EFP is

necessary because possession of five large coastal shark species is

prohibited and because the commercial fishery for large coastal sharks

is closed for extended periods.

The proposed collections involve activities otherwise prohibited by

regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the

Atlantic Ocean. The applicant requests authorization to fish for and to

possess large coastal sharks outside the Federal commercial seasons and

to fish for and to possess prohibited species.

NMFS finds that this application warrants further consideration

because Atlantic sharks are extremely difficult to identify by species

once the carcasses have been commercially dressed and the primary

diagnostic characteristics (head, fins, and tail) have been removed.

Therefore, thorough ``hands-on'' training of Federal and state

personnel that will be enforcing Atlantic shark regulations is

extremely critical to the effectiveness of the regulations. A final

decision on issuance of EFPs will depend on the submission of all

required information, NMFS' review of public comments received on the

applications, conclusions of any environmental analyses conducted

pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, and on any

consultations with any appropriate Regional Fishery Management

Councils, states, or Federal agencies.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: November 6, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-30617 Filed 11-16-98; 8:45 am]

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