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[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 242 (Monday, December 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75714-75716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9755]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 112206A]

Schedules for Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and 
Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and 
Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops 
to be held in January, February, and March of 2007. Additional 
workshops will be held throughout 2007 and will be scheduled at a later 
date.
    The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops are mandatory for all 
federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. As of December 31, 2007, an 
Atlantic shark dealer may not receive, purchase, trade, or barter for 
Atlantic shark unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop 
certificate is on the premises of each business listed under the shark 
dealer permit. Additionally, after December 31, 2007, Atlantic shark 
dealers may not renew a Federal shark dealer permit unless a valid 
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop certificate has been submitted 
with the permit renewal application. Atlantic Shark Identification 
Workshops will be held throughout 2007, at no charge to the 
participant.
    The Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification 
Workshops are mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom 
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and have also been issued 
shark or swordfish limited access permits. Vessel

[[Page 75715]]

owners and operators whose permits expire in January, February, or 
March 2007 must attend one of these free workshops in order to renew 
their permit.

DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on 
January 26, February 22, and March 16, 2007.
    The Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification 
Workshops will be held on January 8, 12, and 24, February 1, 22, and 
27, and on March 7, 15, and 21, 2007. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
further details.

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held in 
Madeira Beach, FL; Dania Beach, FL; and Manahawkin, NJ.
    The Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification 
Workshops will be held in Coconut Grove, FL; Charleston, SC; 
Providence, RI; Ft. Pierce, FL; Houston, TX; Panama City, FL; Dedham, 
MA; St. Petersburg, FL; and Ronkonkoma, NY. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for further details on workshop locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
workshop requirements, contact Greg Fairclough by phone:(727) 824-5399, 
or by fax: (727) 824-5398.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 2, 2006, NMFS published a final 
rule (71 FR 58057) that, among other things, requires certain dealers 
and fishermen to attend mandatory workshops prior to renewing their 
permits.

Shark Identification Workshops for Dealers

    Effective December 31, 2007, an Atlantic shark dealer may not 
receive, purchase, trade, or barter for Atlantic shark unless a valid 
Atlantic Shark Identification workshop certificate is on the premises 
of each business listed under the shark dealer permit. Dealers who 
attend and successfully complete a workshop will be issued a 
certificate for each place of business that is permitted to receive 
sharks. Dealers may send a proxy to a 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. Only one certificate will be issued to each proxy. A proxy must 
be a person who: is currently employed by a place of business listed on 
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 fills out dealer reports. Additionally, after December 31, 
2007, an Atlantic shark dealer may not renew a Federal shark dealer 
permit unless a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop 
certificate has been submitted with the permit renewal application.

Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops

    Effective January 1, 2007, shark limited access and swordfish 
limited access permit holders must submit a copy of their Protected 
Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop certificate 
in order to renew either permit. As such, vessel owners whose permits 
expire in early 2007 must attend one of the free workshops offered in 
January, February, or March 2007. New shark and swordfish limited 
access permit applicants must attend a Protected Species Safe Handling, 
Release, and Identification Workshop and must submit a copy of their 
workshop certificate before such permits will be issued.
    In addition to owners, all longline and gillnet vessel operators 
fishing with a limited access swordfish or limited access shark permit 
are required to attend the Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, 
and Identification Workshops. Vessels that have been issued a limited 
access swordfish or limited access shark permit may not fish unless 
both the vessel owner and operator have valid workshop certificates. 
Vessel operators must possess on board the vessel valid workshop 
certificates for both the vessel owner and the operator at all times.

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations

    Additional workshops will be scheduled throughout the year. 
Fishermen should try to go to workshops that are close to the 
expiration date of their permit.

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops

    1. January 26, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Madeira Beach Town Hall, 
300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708.
    2. February 22, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Nova Southeastern 
University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, 
FL 33004. The Park entrance fee will be waived for participants 
attending the workshop at the university.
    3. March 16, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Ocean County Library 
(Stafford Branch), 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin, NJ 08050.

Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops

    1. January 8, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hampton Inn Coconut Grove, 
2800 SW 28th Terrace, Coconut Grove, FL 33133.
    2. January 12, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Town & Country Inn & 
Conference Center, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407.
    3. January 24, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hotel Providence, 311 
Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903.
    4. February 1, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hampton Inn & Suites, 1985 
Reynolds Drive, Ft. Pierce, FL 34945.
    5. February 22, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hampton Inn, 8620 Airport 
Blvd., Houston, TX 77061.
    6. February 27, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1101 
U.S. Highway 231, Panama City, FL 32405.
    7. March 7, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Holiday Inn, Dedham, 55 
Ariadne Road, Dedham, MA 02026.
    8. March 15, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hilton, St. Petersburg 
Bayfront, 333 First Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    9. March 21, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn, Islip 
MacArthur Airport, 3485 Veterans Memorial Highway, Ronkonkoma, NY 
11779.

Registration

    The workshop schedules, registration information, and a list of 
frequently asked questions regarding these workshops are posted on the 
internet at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/workshops/.
    To register for a scheduled Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop, 
please contact Eric Sander by email at [email protected] or by phone 
at (386) 852-8588.
    To register for a scheduled Protected Species Safe Handling, 
Release, and Identification Workshop, please contact Aquatic Release 
Conservation ((877) 411-4272), 1870 Mason Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 
32117.

Grandfathered Permit Holders

    Participants in the industry-sponsored workshops on safe handling 
and release of sea turtles that were held in Orlando, FL (April 8, 
2005) and in New Orleans, LA (June 27, 2005) will be issued a workshop 
certificate in December 2006 that will be valid for three years. 
Grandfathered permit holders must include a copy of this certificate 
when renewing limited access shark and limited access swordfish permits 
each year. Failure to provide a valid workshop certificate may result 
in a permit denial.

[[Page 75716]]

Registration Materials

    To ensure that workshop certificates are linked to the correct 
permits, participants will need to bring the following items with them 
to the workshop:

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop

    Atlantic shark dealer permit holders must bring proof that the 
individual is an 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 
shark dealer acknowledging that the proxy is attending the workshop on 
behalf of the Atlantic shark dealer, a copy of the appropriate permit, 
and proof of identification.

Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop

    Individual vessel owners must bring a copy of the appropriate 
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 permit(s), and proof of 
identification.
    Vessel operators must bring 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.
    The Protected Species 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. Identification of protected species will also be 
taught at these workshops in an effort to improve reporting. 
Additionally, individuals attending these workshops will gain a better 
understanding of the requirements for participating in these fisheries. 
The overall goal for these workshops is to provide participants the 
skills needed to reduce the mortality of protected species, which may 
prevent additional regulations on these fisheries in the future.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 12, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-9755 Filed 12-13-06; 3:25 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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