Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 38 / Friday, February 27, 2009 / Notices 8913 

Dated: February 24, 2009. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–4186 Filed 2–26–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XN27 

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 of public workshops. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces free 

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops 

and Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

to be held in April, May, and June of 

2009. Certain fishermen and shark 

dealers are required to attend a 

workshop to meet regulatory 

requirements and maintain valid 

permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark 

Identification Workshop is mandatory 

for all federally permitted Atlantic shark 

dealers. The Protected Species Safe 

Handling, Release, and Identification 

Workshop is 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. 

Additional free workshops will be held 

in 2009 and announced in the Federal 

Register. 

DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification 

Workshops will be held April 22, May 

7, and June 4, 2009. 

The Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

will be held April 22, April 29, May 6, 

May 20, June 17, and June 24, 2009. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

further details. 

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark 

Identification Workshops will be held in 

South Boston, MA; Vero Beach, FL; and 

Old Jefferson (New Orleans), LA. 

The Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshops 

will be held in Manahawkin, NJ; 

Panama City, FL; Kitty Hawk, NC; 

Ocean City, MD; Key Largo, FL; and 

Houston, TX. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

further details on workshop locations. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Richard A. Pearson by phone: (727) 

824–5399, or by fax: (727) 824–5398. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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/. 

Atlantic Shark Identification 

Workshops 

Since December 31, 2007, 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 which 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 

three years. 

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 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 which first 

receives Atlantic sharks has been 

submitted with the permit renewal 

application. The certificate(s) are valid 

for three years. Additionally, trucks or 

other conveyances which are extensions 

of a dealer’s place of business must 

possess a copy of a valid dealer or proxy 

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop 

certificate. Approximately 30 free 

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops 

have been conducted since January 

2007. 

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations 

1. April 22, 2009, from 1 p.m.–5 p.m., 

South Boston Public Library, 646 East 

Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127. 

2. May 7, 2009, from 9 a.m.–2 p.m., 

Leisure Square—TUFF Room, 3705 16th 

Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960. 

3. June 4, 2009, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., 

Jefferson Parrish Library—Rosedale 

Branch, 4036 Jefferson Highway, Old 

Jefferson, LA 70121. 

Registration 

To register for a scheduled Atlantic 

Shark Identification Workshop, please 

contact Eric Sander by e-mail at 

esander@peoplepc.com or by phone at 

(386) 852–8588. 

Registration Materials 

To ensure that workshop certificates 

are linked to the correct permits, 

participants will need to bring the 

following items to the 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 

permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a 

specific business location, a copy of the 

appropriate permit, and proof of 

identification. 

Workshop Objectives 

The 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. 

Protected Species 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 Protected Species 

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 three years. As 

such, vessel owners who have not 

already attended a workshop and 

received a NMFS certificate, or if their 

certificate(s) are due to expire in 2009, 

must attend one of the workshops 

offered in 2009 to fish with or renew 

either permit. Additionally, new shark 

and swordfish limited access permit 

applicants who intend to fish with 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES2
8914 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 38 / Friday, February 27, 2009 / Notices 

longline or gillnet gear must attend a 

Protected Species Safe Handling, 

Release, and Identification Workshop 

and submit a copy of their workshop 

certificate before either of the permits 

will be issued. 

In addition to certifying permit 

holders, all longline and gillnet vessel 

operators fishing on a vessel issued a 

limited access swordfish or limited 

access shark permit are required to 

attend a Protected Species Safe 

Handling, Release, and Identification 

Workshop and receive a certificate. The 

certificate(s) are valid for three years. 

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 onboard at all 

times. Approximately 60 free Protected 

Species Safe Handling, Release, and 

Identification Workshops have been 

conducted since 2006. 

Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations 

1. April 22, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72 East, 

Manahawkin, NJ 08050. 

2. April 29, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Hilton Garden Inn, 1101 North Highway 

231, Panama City, FL 32405. 

3. May 6, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Hilton Garden Inn, 5353 North Virginia 

Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. 

4. May 20, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Princess Bayside Hotel, 4801 Coastal 

Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842. 

5. June 17, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Holiday Inn, 99701 Overseas Highway, 

Key Largo, FL 33037. 

6. June 24, 2009, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., 

Holiday Inn, 8611 Airport Boulevard, 

Houston, TX 77061. 

Registration 

To register for a scheduled Protected 

Species Safe Handling, Release, and 

Identification Workshop, please contact 

Angler Conservation Education at (877) 

411–4272, 1640 Mason Avenue, 

Daytona Beach, FL 32117. 

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: 

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 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. The proper 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 of these 

workshops is to provide participants 

with the skills needed to reduce the 

mortality of protected species, which 

may prevent additional regulations on 

these fisheries in the future. 

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) were issued a NOAA 

workshop certificate in December 2006 

that is valid for three years. These 

workshop certificates may be expiring 

in 2009. Vessel owners and operators 

whose certificates expire prior to permit 

renewal in 2009 must attend a 

workshop, successfully complete the 

course, and obtain a new certificate in 

order to renew their limited access 

shark and limited access swordfish 

permits. Failure to provide a valid 

NOAA workshop certificate could result 

in a permit denial. 

Dated: February 24, 2009. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–4283 Filed 2–26–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

Notice: American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 Broadband 

Initiatives 

AGENCY: National Telecommunications 

and Information Administration, U.S. 

Department of Commerce; Rural 

Development, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture; Federal Communications 

Commission 

ACTION: Joint Notice of Public Meeting 

SUMMARY: The National 

Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA), U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s Office of 

Rural Development, and Federal 

Communications Commission (FCC) 

will host a public meeting on March 10, 

2009, in connection with the Broadband 

Initiatives funded by the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 

Public Law No. 111-5. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

March 10, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 

11:30 a.m., Eastern Standard Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the U.S. Department of Commerce, 

National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration, 1401 

Constitution Avenue, N.W., 

Auditorium, Washington, D.C. (Please 

enter at 14th Street.) The disability 

accessible entrance is located at the 14th 

Street Aquarium Entrance. The meeting 

location is subject to change. Any 

change in the location will be posted on 

NTIA’s website (www.ntia.doc.gov) 

prior to the meeting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information regarding the 

meeting, contact Barbara Brown, NTIA, 

at (202) 482–4374 or 

bbrown@ntia.doc.gov or Mary 

Campanola, Rural Development, at 

(202)-720-8822 or 

mary.campanola@usda.gov or Christi 

Shewman, FCC, at (202) 418-1686 or 

christi.shewman@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act of 2009 was signed into law on 

February 17, 2009. The Broadband 

Initiatives funded in the Act are 

intended to accelerate broadband 

deployment in unserved, underserved, 

and rural areas and to strategic 

institutions that are likely to create jobs 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES2