NOAA Fisheries is extending the comment period to provide an opportunity for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to be briefed and for the Council and other interested parties to comment. Comments can be submitted electronically through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Enter “NOAA-NMFS-2018-0011” in the portal keyword search. Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting list and click on the “Submit a Comment” icon on the right of that line.
On July 27, 2018 (83 FR 35637), NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule that announced its intent to amend the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. This amendment is based on the results of the 2017 stock assessment and a subsequent binding recommendation by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas for North Atlantic shortfin mako sharks. The North Atlantic shortfin mako shark stock is overfished and is experiencing overfishing. NOAA Fisheries is proposing management measures that would reduce fishing mortality of shortfin mako sharks and establish a foundation for rebuilding the population that is consistent with legal requirements. The proposed measures could affect U.S. commercial and recreational fishermen who target and harvest shortfin mako sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea by increasing live releases and reducing landings.
For more information contact Guý DuBeck at 301-427-8503. This federal action was filed with the Office of Federal Register.
