January 18, 2015 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to allow more flexibility in regulating Atlantic shark fishing. NMFS is proposing new rules for Large Coastal & Small Coastal Atlantic Shark Management Measures. NMFS is proposing the changes to Draft Amendment 6 of the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan in the Federal Register of Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015.
NMFS is taking public comments on the proposals until April 3 and plans four public hearings and a teleconference on them. Refer to NOAA-NMFS-2010-0188 and file your comments electronically. Or mail them to to Margo Schulze-Haugen, NMFS/SF1, 1315 East West Hwy., NMFS, SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910. If you have questions, contact LeAnn Hogan, Guyacute DuBeck, Alexis Jackson or Karyl Brewster-Geisz at (301) 427-8503, fax (301) 713-1917.
The hearings take place Tuesday, Feb. 17 in St. Petersburg, Florida; Wednesday, Feb. 18 in Melbourne, Florida; Monday, Feb. 23 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana; and Thursday, Feb. 26 in Monteo, North Carolina. All take place from 5 to 8 p.m. The hearings are accessible to people with disabilities. If you need special help such as a sign language interpreter, call the above number at least a week in advance. NMFS intends to give all attendees a chance to speak.
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