NOAA Public Workshops

NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be offering a number of free workshops in the coming months, including a series of Atlantic shark identification workshops and protected species safe handling, release, and identification workshops.

The Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops will be held on October 17, 2013 in Braintree, MA; November 17, 2013 in Mount Pleasant, SC; and December 12, 2013 in St. Petersburg, FL.

The The Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held on October 2, 2013 in Manahawkin, NJ; October 18, 2013 in Key Largo, FL; November 6, 2013 in Kitty Hawk, NC; November 19, 2013 in Panama City, FL; December 4, 2013 in Ronkonkoma, NY; and December 11, 2013 in Kenner, LA.

Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to 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 who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits.

All workshops are free to the public. Additional workshops in 2014 will be announced at a later date.

For more information, see Federal Register document # 2013-21462.