On May 21 NOAA Fisheries filed a federal register notice to collect information on foreign vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing, bycatch, or activities that have targeted or incidentally caught sharks beyond any national jurisdiction during 2016-2018; and foreign commercial fishing operations exporting fish and fish products and the level of incidental and intentional mortality and serious injury of marine mammals.
The United States, a global leader in the responsible management of marine fisheries, works with foreign governments to track, identify, and combat IUU fishing, sustainably manage and conserve bycatch of protected living marine resources (PLMRs) and marine mammals, and address other fishing practices that threaten our shared natural resources.
In preparation for NOAA Fisheries’ sixth Biennial Report to Congress, this information may assist in the identification of nations whose fishing vessels are engaged in IUU fishing or fishing practices that result in bycatch of PLMRs, and/or shark catch in waters beyond any national jurisdiction without a regulatory program comparable to the United States.
Toward the ongoing implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions and the publication of its 2020 List of Foreign Fisheries, this information may indicate harvesting nations with commercial fishing operations that export fish and fish products to the United States and the classification of those fisheries based on their frequency of marine mammal interactions.
NOAA Fisheries will consider several criteria when determining whether the information submitted is appropriate for use in making identifications. Submissions should be received on or before December 31, 2018 at IUU.PLMR.Sharks@noaa.gov.
NOAA Fisheries will also host a webinar about the information collection requirements for the Biennial Report to Congress and the List of Foreign Fisheries on June 26, 2018 at 3:00 pm Eastern. Register here.
Learn more about the Biennial Report to Congress and the List of Foreign Fisheries.