NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ISSUES RULE: ATLANTIC HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES; PROHIBIT RETENTION OF MOBULID RAYS IN FISHERIES FOR ATLANTIC HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES

WASHINGTON, May 20 -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a rule called: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Prohibit Retention of Mobulid Rays in Fisheries for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.

The rule was published in the Federal Register on May 20 by Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Summary: In this final rule, NMFS is changing regulations to implement the binding International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendation 24-12 on mobulid rays of the family Mobulidae. Specifically, this action prohibits retention of mobulid rays in fisheries for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS), requires mobulid rays...