Atlantic Highly Migratory Species
HMS Workshops
As of January 1, 2007, National Marine Fisheries Service will require several HMS permit holders to attend workshops. Some shark and swordfish permit holders will be required to attend a Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops; and Federally permitted shark dealers will be required to attend Atlantic Shark Identification workshops. For more information on these specific workshops, including dates and locations of upcoming workshops, registration materials, and copies of workshop curriculum, please click on one of the two links below:
Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
For more information about these HMS workshops you may also contact the HMS Management Division at 301-713-2347 or read the Workshops Fact Sheet.
- Why are These Workshops Mandatory for HMS Permit Holders?
- Who's Required to Attend?
- When and Where are the Workshops?
- How do I Sign Up for a Workshop?
- What Should I Bring to the Workshop?
- I've Already Attended a Workshop!
- What Do I Do with the Workshop Certificate?
- Are there Workshop Curriculum Materials Available?
- Where Can I Find Additional Information about these Workshop?
Why are There Mandatory Workshops for HMS Permit Holders?
These workshops are designed to educate longline and gillnet fishermen on the proper techniques for safe handling and release of entangled and/or hooked protected species, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, and smalltooth sawfish. Identification of protected species will also be taught at these workshops in an effort to improve reporting.
Vessel owners and operators using longline or gillnet gear and holding one or more of the following:
- Shark Directed Limited Access Permit;
- Shark Indirect Limited Access Permit;
- Swordfish Directed Limited Access Permit; and/or
- Swordfish Indirect limited access permit
must attend a safe handling, release and identification workshop before the owners permit expires in 2007. Others may attend provided space is available in the workshop, please inquire via the email address provided below.
When and Where are the Workshops?
The workshops currently scheduled are listed below. Additional workshops will be held throughout 2009. This site will be updated as that information becomes available.
To view past workshop dates and locations click here
JANUARY 2009
- 1/13/2009
Hilton Garden Inn and Mayfaire
6745 Rock Spring Road
Wilimington, NC 28405
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
FEBRUARY 2009
- 2/25/2009
Hilton Garden Inn (Airport)
1 Thurber Street
Warwick, RI 02886
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
MARCH 2009
- 3/11/2009
Hilton Garden Inn
6717 South Padre Island Drive
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- 3/18/2009
Hampton Inn & Suites
1985 Reynolds Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34945
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
How do I Sign Up for a Workshop?
To sign up for a scheduled workshop, please contact:
Angler Conservation Education (ACE)
(877) 411-4272
1640 Mason Avenue, Daytona Beach , FL 32117.
To assist with Pre-Registration for workshops and to expedite receipt of your certification upon completion of the workshop, please fill out the applicable form below and either:
(1) email the form to Angler Conservation Education
(2) fax the form to 386-274-2228 or
(3) bring the form with you to the workshop.
Download pre-registration forms here:
Owner/Permit Holder Registration Form
Operator Registration Form
There are three ways you can fill out these forms: (1) If you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat (i.e. Adobe Acrobat Professional 6.0 or higher) you can type in the necessary fields, save the form, and email the form to Angler Conservation Education. (2) If you only have Acrobat Reader you can type in the information and print out the form and bring it with you to the workshop. (3) If you don't have either Adobe Acrobat Professional or Adobe Reader simply print out the form, fill out the form by hand, and either fax it to ACE or bring it to the workshop.
What Should I Bring To the Workshop?
To ensure the workshop certificate is linked to the correct permit, you will need to bring the following materials with you to the workshop:
Individual Vessel Owner:
(1) Proof of identification
(2) A copy of the appropriate permit(s)
(3) A copy of the vessel registration or documentation
Representative of a Business or Co-Owned Vessel:
(1) Proof that the participant is a co-owner of the business or vessel
(2) A copy of the applicable permit(s)
(3) Proof of identification
Vessel Operator:
(1) Proof of identification
I Have Already Attended a Workshop!
In 2005, two industry sponsored workshops on safe handling and release of protected species were held:
- April 8, 2005, in Orlando , FL
- June 27, 2005, in New Orleans , LA
Individuals who attended and successfully completed an industry certification workshop on safe handling and release, as documented by workshop facilitators, will automatically receive valid protected species safe handling, release, and identification workshop certificate no later than December 31, 2006. These workshop certificates are valid for three years and must be renewed prior to renewing your shark or swordfish permit.
All workshop certificates must be renewed every three years, prior to renewing your commercial shark or swordfish limited access permit or your shark dealer permit.
What Do I Do with the Workshop Certificate?
Vessel owners with a shark and swordfish permit and using longline or gillnet gear must submit a copy of their workshop certificate with their permit renewal application each year.
Owners and operators of vessel with a shark and swordfish permit and using longline or gillnet gear must have a copy of the certificate on board the vessel as proof of certification.
Are there Workshop Curriculum Materials Available?
YES, see the links below.
Sawfish Materials
(1) Smalltooth Sawfish Release Guidelines for HMS Fisheries
(2) Sawfish Placard (Coming Soon)
Sea Turtle Materials
(1) Sea Turtle Handling and Release Placard for Atlantic Shark Gillnet Gear
(2) Sea Turtle Handling and Release Placard for Atlantic Longline Gear
(3) Detailed Handling and Release Guidelines- NOAA Technical Memorandum
(4) Longline Required Safe Handling and Release Equipment List
Marine Mammal Materials
(1) Guide to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (Excerpted)
(2) Marine Mammal Identification Guide and Fact Sheet
(3) Marine Mammal Handling and Release Placard
(4) Guidelines for Recreational Fishermen
- Why are These Workshops Mandatory for HMS Permit Holders?
- Who's Required to Attend?
- When and Where are the Workshops?
- How do I Sign Up for a Workshop?
- What Should I Bring to the Workshop?
- What Do I Do with the Workshop Certificate?
- Where Can I Find Additional Information about these Workshop?
Why are These Workshops Mandatory for HMS Permit Holders?
The objective of these workshops is to reduce the number of unknown and improperly identified sharks reported in the dealer reporting form, and to increase the accuracy of species-specific dealer reported information, quota monitoring, and the data used in stock assessments. These workshops will train shark dealer permit holders, or their proxies, to properly identify Atlantic shark carcasses.
Shark dealer permit holders must attend this workshop and obtain a workshop certificate by December 31, 2007. Shark dealers may send someone else ( i.e. , a proxy) to a workshop, instead of attending themselves. For more information about proxies, please see the Workshops Fact Sheet.
When and Where are the Workshops?
The workshops currently scheduled are listed below. Additional workshops will be held throughout 2009. This site will be updated as that information becomes available.
To view past workshop dates and locations click here
- February 11, 2009
Madeira Beach City Hall
300 Municipal Drive
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
- March 11, 2009
Walter L. Stasavich Science and Nature Center
River Park North
1000 Mumford Road
Greenville, NC 27858
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
How do I Sign Up for a Workshop?
Please call or email Eric Sander to pre-register: (386) 852-8588 or email esander@peoplepc.com
To assist with Pre-Registration for workshops and to expedite receipt of your certification upon completion of the workshop, please fill out the applicable form below and either:
(1) Fax the completed form to Eric Sander at (386) 756-1756,
(2) Email the completed form as an attachment to Eric Sander at esander@peoplepc.com or
(3)
Bring the completed form with you to the workshop.
What Should I Bring to the Workshop?
The following materials are necessary to generate workshop certificates and to ensure they are linked to the correct permit:
Shark Dealer/Permit Holder
(1) Copy of the shark dealer permit
(2) Proof of Identification
Proxy
(1) Copy of the shark dealer permit
(2) Proof of Identification
(3) Documentation from the permit holder acknowleding that the proxy is attending the workshop on behalf of the shark dealer
What do I do with the Workshop Certificate?
Shark dealers must submit a copy of all workshop certificates with their application to renew a shark dealer permit.
A copy of a valid shark identification workshop certificate must be present at each place of business which first receives sharks under a dealer's permit. Additionally, trucks or other conveyances which are extensions of a dealer's place of business must possess a copy of a valid dealer or proxy certificate.
Where Can I Find Additional Information about these Workshop?
