Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; Sea Turtle Mitigation Measures

NMFS issues a final rule to reduce and mitigate interactions between sea turtles and fisheries managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (Pelagics FMP). This rule includes requirements for attending protected species workshops, for handling, resuscitating, and releasing sea turtles that are hooked or entangled in fishing gear, and for fishing gear configuration. This action is being taken in part to comply with the terms and conditions of a 2004 Biological Opinion on impacts on sea turtles by fisheries managed under the Pelagics FMP.