Atlantic Pelagic Fishery; Marine Mammals; Endangered and Threatened Fish and Wildlife; Public Workshops

NMFS announces the first of the workshops for longline vessel operators, scheduled from October 1998 through February 1999, to meet requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The purpose of the workshops is to educate longliners on avoidance, handling, and release techniques for marine mammals and sea turtles and to provide information and receive feedback on different management options in the pelagic longline fishery.