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

NMFS announces the dates and locations of four additional workshops for longline vessel operators scheduled during 1998. NMFS held one workshop on October 9, 1998, in New Bedford, MA. Additional workshops will be held 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.