Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Coastal Sharks Fishery

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NMFS announces that on February 4, 2010, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) found the State of New Jersey out of compliance with the Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan (ISFMP) for Coastal Sharks. Subsequently, the Commission referred the matter to NMFS, under delegation of authority from the Secretary of Commerce, for federal non-compliance review under the provisions of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The Atlantic Coastal Act mandates that NMFS must review the Commission's non-compliance referral and make specific findings within 30 days after receiving the referral. If NMFS determines that New Jersey failed to carry out its responsibilities under the Coastal Sharks ISFMP, and if the measures it failed to implement are necessary for conservation, then, according to the Atlantic Coastal Act, NMFS must declare a moratorium on fishing for coastal sharks in New Jersey waters.