NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ISSUES PROPOSED RULE: ATLANTIC HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES; PROHIBIT RETENTION OF MOBULID RAYS IN FISHERIES FOR ATLANTIC HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a proposed rule called: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Prohibit Retention of Mobulid Rays in Fisheries for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on Aug. 22 by Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Summary: NMFS is proposing changes to regulations to implement the binding International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendation 24-12 on mobulid rays of the family Mobulidae, which was adopted in 2024. Specifically, NMFS is proposing to prohibit retention of mobulid rays in fisheries for Atlantic highly...