NOAA is implementing new rules and quotas for large coastal sharks taken in the Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to rebuild stocks and gather data.  Some species of concern include porbeagle (image above) and sandbar sharks. Furthermore, to better regulate shark finning and prevent fishers from discarding sharks at sea, NOAA is requiring fishers to offload their catch “at the dock with all of their fins naturally attached.”

The fishery is called the 2008 shark research fishery, and only commercial fishers participating in the 2008 shark research fishery will be allowed to land sandbar sharks. However, these landings are still subject to fishing quotas. Additionally, vessels fishing under a Shark Research Fishery Permit will be allowed to land non-sandbar large coastal sharks (LCS), small coastal sharks (SCS), and pelagic sharks. Commercial vessels that are not fishing under a Shark Research Fishery Permit are allowed to “land non-sandbar LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks subject to quotas and the retention limits.”

The broad aims of the 2008 shark research fishery are to gather more fishery dependent data and rebuild stocks. Fisheries dependent data is collected directly from the fishery from programs such as cooperative research and fisheries observer programs. These programs collect data onboard commercial fishing vessels as the vessels go about their normal activities or use the fishery.

Contrarily, independent fisheries data is collected via noncommercial fishing vessels or research vessels. Research vessel surveys conducted by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Ecosystems Survey Branch collects fisheries independent data. Both types of data combined can be powerful in managing fish stocks.

The shark research board, which includes representatives from various government offices like the Fisheries Science Centers determines the objectives of the shark research fishery. Research objectives for 2008 include collecting reproductive and age data from sandbar sharks, Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks, and from other shark species. Certain species should have sampling priority over other species, since sampling priorities help fisheries observers prioritize a catch or work up a catch systematically.

Other research initiatives include collecting length frequencies, carrying out tagging, which includes satellite archival tagging for species such as the endangered smalltooth sawfish and prohibited dusky sharks. Tagging programs collect a wide range of data such as daily and seasonal movements of fish. Genetic material will also be collected through fin-clip samples. Gathering genetic material is important in facilitating stock assessments, species identification, and even revealing cryptic species or new species that are difficult to identify through morphological inspection at sea. Additionally, gear experiments will be conducted to “determine the effects of potential hook changes to prohibited species interactions and fishery yields.”

Vessels that have been “charged criminally or civilly… for any [Highly Migratory Species (HMS)] related violation” are prohibited from participating in the 2008 shark research fishery. Furthermore, fishers that have been in compliance with government fisheries observer requirements will be rewarded. For example, fishers or vessels selected to carry an observer “in the previous two years for any HMS fishery” but failed to do so are not allowed to participate in the 2008 shark research fishery. However, “exceptions will be made for applicants that were selected for HMS observer coverage but did not fish in the quarter when selected.” Fishers that were noncompliant with the HMS observer program may be eligible for future shark research fishery activities by demonstrating a willingness to work with the observer program or acting in compliance.

For more information fishers or interested parties should refer to the Federal Register or to any regional office announcements sent out. From NOAA:

That latest stock assessment determined that the population of sandbar sharks was depleted and the rate of fishing was too high. Sandbar sharks are prized for their fins, and they are one of the most commercially valuable shark species caught in the Atlantic Ocean. They make up the majority of current East and Gulf Coast commercial shark landings.

“Our recent stock assessments show we need to take strong conservation measures to stop overfishing on sandbar and other sharks to allow these species to rebuild,” said Jim Balsiger, NOAA acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “These sharks, like many sharks, mature late, grow slowly and produce few young, making them particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure.”

The rule also requires all sharks to be offloaded at the dock with all of their fins naturally attached. This regulation is designed to improve enforcement against shark finning, where fishermen remove the highly valuable fins from sharks at sea and discard the shark carcasses overboard. The regulation also will assist with identification of shark species and improve species-specific data collection for future stock assessments.

Image Found Here

On the Net: Northeast Fisheries Science Center
On the Net: Southeast Fisheries Science Center
On the Net: NEFSC Fisheries Sampling Branch
On the Net: Federal Register /Vol. 73, No. 122/Tuesday, June 24, 2008/Notices

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