Contact: Scott Smullen             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                   12/23/96

LIMITED ACCESS PROPOSAL TO REDUCE FISHING PRESSURE ON DWINDLING ATLANTIC SHARK POPULATIONS

A proposal designed to protect sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean by limiting fishing pressure on all of the 39 federally managed species was announced today by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agency charged with managing and scientifically monitoring marine life.

The plan would implement a limited access system for commercial shark fishermen to reduce overcapitalization of the shark fisheries and discourage derby fishing conditions where the "race for the fish" can cause overfishing and quota overruns. Officials are seeking public comment on the proposal before Feb. 18, 1997.

"Overfishing of some shark species along with full use of others is a formula for too much fishing effort," said William Hogarth, chief of the fisheries service's Highly Migratory Species Division. "This proposal will halt future expansion of these fragile fisheries and create a more reasonable balance between harvesting capacity and quota." Hogarth added that strong action is needed now to reduce both landings and effort.

The fisheries service proposal will implement a limited access system for sharks (proposed as Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean) that would create permit categories as either "directed" or "incidental," would develop eligibility criteria for these permits based on historical participation, and would specify rules to allow for transfer of permits.

The fisheries service has determined that the Atlantic shark fishery is severely over-capitalized. Among the 2,700 fishermen who currently hold commercial shark fishing permits, fewer than 140 fishermen target and land sharks on a regular basis. Therefore, the fisheries service intends to improve shark management by eliminating more than 2,300 shark permit holders from the fishery who rarely, if ever, land sharks. Under the proposal, of the remaining 413 permitted fishermen who land sharks, 134 fishermen who regularly target sharks will be placed in a "directed" fishery, and 279 fishermen who target other species, but catch sharks as bycatch, will be placed in an "incidental" fishery.

Previously, the fisheries service announced that the shark fishery was overcapitalized, and attempted to reduce fishing effort in December 1993 by instituting a 4,000 pound-per-trip limit. In addition, a "control date" to discourage new entries into the shark fishery was established on Feb. 22, 1994.

For a copy of the proposal or to send comments, write: William Hogarth, Acting Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

NOAA is an agency of the Commerce Department. A one-page fact sheet regarding this proposal is available by fax by calling the fisheries service public affairs office at (301) 713-2370.

                                
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