Amendment 9 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan: Atlantic Shark Management Measures

The final rule to implement Amendment 9 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan is now available. This Amendment implements management measures in the shark fisheries and could affect fishermen who fish for smoothhound sharks (smooth dogfish, Florida smoothhound, and Gulf smoothhound) and fishermen who fish for sharks with gillnet gear. The measures include:

Commercial smoothhound shark permit requirement for commercial fishing and retention
Atlantic Shark Dealer permit requirement to purchase smoothhound sharks
HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat recreational permit requirement for retention of recreationally-caught smoothhound sharks.
Observer requirements in the commercial smoothhound shark fishery
Allowance for retention of smoothhound sharks incidentally caught in trawl gear, provided smoothhound catch does not exceed 25 percent of the total catch
Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regional smoothhound shark quotas
Regulations to allow, in limited circumstances, the at-sea removal of some smooth dogfish fins provided certain criteria are met
Gillnet gear tending requirements for Atlantic shark and smoothhound shark gillnet fishermen
Modifications to VMS requirements in the directed shark gillnet fishery

All Amendment 9 measures are effective on March 15, 2016.

NOAA Fisheries Reminds Fishermen about Federal Smoothhound Shark Permit Requirements, August 10, 2016