FF-7-2019
PROCLAMATION
RE: COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL SHARK HARVEST- REDUCED COMMERCIAL POSSESION LIMIT FOR LARGE COASTAL SHARKS
This proclamation supersedes proclamation FF-51-2018, dated December 12, 2018. This proclamation reduces the commercial possession limit of large coastal shark species (non-sandbar) from 25 to 3 per vessel per trip for the 2019 Atlantic coastal shark fishery.
Stephen W. Murphey, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 A.M., Tuesday, April 2, 2019, the harvest of sharks taken in N.C. Coastal Fishing Waters is restricted as follows:
I. COMMERCIAL HARVEST RESTRICTIONS:
A. ALLOWABLE SPECIES, SEASONS AND STATUS OF THE 2019 SEASONS:
It is unlawful to possess sharks taken for commercial purposes except during open seasons established by this proclamation. Open seasons in North Carolina waters shall be the same as open seasons established by NOAA Fisheries for federal waters and followed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) in state waters. These open seasons are dependent on adherence to established quotas. The allowable shark species groups and commercial fishing seasons are defined herein as:
SPECIES GROUP | SEASONS* | 2019 STATUS OF SEASONS |
1. AGGREGATED LARGE COASTAL | | |
Allowable Species: blacktip, silky, spinner, bull, tiger, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, and sandbar** | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31. | Open |
2. SMALL COASTAL | | |
North of 34° 00’ N. Latitude
Allowable Species: Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, and finetooth | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31 | Open |
South of 34° 00’ N. Latitude
Allowable Species: Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, finetooth, and blacknose*** | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31 | Open |
3. PELAGIC | | |
Blue Sharks | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31 | Open |
Porbeagle Sharks | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31 | Open |
Shortfin mako, oceanic whitetip, and common thresher sharks | From January 1 until the annual quota is reached but not later than December 31 | Open |
4. SMOOTH DOGFISH (SMOOTHHOUND SHARK) | From January 1 through December 31 | Open |
**Sandbar sharks can only be retained by vessels selected to participate in the shark research fishery, subject to the retention limits established by NOAA Fisheries and only when a NOAA Fisheries-approved observer is onboard.
***It is unlawful to possess blacknose sharks north of the 34° 00' N. Latitude (approximately at Kure Beach, North Carolina). |
Web Content Display
