2021 Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishing Year Quotas, Opening Dates, and Retention Limits
Summary
This final rule establishes quota levels, opening dates, and retention limits for the 2021 Atlantic commercial shark fisheries, including those in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.
The 2021 quotas, adjusted as appropriate to account for over- and under-harvests, are summarized in Table 1 by management group. Adjustments based on over- and under-harvests depend on stock status. The final rule uses landings data received as of October 9, 2020. All dealer reports that are received after the date of the final rule will be used to adjust the 2022 quotas, as appropriate.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
Who is affected?
This action could affect:
● Any commercial shark fishermen in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.
● Any dealers who buy or sell sharks or shark products in these areas.
What will it do?
The final 2021 adjusted quotas, retention limits, and opening dates are:
|
Region or Sub-region |
Management Group |
2021 Final Adjusted Quota* |
Quota Linkages |
Commercial Retention Limits for Directed Shark Limited Access Permit Holders (inseason adjustments are possible) |
Season Opening Dates |
|
Western Gulf of Mexico |
Blacktip Sharks |
347.2 mt dw (765,392 lb dw)** |
Not Linked |
45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip |
January 1, 2021 |
|
Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks |
72.0 mt dw (158,724 lb dw) |
Linked |
|||
|
Hammerhead Sharks |
11.9 mt dw (26,301 lb dw) |
||||
|
Eastern Gulf of Mexico |
Blacktip Sharks |
37.7 mt dw (83,158 lb dw)** |
Not Linked |
45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip |
January 1, 2021 |
|
Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks |
85.5 mt dw (188,593 lb dw) |
Linked |
|||
|
Hammerhead Sharks |
13.4 mt dw (29,421 lb dw) |
||||
|
Gulf of Mexico |
Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Sharks |
112.6 mt dw (248,215 lb dw) |
Not Linked |
N/A |
January 1, 2021 |
|
Smoothhound Sharks |
504.6 mt dw (1,112,441 lb dw)** |
Not Linked |
N/A |
||
|
Atlantic |
Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks |
168.9 mt dw (372,552 lb dw) |
Linked |
36 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip
If quota is landed too quickly (e.g. if approximately 40 percent of quota is caught at the beginning of the year), NMFS anticipates considering an inseason reduction, and later considering an inseason increase.1 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
Hammerhead Sharks |
27.1 mt dw (59,736 lb dw) |
||||
|
Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Sharks |
264.1 mt dw (582,333 lb dw) |
Linked (South of 34° N. lat. only) |
N/A |
||
|
Blacknose Sharks (South of 34° N. lat. only) |
17.2 mt dw (37,921 lb dw) |
8 blacknose sharks per vessel per trip (applies to directed and incidental permit holders) |
|||
|
Smoothhound Sharks |
1,802.6 mt dw (3,973,902 lb dw)** |
Not Linked |
N/A |
||
|
No regional quotas |
Non-Sandbar LCS Research |
50.0 mt dw (110,230 lb dw) |
Linked |
N/A |
January 1, 2021 |
|
Sandbar Shark Research |
90.7 mt dw (199,943 lb dw) |
||||
|
Blue Sharks |
273.0 mt dw (601,856 lb dw) |
Not Linked |
N/A |
||
|
Porbeagle Sharks |
1.7 mt dw (3,748 lb dw) |
||||
|
Pelagic Sharks Other Than Porbeagle or Blue |
488.0 mt dw (1,075,856 lb dw) |
*1 mt dw = 2,204.6 lb dw
**Baseline quota adjusted based on over- or under-harvest as calculated by landings reported by October 9, 2020.
1 NOAA Fisheries is changing the percent of quota harvested at which it considers adjusting the retention limit. Rather than 35 percent, as was considered in 2020, NOAA Fisheries will consider adjustment to 40 percent to allow fishermen in the Atlantic region to more fully utilize the quota.