2023 Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishery: Quotas, Retention Limits, and Opening Date

NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule that would adjust quotas and retention limits and establish the opening date for the 2023 fishing year for the Atlantic commercial shark fisheries.

What will it do?

This action proposes adjustments to the quota levels for the various shark stocks and management groups for the 2023 Atlantic commercial shark fishing year based on underharvests that occurred during the 2022 fishing year, consistent with existing regulations. NOAA Fisheries proposes a January 1, 2023 opening date with a retention limit of 55 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions.

Quotas and other provisions in the proposed rule are subject to change in the final rule. The proposed rule uses landings data received as of July 15, 2022. The final rule will be based on public comment and updated data received in dealer reports by mid-October 2022. We anticipate that dealer reports received after the date of the final rule would be used to adjust the 2024 quotas, as appropriate.

Who is affected?

• 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.

Comments Due by October 11, 2022

Submit written comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal (Docket ID: NOAA-NMFS-2022-0064). All comments received are part of the public record.