Atlantic Sharks Commercial Minimum Sizes and Retention Limits

Final Rule |

Highly Migratory Species

Overview

Description

This summary is provided as a courtesy. Regulations are officially announced through the Federal Register.

Fishing Type

Commercial

Action Status

Final Rule

Published

Page updated January 7, 2021

Point of Contact

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division, 301-427-8503

Summary

Retention limits vary by permit type and species complex. Additional requirements may be applicable. View the HMS Commercial Compliance Guide for details.

Atlantic Shark Directed Permit

Species Complex	Fishery Status	Minimum Size	Retention Limit
Aggregated large coastal sharks and hammerhead sharks—Atlantic	Open	None	On March 23, 2021, increased from 36 to 55/vessel/trip, other than sandbar sharks, for 2021 season
Aggregated large coastal sharks and hammerhead sharks—Eastern Gulf of Mexico	Open	None	45/vessel/trip other than sandbar sharks
Aggregated large coastal sharks and hammerhead sharks—Western Gulf of Mexico	Closed for 2021 season	None	45/vessel/trip other than sandbar sharks
Blacktip—Western Gulf of Mexico	Open	None	45/vessel/trip other than sandbar sharks
Small coastal sharks	Open	None	Blacknose sharks (Atlantic region only): 8/vessel/trip All others: No limit
Pelagic sharks	Open	None	No limit

Atlantic Shark Incidental Permit

Species Complex	Fishery Status	Minimum Size	Retention Limit
Large coastal sharks—all regions	Open	None	3/vessel/trip
Small coastal sharks	Open	None	16 combined small coastal and pelagic sharks/vessel/trip with no more than 8 blacknose sharks/vessel/trip
Pelagic sharks	Open	None	16 combined pelagic and small coastal sharks/vessel/trip with no more than 8 blacknose sharks/vessel/trip

HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat Permit

This fishery is open. There are no minimum size requirements for authorized sharks under this permit. The retention limits are as follows:

Authorized Species	Fishery Status	Minimum Size	Retention Limit
Tiger, bull, blacktip, spinner, lemon, Atlantic sharpnose, finetooth, bonnethead, and smoothounds sharks	Open	None	3 combined sharks / vessel / trip

Commercial Smoothhound Shark Permit

This fishery is open. There are no minimum size requirements or retention limits for smoothhound sharks.

Permit

To commercially harvest Atlantic sharks or retain sharks on a for-hire trip, vessel owners must obtain a valid Atlantic Shark Directed or Shark Incidental limited access permit or a Smoothhound Shark open access permit.

Buy or renew a permit