The 2018 quotas, adjusted as appropriate to account for over- and underharvests, are summarized in Table 1 by management group. Adjustments based on over- and underharvests depend on stock status. The final rule uses landings data received as of October 23, 2017. All dealer reports that are received after the date of the final rule will be used to adjust the 2019 quotas, as appropriate.
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 2018 adjusted quotas, retention limits, and opening dates are:
| Region or Sub-Region | Management Group |
2018 Annual 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, 2018 |
| Western Gulf of Mexico | Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks |
72.0 mt dw (158,724 lb dw) |
Linked to Hammerhead | 45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip | January 1, 2018 |
| Western Gulf of Mexico | Hammerhead Sharks |
11.9 mt dw (26,301 lb dw) |
Linked to Aggregated Large Coastal | 45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip | January 1, 2018 |
|
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, 2018 |
| Eastern Gulf of Mexico | Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks |
85.5 mt dw (188,593 lb dw) |
Linked to Hammerhead | 45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip | January 1, 2018 |
| Eastern Gulf of Mexico | Hammerhead Sharks |
13.4 mt dw (29,421 lb dw) |
Linked to Aggregated Large Coastal | 45 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip | January 1, 2018 |
| Gulf of Mexico | Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Sharks |
112.6 mt dw (248,215 lb dw) |
Not Linked | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| Gulf of Mexico | Smoothhound Sharks |
504.6 mt dw (1,112,441 lb dw)** |
Not Linked | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| Atlantic | Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks | 168.9 mt dw (372,552 lb dw) | Linked to Hammerhead |
25 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip If quota is landed too quickly (e.g. if approximately 20 percent of quota is caught at the beginning of the year), NOAA Fisheries anticipates considering an inseason reduction (e.g. to 3 or fewer large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip), and later considering an inseason increase to 36 large coastal sharks other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip around July 15, 2018 |
January 1, 2018 |
| Atlantic | Hammerhead Sharks |
27.1 mt dw (59,736 lb dw) |
Linked to Aggregated Large Coastal | Same as Aggregated Large Coastal | January 1, 2018 |
| Atlantic | Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Sharks |
264.1 mt dw (582,333 lb dw) |
Linked (South of 34° N. lat. only) |
N/A |
January 1, 2018 |
| Atlantic |
Blacknose Sharks (South of 34° N. lat. only) |
17.2 mt dw (37,921 lb dw) |
Linked (South of 34° N. lat. only) |
N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| Atlantic | Smoothhound Sharks |
1,802.6 mt dw (3,973,902 lb dw)** |
Not Linked | N/A |
January 1, 2018 |
|
No regional quotas |
Non-Sandbar LCS Research |
50.0 mt dw (110,230 lb dw) |
Linked to Sandbar Shark Research | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| No regional quotas | Sandbar Shark Research |
90.7 mt dw (199,943 lb dw) |
Linked to Non-Sandbar LCS Research | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| No regional quotas | Blue Sharks |
273.0 mt dw (601,856 lb dw) |
Not Linked | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| No regional quotas | Porbeagle Sharks |
1.7 mt dw (3,748 lb dw) |
Not Linked | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
| No regional quotas | Pelagic Sharks Other Than Porbeagle or Blue |
488.0 mt dw (1,075,856 lb dw) |
Not Linked | N/A | January 1, 2018 |
*1 mt dw = 2,204.6 lb dw
**Baseline quota adjusted based on over- or underharvest in 2017.
Circle Hook Reminder
- The final rule for Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (82 FR 16478; April 4, 2017) implemented, among other things, a requirement for all HMS directed shark permit holders using bottom longline to use circle hooks, which becomes effective on January 1, 2018.
Copies of these documents are available upon request from the Highly Migratory Species Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone: 301-427-8503, fax: 301-713-1917) or on the HMS web page. For further information on this final rule and its requirements, contact Guý DuBeck, Gray Redding, or Karyl Brewster-Geisz at 301-427-8503.
