Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishery Landings and Retention Limit Update

February 11, 2019

January 1–December 31, 2018 preliminary estimates in metric tons and pounds dressed weight.

Bulletin |

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Southeast

Guy DuBeck

Fishery Biologist

(301) 427-8503

School of Atlantic blacktip shark and several other fish swimming underwater.

The following are preliminary landings estimates in metric tons (mt) and pounds (lb) dressed weight (dw) for the Atlantic shark commercial fisheries.

These preliminary estimates are based on dealer reports and other information received from January 1 through December 31, 2018. The estimates include landings by state-only permitted vessels, federally permitted vessels, and the 2018 Shark Research Fishery participants. We provide percentages of landings instead of estimated landings where needed to continue ensuring participant confidentiality.

The fishing seasons for all shark management groups opened on January 1, 2018.

Gulf of Mexico Region

The following table includes any landings south and west 25° 20.4’ N. long.

Sub- region

Shark management group

2018 quota

Estimated landings through 12/31/2018

% of 2018 quota

2017 landings through same reporting period

Western

Gulf of Mexico

(West of 88^° W. lat. only)

Blacktip

347.2 mt dw

(765,392 lb dw)

330.4 mt dw
(728,374 lb dw)

95% *

207.2 mt dw

(456,717 lb dw)

Aggregated large coastal

(quota linked to hammerhead)

72.0 mt dw

(158,724 lb dw)

93.0 mt dw

(205,081 lb dw)

129% *

65.9 mt dw

(145,362 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to aggregated LCS)

11.9 mt dw

(26,301 lb dw)

11.0 mt dw

(24,292 lb dw)

92% *

2.5 mt dw

(5,490 lb dw)

Eastern

Gulf of Mexico

(East of 88^° W. lat. only)

Blacktip

37.7 mt dw

(83,158 lb dw)

35.4 mt dw

(78,120 lb dw)

94% **

32.0 mt dw

(70,471 lb dw)

Aggregated large coastal (quota linked to hammerhead)

85.5 mt dw

(188,593 lb dw)

72.5 mt dw

(1159,784 lb dw)

85%

63.4 mt dw

(139,763 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to aggregated LCS)

13.4 mt dw

(29,421 lb dw)

12.9 mt dw

(28,346 lb dw)

96%

7.8 mt dw

(17,265 lb dw)

N/A

Non-Blacknose small coastal

112.6 mt dw

(248,215 lb dw)

66.4 mt dw

(146,333 lb dw)

57%

65.2 mt dw

(143,720 lb dw)

N/A

Smoothhound

504.6 mt dw

(1,112,441 lb dw)

< 4.5 mt dw

(< 10,000 lb dw)

< 1%

0 mt dw

(0 lb dw)

* Fishery closed at 11:30 p.m. local time on March 13, 2018 (83 FR 10802).

** Fishery closed at 11:30 p.m. local time on November 27, 2018 (83 FR 60776). Due to the removal of duplicate dealer reports, the landings decreased from last month.

Atlantic Region

The following table includes any landings north of 25^° 20.4’ N. lat.

Shark management group

2018 quota

Estimated landings through 12/31/2018

% of 2018 quota

2017 landings through same reporting period

Aggregated large coastal

(quota linked to hammerhead)

168.9 mt dw

(372,552 lb dw)

92.8 mt dw

(204,610 lb dw)

55%

130.8 mt dw

(288,383 lb dw)

Hammerhead

(quota linked to aggregated LCS)

27.1 mt dw

(59,736 lb dw)

12.5 mt dw

(27,455 lb dw)

46%

9.3 mt dw

(20,590 lb dw)

Non-Blacknose small coastal

(quota linked to blacknose south of 34^° N. lat. only)

264.1 mt dw

(582,333 lb dw)

131.3 mt dw

(289,563 lb dw)

50%

124.3 mt dw

(273,978 lb dw)

Blacknose^*

(south of 34^° N. lat. only)

17.2 mt dw

(37,921 lb dw)

5.1 mt dw

(11,335 lb dw)

30%

7.8 mt dw

(17,241 lb dw)

Smoothhound

1,802.6 mt dw

(3,973,902 lb dw)

411.2 mt dw (906,471 lb dw)

23%

377.6 mt dw (832,480 lb dw)

*NMFS increased the retention limit of large coastal sharks other than sandbar for all directed permit holders on November 6, 2018 (83 FR 55638; November 7, 2018).

No Regional Quotas

Shark management group

2018 quota

Estimated landings through 12/31/2018

% of 2018 quota

2017 landings through same reporting period

Shark Research Fishery

(aggregated LCS)

50.0 mt dw

(110,230 lb dw)

21.6 mt dw

(47,606 lb dw)

43%

20.4 mt dw

(45,019 lb dw)

Shark Research Fishery

(sandbar only)

90.7 mt dw

(199,943 lb dw)

60.2 mt dw

(132,688 lb dw)

66%

54.9 mt dw

(121,074 lb dw)

Blue

273.0 mt dw

(601,856 lb dw)

< 13.6 mt dw *

(< 30,000 lb dw)

< 5%

1.9 mt dw

(4,272 lb dw)

Porbeagle

1.7 mt dw

(3,748 lb dw)

< 0.5 mt dw

(< 1,100 lb dw)

< 30%

< 0.5 mt dw

(< 1,000 lb dw)

Pelagic sharks other than porbeagle or blue

488.0 mt dw

(1,075,856 lb dw)

54.7 mt dw

(120,556 lb dw)

11%

111.9 mt dw

(246,687 lb dw)

*NMFS updated the blue shark landings based on new information and provided percentages of landings instead of estimated landings to continue ensuring participant confidentiality.

Species in Each Shark Management Group that Has Multiple Species

Aggregated large coastal	Hammerhead	Non-blacknose small coastal	Pelagic sharks other than porbeagle or blue	Smoothhound
Blacktip (Atlantic region only*) Bull Lemon Nurse Silky Tiger Spinner	Great hammerhead Smooth hammerhead Scalloped hammerhead	Atlantic sharpnose Bonnethead Finetooth	Common thresher Shortfin mako Oceanic whitetip	Smooth dogfish** Florida smoothhound Gulf smoothhound

*Blacktip shark is part of its own management group in the Gulf of Mexico Region.

**Smooth dogfish is the only smoothhound species in the Atlantic Region.

NOAA Fisheries will announce closures of management groups when landings reach or are projected to reach 80 percent of the quota. Management groups that are quota linked close when landings of either of the linked management groups reach or are projected to reach 80 percent of the quota.

This notice is a courtesy to the HMS fishery participants to help keep you informed about the fishery. For further information on this landings update, contact Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Guý DuBeck at 301-427-8503. The information will also be posted on the HMS website.