Characterization of the Shark Bottom Longline Fishery: 2014

Observations of the shark-directed bottom longline fishery in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico have been conducted since 1994 (e.g. Hale et al. 2012 and references therein). Currently about 198 U.S. fishers are permitted to target sharks (excluding dogfish) in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and an additional 252 fishers are permitted to land sharks incidentally. Amendments to the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan implemented a shark research fishery, which allows NMFS to select a limited number of commercial shark vessels on an annual basis to collect life history data and catch data for future stock assessments (NMFS, 2007). Specifically, only commercial shark fishers participating in the research fishery are allowed to land sandbar sharks, Carcharhinus plumbeus, and must carry an observer on 100% of all trips (compared to a target coverage level of 5-10% outside the research fishery). 

Outside the research fishery, fishers are permitted to land 36 non-sandbar large coastal sharks per trip (including blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus, bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, nurse hark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis, spinner shark, Carcharhinus brevipinna, tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran, scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, and smooth hammerhead shark, Sphyrna zygaena).

Herein, we report on fishing activities in the bottom longline fishery for the 2014 fishing season, including coverage of the 2014 Shark Research Fishery.