Understanding Atlantic Shark Fishing
U.S. shark fishermen work under some of the most robust environmental standards in the world.

Highly migratory species (HMS) travel long distances and often cross domestic and international boundaries. NOAA Fisheries manages HMS fisheries—tunas, sharks, swordfish, and billfish—in U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean waters. We:
Develop and implement fishery management plans in cooperation with the HMS advisory panel.
Monitor commercial and recreational catches to ensure compliance with domestic and international quotas and/or catch limits.
Issue permits for commercial and recreational HMS fishing and scientific research.
Implement domestic requirements of the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and support international negotiations for ICCAT, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
We manage four categories of fish known as highly migratory species in U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico—tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks. These fish migrate long distances, often crossing domestic and international boundaries.
Billfish, distinguished by a long, round, rough bill, are some of the largest and fastest predators in the sea. They include blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, longbill spearfish, and roundscale spearfish.
We consult our Advisory Panel when preparing and implementing fishery management plans and amendments. Also, with the help of scientists, fishermen, environmentalists, and others, we conduct domestic shark stock assessments through the Southeast Data, Assessment,and Review (SEDAR) process.
There are a variety of permitting requirements associated with fishing for Atlantic HMS. Check out permit information for commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, for-hire fishing, and dealers and import/export.
NOAA Fisheries requires certain HMS permit holders to attend educational workshops. HMS permit holders using pelagic longline, bottom longline, or gillnet gear must attend Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops. Federal shark dealer permit holders must attend Atlantic Shark Identification workshops.
Learn more about Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops
In HMS fisheries, bycatch of HMS species and protected species such as sea turtles and whales are of particular concern. NOAA Fisheries is working to ensure fisheries remain sustainable and protected species are given their best chance to recover and has a number of resources and authorities to track bycatch, encourage innovation, and reduce bycatch.
Atlantic HMS tournaments are fishing events that award points or prizes for the catch and release or landing of sharks, tunas, billfish, or swordfish in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean Sea.
Atlantic HMS species live throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and often migrate long distances. Because these species cross domestic and international boundaries, responsible management of Atlantic HMS requires international cooperation. We do this through a number of international agreements, including the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
U.S. shark fishermen work under some of the most robust environmental standards in the world.
NOAA Fisheries manages commercial fisheries for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, and sharks in federal waters of the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. This includes pelagic longline, bottom longline, purse seine, gillnet, handgear, and green-stick fisheries. Explore the information below to find information on commercial fishing for Atlantic HMS—rules and regulations, permit requirements, recent landings, and reporting requirements including vessel monitoring systems and electronic monitoring.
Commercial fishermen in Atlantic HMS fisheries are required to comply with a variety of regulations:
There are a variety of permitting requirements associated for commercial fishing for Atlantic HMS:
Explore all Atlantic HMS landings updates
A vessel monitoring system is a satellite surveillance system primarily used to monitor the location of commercial fishing vessels in the U.S. exclusive economic zone and treaty areas. Certain owners or operators of commercial vessels that are permitted, or required to be permitted, to fish for Atlantic HMS are required to install a NOAA Fisheries-approved enhanced mobile transmitting unit (E-MTU).
Learn more about vessel monitoring
NOAA Fisheries has reached an important milestone—the first fleet-wide implementation of electronic monitoring in the United States. As of June 1, 2015, electronic monitoring was required on all vessels fishing with pelagic longline gear in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Required by Amendment 7 to the Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan, electronic monitoring is intended to provide an effective and efficient way to monitor and verify Atlantic bluefin tuna catches in the pelagic longline fishery. It provides an efficient means of verifying catches while minimizing the burden on fishermen and maintaining a viable fishery.
NOAA Fisheries manages recreational fisheries and fishing tournaments for Atlantic highly migratory species, including tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfishes, in federal waters of the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.
Recreational fisherman fishing for Atlantic HMS species are required to comply with a variety of regulations:
Explore all Atlantic HMS landings updates
Atlantic HMS tournaments are events that award points or prizes for the catch and release or landing of sharks, tunas, billfish, or swordfish, in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean Sea. Tournament operators must register, keep records of fishermen and results, and will be notified if they are required to submit a catch report. All billfish tournaments must send a catch report.
Learn more about Atlantic HMS tournaments
Anglers must report all landings of swordfish, billfish, and bluefin tuna (including bluefin tuna dead discards) either online or by phone.
NOAA Fisheries manages the for-hire fishery (or chartering a vessel for recreational fishing purposes) for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfishes in federal waters of the U.S. Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.
For-hire fishing for Atlantic HMS species are required to comply with a variety of regulations:
The HMS charter/headboat permit authorizes charter and headboat vessels to take for-hire passengers to recreationally fish for or retain:
Anglers must report all landings of swordfish, billfish, and bluefin tuna (including bluefin tuna dead discards) either online or by phone.
NOAA Fisheries manages the trade, including import, export, and re-export, of Atlantic highly migratory species, including tunas, swordfish, and sharks.
Dealers importing and exporting Atlantic HMS species are required to comply with a variety of regulations:
There are a variety of permitting requirements associated with dealing or trading Atlantic HMS. The permit search will provide information on how to obtain:
The Electronic Dealer Reporting (eDealer) system allows you to electronically submit all data for HMS except Atlantic bluefin tuna. The eDealer system is integrated with existing electronic reporting programs, including SAFIS and Trip Tickets. Dealers can report Atlantic bluefin tuna through the Electronic Bluefin Tuna (eBFT) Dealer Reporting system. Dealers must also report catch of Atlantic bluefin tuna through the Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) online system.
The Atlantic HMS International Trade Program regulates trade, including import, export, and re-export, of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Pacific bluefin tuna, Southern bluefin tuna, swordfish, frozen bigeye tuna, and shark fins. Entities importing or exporting these species must obtain the international fisheries trade permit, and all trade documentation must be submitted via the automated commercial environment as part of the International Trade Data System.
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