Proposed Rule: Retention Prohibition of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks in U.S. Atlantic Waters and Hammerhead Sharks in the U.S. Caribbean Sea
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency (NOAA Fisheries) announced a proposed rule to consider prohibiting the commercial and recreational retention of oceanic whitetip sharks in U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and all hammerhead sharks in the large coastal shark complex in the U.S. Caribbean region. The proposed rule would add oceanic whitetip sharks to the prohibited shark species group and prohibit the commercial and recreational retention of great, smooth, and scalloped hammerhead sharks in the U.S. Caribbean region.
Shark Stewards is submitting written comments in support of this proposed rule to protect endangered oceanic sharks.
Summary
A Spanish translation of this content is available here.
NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule to consider prohibiting the commercial and recreational retention of oceanic whitetip sharks in U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and all hammerhead sharks in the large coastal shark (LCS) complex (great, smooth, and scalloped hammerhead sharks) in the U.S. Caribbean region.
What will it do?
Under the proposed rule, NOAA Fisheries would add oceanic whitetip sharks to the prohibited shark species group (effective in U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea) and prohibit the commercial and recreational retention of LCS hammerhead sharks (great, smooth, and scalloped hammerhead sharks) in the U.S. Caribbean region.
Who is affected?
This action could affect:
- All commercial and recreational HMS permit holders, and
- Any dealers who buy or sell Atlantic sharks.
Public Hearing
A webinar for this rulemaking will take place on April 25, 2023 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. Information for registering and accessing the webinar can be found below.
Join WebEx.
Webinar Number: 2764 116 5256;
Webinar password: qJhut7R! (75488770 from phones).
Join by phone: +1-415-527-5035 US Toll; Access code: 276 411 65256
Request for Comments
NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments specifically on adding oceanic whitetip sharks to the prohibited shark species group and prohibiting the commercial and recreational retention of LCS hammerhead sharks in the U.S. Caribbean region.
Submit Comments by May 22, 2023:
Submit written comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal (docket ID: NOAA-NMFS-2023-0025). All comments received are a part of the public record.
For further information, contact Ann Williamson, 301-427-8503.