More Time to Amend Shark Fishing Regulations

[Bucktail]

State gets more time to amend shark fishing regulations; moratorium lifted until July

By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010

New Jersey shark fishermen got a reprieve from the federal government Thursday with news that the state will be given more time to conform to management measures.

The state faced a moratorium on shark fishing this year for being out of compliance with 22 rules governing 40 species of coastal sharks.

The state Department of Environmental Protection, arguing among other things that a shark-fishing ban would hurt the tourism industry, appealed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The state has been out of compliance with shark rules since Jan. 1, 2009, but was already given a one-year extension.

Amy Cradic, assistant DEP commissioner of natural and historic resources, said Thursday that the NOAA decided to give the state until July 30 to comply. She said the DEP has devised a plan to come into compliance by July 19.

The plan includes filing the new rules with the Office of Administrative Law, publishing them in the New Jersey Register, hosting a public comment period and other measures.

"Overall it's good news. They accepted our action plan to come into compliance and will not impose a moratorium as long as we do it on time," Cradic said.

A ban threatened summer shark tournaments at the shore and also could have hurt party and charter boats that take anglers out for species such as mako, blue and thresher sharks. Commercial fishermen who target species such as smooth dogfish also would be affected. The spiny dogfish, another important commercial species, was not one of the 40 species.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/new_jersey/article_7a5d8f1c-32eb-11df-9aa4-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story

[IrishAyes]

I am a bit confused here (what else is knew, you ask  ). Everything I have been reading says this would affect shark tournaments, mako shark fishing, thresher shark fishing, etc.

Capt Mike and I attended the NJMFC meeting for the summer flounder regs in Toms River on the 4th of this month. At the meeting the shark closure was brought up and the rectification was also discussed. We were in disbelief that the shark fishing would be shut down and after the meeting spoke to one of the members on the council (don't know his name but he was not sitting at the main table but the table closer to the audience and was answering many questions). We questioned the closure and were told that the closure only affected the coastal shark and would not affect the mako or thresher shark fishing as both of these are considered pelagic sharks and do not fall into the coastal shark regulations.

Obviously, someone is misinformed but I don't know who. Can anyone provide a REAL answer as to what is correct? I have tried looking it up and still can not find an answer to satisfy me. 

[Jeffish]

This is good news. I think. But what I don't understand is..

The state Department of Environmental Protection, arguing among other things that a shark-fishing ban would hurt the tourism industry, appealed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

How does shark fishing fit into the tourism category? I guess my idea of tourism is different.

[IrishAyes]

Here is one thing I found on NOAA site...

Atlantic Shark Species

Small Coastal Shark Complex (four species)
Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, finetooth, bonnethead

Large Coastal Shark Complex (eleven species)
sandbar, silky, tiger, blacktip, bull, spinner, lemon, nurse, smooth hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead

Pelagic Sharks (five species)
shortfin mako, thresher, oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, and blue

Prohibited Species (no catches allowed, 19 species)
Whale, basking, sand tiger, bigeye sand tiger, white, dusky, night, bignose, Galapagos, Caribbean reef, narrowtooth, longfin make, bigeye thresher, sevengill, sixgill, bigeye sixgill, Caribbean shapnose, smalltail, and Atlantic angel sharks

[Jeffish]

Joe. May I add my thoughts to your question.

You said you attended the summer flounder meeting. Would they know as much as the NOAA/DEP/whoever?

I agree with you that someone is misinformed, and I'd like to find out who so we can set this straight. I'm not pointing any fingers, but in my eyes, perhaps the person answering questions has his/her information mixed up. I've been wrong before though.

[Bucktail]

Ya got me Joe.

[IrishAyes]

Jeff, the way it was explained to us after the meeting the closure was for the large coastal shark. As you saw in my second post the mako, thresher and blue shark do not fall into this category, they are pelagics.

It was further explained that the closure was for the shark 'pupping' (baby sharks being born in the bays).

As I said, I don't know the answer but someone out there has to.