SAND TIGER SHARKS:
Atlantic Shark Fisheries Management Plan Update

On April 2, 1997, the National Marine Fisheries Service filed a final rule, effective immediately, that:

1. reduces the annual commercial quota for large coastal sharks by 50% from 2,570 metric tons dressed weight (mt dw) to 1,285 mt dw. This action is effective immediately and is meant to reduce effective fishing mortality on large coastal sharks as recommended by the latest stock assessment (NMFS, June 1996);
2. establishes a commercial quota of 1,760 mt dw for small coastal sharks. The commercial quota for pelagic sharks remains at the current level of 580 mt dw;
3. reduces the recreational bag limits for all Atlantic sharks. NMFS has combined all sharks into a single bag limit of 2 sharks per vessel per trip, with an additional allowance of 2 Atlantic sharpness sharks per person per trip;
4. prohibits ALL directed (commercial and recreational) fishing for five species (whale, basking, white, sand tiger, and bigeye sand tiger);
5. establishes a catch-and-release-only recreational fishing for white sharks;
6. prohibits filleting of sharks at sea; and
7. refers to the requirement for species-specific identification by all owners or operators, dealers, and tournament operators of all sharks landed.