Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program
Final Report Abstracts
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1997-1998 Final Report Abstract
Steve Branstetter1 and George Burgess2
1 Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Development Foundation, Inc.
2 University of Florida
This program, conducted jointly by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Development Foundation
and the University of Florida since 1994, has placed observers aboard voluntarily participating
commercial shark longliners to gather fishery dependent data with the intention of enhancing the
reliability of management strategies for this important marine resource. This award supported
continued monitoring of that fishery during the second fishing season of 1997 and the first fishing
season of 1998 in three important shark fishing areas: North Carolina, Atlantic Florida, and Gulf of
Mexico Florida. Three observers documented details on the landings of 4.2% of the large-coastal shark
commercial fishery quota during this timeframe. That catch was dominated by the large-coastal sandbar
shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) and the small coastal Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon
terraenovae). Catch rates for the various large coastal species suggest a general increasing trend
over time for the dominant species. This conclusion should be tempered with the recognition that
fluctuations in fishing effort, vessels monitored, and fishing season may be masking or influencing the
trends. Based on the NMFS stock assessments, the two species which appear to be impacted the greatest
are the sandbar and dusky shark. Given that substantial numbers of immature individuals of both species
are caught and landed and that several stock evaluations have indicated that reducing mortality on these
younger size groups will make the greatest contribution to stock recovery, size limits appear to be
appropriate for this fishery. Because of the difficulty in identifying carcasses at the dock we have
previously recommended a generic size limit on all ridgeback species; that recommendation still stands.
Reprinted from: FINAL REPORT - Saltonstall-Kennedy Award NA77FD0068 - "Continuation of an observer
program to characterize and compare the
directed commercial shark fishery in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic," June 1998.
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