PROCLAMATION

FF-64-2001

RE: COMMERCIAL SHARK HARVEST - ALL STATE WATERS

Preston P. Pate, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective at 12:01 a.m., Friday, November 23, 2001, the commercial harvest and retention of sharks is restricted as follows:

I. COMMERCIAL HARVEST RESTRICTIONS:

Season:

A. The July 1 through December 31 season for the retention of sharks within the Large Coastal category is CLOSED.

B. No person or fishing operation may take, possess, land, sell or offer for sale Large Coastal Sharks taken with commercial fishing equipment or for commercial purposes from all internal coastal waters and the Atlantic Ocean.

C. All sharks not retained must be returned to the water with fins and tail intact and in a manner to ensure the highest likelihood of survival.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of G.S. 113-182; 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 143B-289.52; and N.C. Marine Fisheries Rules 15A NCAC 3H .0103 and 3M .0505.

B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority per 15A NCAC 3H .0103.

C. The federal seasons for sharks are based on quotas. The Small Coastal and Pelagic categories will remain open until closed by proclamation due to quotas being reached. Quota information can be obtained by contacting the National Marine Fisheries Service's Highly Migratory Species Section at (301) 713-2347.

D. The Large Coastal Sharks category includes the following species: Bignose (Carcharhinus altimus), Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus), Bull (Carcharhinus leucus), Caribbean reef (Carcharhinus perezii), Dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus), Galapagos (Carcharhinus galapagensis), Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), Lemon (Negaprion brevirostris), Nurse (Ginglymostoma cirratum), Sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus), Silky (Carcharhinus falciformis), Tiger (Galeocerdo cuvieri), Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) and Spinner (Carcharhinus brevipinna).

This proclamation closes the harvest of the Large Coastal category until January 1, 2002 due to the quota having been met.