Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Coastal Sharks Management Board approved a commercial quota of 1,201.7 mt dressed weight (dw) for smoothhound sharks (also known as smooth dogfish in the Atlantic) and implemented state‐ shares for the allocation of the coastwide quota, pursuant to the provisions of Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks. The Board’s action responds to NOAA Fisheries’ final approval of Amendment 9 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, which brings smoothhound sharks under federal management effective March 15, 2016.
NOAA Fisheries will close the federal waters fishery when smoothhound shark landings are expected to reach 80% of the coastwide quota. However, fishermen with a state commercial fishing license can continue to harvest smoothhound in state waters until the allotted state share is projected to have been harvested.
State‐specific quota overages in a fishing year will be deducted from the corresponding state quota in the subsequent fishing season. Two or more states, under mutual agreement, may transfer or combine their smoothhound shark quota. Unused quota may not be rolled over from one fishing year to the next.
In addition to other provisions related to the removal of smoothhound shark fins at sea, Amendment 9 requires smoothhound sharks to make up at least 25% of the retained catch in order for fishermen to be able to remove their fins while at sea. Fishermen may retain other sharks on board provided the fins of other shark species remain naturally attached to the carcass through offloading. Since a catch composition requirement is not currently in the Interstate FMP, the Board initiated Draft Addendum IV to the FMP to ensure consistency between state and federal regulations. The Board will review the Draft Addendum and consider approving it for public comment at the Commission’s Spring Meeting in May.
For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at aharp@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
State‐shares of Smoothhound Sharks Coastwide Quota
| State | % Share | State Allocation Dressed Weight (mt) | State Allocation Dressed Weight (lbs) |
| ME | 0.021% | 0.25 | 551 |
| MA | 0.433% | 5.20 | 11,464 |
| RI | 1.363% | 16.38 | 36,111 |
| CT | 0.234% | 2.81 | 6,195 |
| NY | 7.953% | 95.57 | 210,694 |
| NJ | 18.828% | 226.26 | 498,813 |
| DE | 0.339% | 4.07 | 8,973 |
| MD | 6.703% | 80.55 | 177,581 |
| VA | 34.803% | 418.23 | 922,030 |
| NC | 28.583% | 343.48 | 757,236 |
| SC | 0.742% | 8.90 | 19,621 |
| TOTAL | 100% | 1,201.7 | 2,649,268 |