ALEXANDRIA, Va., — May 14, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Board initiated Draft Addendum V to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Spiny Dogfish. The Draft Addendum seeks to ensure consistency with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010. The Act was signed into law to close loopholes in the U.S. shark finning regulations. Specifically, the Act prohibits the removal of any fins of the shark (including the tail) while at sea (with an exemption for smooth dogfish). Fins must remain naturally attached to the corresponding carcass through landing of the fish (including while aboard a fishing vessel or transferred at sea from one vessel to another)
Currently, the Interstate FMP allows removal of the fins of spiny dogfish at-sea as long as the corresponding carcass is retained. The wet weight of fins on-board may not exceed 5% of the dressed weight of carcasses on-board (a 5-to-95 fin-to-carcass ratio). Maine, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida already require fins to remain naturally attached to the fish through landing. The Board will review and consider approval of the Draft Addendum for public comment at the Commission’s Summer Meeting in August 2014.
The Board also considered changing the state waters’ commercial possession limit for the 2014/2015 spiny dogfish fishing season, currently set at 4,000 pounds, in response to the proposed action by NOAA Fisheries to move to an unlimited possession limit in federal waters. The Board maintained the 4,000 pound limit with individual states providing input to NOAA Fisheries on its proposed rule.
For more information, please contact Marin Hawk, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mhawk@asmfc.org.