June 24, 2021 — A small change in pelagic longline fishing could make a big difference to one species of sharks — and it has the approval of industry and regulators.
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted earlier this week to prohibit wire leaders in the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery and require removal of trailing gear for all longline vessels operating under the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan to improve the post-hooking survivorship of oceanic whitetip sharks.