RE: COMMERCIAL SHARK HARVEST - ALL STATE
WATERS
Preston
P. Pate, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that
effective at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May
15, 2003, the commercial harvest and retention of sharks taken in state
waters is restricted as follows:
I. COMMERCIAL
HARVEST RESTRICTIONS:
Season:
A. No person
engaged in commercial fishing operations may possess, transport, buy, sell, or
offer for sale sharks within the Non
Ridgeback Large Coastal category.
B. 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. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 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 NMFS Highly
Migratory Species Section at (301) 713-2347.
Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus), Bull (Carcharhinus leucus), Great Hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), Lemon (Negaprion brevirostris), Nurse (Ginglymostoma cirratum), Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena).
E. This proclamation closes the harvest of the Non Ridgeback Large Coastal category due to the quota having been met.
May
12, 2003
10:00 a.m.
FF-33-2003
/sab