New restrictions wouldn't foil Shark Saturdays

GULF COAST, FL - New state rules to protect “stressed” shark populations in Florida waters would have no bearing on the 61st Fishing Rodeo’s Shark Saturday event, organizers say.
   
Last week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission proposed rules to enhance its longstanding policy to protect stressed shark populations in Florida waters.
   
Shark have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992 with a one-fish-per-person/two-fish-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters, a prohibition on nearly two dozen overfished or rare shark species, and a ban on the cruel and wasteful practice of harvesting only shark fins — called finning.
   
“Florida has controlled the harvest of sharks for nearly 20 years and is recognized as a pioneer and a leader in shark-management efforts,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “We are now proposing to add further protections to sharks to help ensure the sustainability of our marine ecosystem...”
   
The commission is proposing to bolster these rules to further protect sharks in Florida waters and comply with recent management measures that have been implemented for sharks in coastal waters from Florida to Maine.
   
The FWC’s proposed rules would prohibit harvest of sandbar, silky and Caribbean sharpnose shark from state waters. Sandbar shark are considered overfished and are experiencing overfishing, which means that fishing pressure is too high to be sustainable. Silky shark are highly vulnerable to overexploitation, and Caribbean sharpnose shark do not reside in waters off Florida, so adding this species will have no effect on harvesters in state waters.
   
The proposed rules would also establish a 54-inch fork length minimum size limit for all shark except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, finetooth and blacktip sharks and smooth dogfish. This would help 14 species of sharks reach maturity before they are taken in Florida waters. The species for which no size limit is required are considered to be at healthy population levels or don’t warrant a minimum-size limit.
   
In addition, the proposed rules would prohibit the removal of shark heads and tails at sea, allow only hookand-line gear to harvest shark, and make other technical shark rule changes.
   
The commission also directed staff to work with stakeholders and develop options to possibly add other shark species to the prohibited list, especially lemon shark, and to require the use of circle hooks to harvest shark in state waters.
   
After studying the restrictions, Rodeo Director Helen Donaldson said there should be no impact. She said the Rodeo is taking steps to minimize the shark take. Eligible shark for the weekly $250 jackpot must weigh at least 100 pounds and only one shark per boat per day can be entered.
   
“This appears to be nothing new,” said Donaldson. “The sandbar or the silky are not included in the ‘sharks that can be legally retained’ list anyway. The Rodeo Board has also voluntarily eliminated the inclusion of the nurse shark and the lemon shark for Shark Saturdays.”
   
She added that Rodeo organizers will be giving captains a list of eligible shark in their sign-up materials.
   
A final public hearing on the proposed shark rules will be held during the December FWC meeting in Clewiston.