The US National Marine Fisheries Service is proposed a ban on the commercial and recreational fishing of Whitetip and Hammerhead sharks.
Specifically, the new rule would prohibit “the commercial and recreational retention of oceanic whitetip sharks in US waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and all hammerhead sharks in the large coastal shark (LCS) complex (great, smooth, and scalloped hammerhead sharks) in the US Caribbean region,” according to NMFS.
A public hearing on the proposed rule will be held on April 25th, 2023 and written comments are due by May 22nd, 2023, according to a notice published this week.
In a tweet, Shark Advocates applauded the move:
“Good (overdue) steps in the right direction but there’s more to do (stay tuned).”
To register for the public hearing or to submit written comments, click here.
? At long last, @NOAAFisheries proposes ban on retention of ESA-listed oceanic whitetip sharks in ?? Atlantic + large coastal hammerheads in ?? Caribbean. Good (overdue) steps in the right direction but there's more to do (stay tuned). Comment by May 22:https://t.co/DOElaEByGM pic.twitter.com/JQZnDGrGH6
— Shark Advocates (@SharkAdvocates) March 21, 2023
