Data / Federal rules / 2023-28900
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Prohibiting Retention of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks in U.S. Atlantic Waters and Hammerhead Sharks in the U.S. Caribbean Sea
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published this final rule in the Federal Register on January 3, 2024. It took effect on February 2, 2024.
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What the agency says
In this final rule, NMFS is prohibiting the retention and possession of oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) in U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and hammerhead sharks (great (Sphyrna mokarran), smooth (S. zygaena), and scalloped (S. lewini) hammerhead sharks) in U.S. waters of the Caribbean Sea. This action is responsive to two Biological Opinions (BiOps) for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS): one for the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery and one for the non- PLL fisheries. The BiOps strongly encouraged the inclusion of the scalloped hammerhead shark Central and Southwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and the oceanic whitetip shark on the list of prohibited sharks for recreational and/or commercial HMS fisheries. These prohibitions apply to all HMS permitted fishermen.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2023-28900
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Final rule
- Agency
- Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Published
- January 3, 2024
- Takes effect
- February 2, 2024
- Dates
- This final rule is effective February 2, 2024.
- Docket
- Docket No. 231228-0317
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 0648-BK54
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 50 CFR 635
- Topics
- Fisheries; Fishing; Fishing vessels; Foreign relations; Imports; Penalties; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Statistics; Treaties
- Pages
- 7
Other documents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Everything from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · Rules on fisheries · Rules on fishing · Rules on fishing vessels · Published in January 2024
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.