Draft Environment Assessment for a Proposed Rule to Modify the Commercial Retention Limit for Small Coastal Sharks in the Atlantic Region

This EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of establishing a commercial retention limit for small coastal sharks in the Atlantic region. The most recent stock assessment, conducted in 2010, indicates that the Atlantic blacknose shark stock is overfished and experiencing overfishing. NMFS implemented management measures in 2010 to rebuild blacknose sharks and end overfishing; one measure relied in part on fishermen successfully avoiding blacknose sharks while fishing for other small coastal sharks. From 2010 to 2012, landings data support that fishermen avoided blacknose sharks. However, from 2013 to 2015, fishermen in the South Atlantic have rapidly harvested and potentially targeted Atlantic blacknose sharks and landings have exceeded quotas. Due to quota linkages between blacknose and non-blacknose small coastal sharks, these blacknose shark landings have led to the early closure of the entire small coastal shark fishery once the blacknose shark quota is reached. The early closure of the fishery leaves the non-blacknose small coastal shark quota underutilized. The purpose of this action is to maximize the utilization of the non-blacknose small coastal shark quota, while minimizing the mortality and discards of blacknose sharks and other small coastal sharks.