Draft Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for a Rule to Revise Commercial Management Measures for Atlantic Blacknose Sharks and Recreational Management Measures for Atlantic Sharks

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing several changes for commercial and recreational Atlantic shark fisheries. This action is necessary to be responsive to the new framework for implementing management measures established in Amendment 14 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, findings from the Shark Fishery in Review document, and recent domestic laws and international agreements that are likely to have direct and indirect impacts on shark fisheries. Specifically, NMFS is considering options to: (1) remove the blacknose shark management boundary in the Atlantic region, (2) modify the commercial retention limit for blacknose sharks in the Atlantic region, (3) revise the recreational minimum size limits for Atlantic shark species, and (4) revise the recreational retention limits for Atlantic shark species. The goal of this action is to increase management flexibility to react to additional factors impacting Atlantic shark fisheries and optimize the ability for the commercial and recreational shark fisheries to harvest available quota to the extent practicable. This action is being taken pursuant to the rulemaking authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, section 304(g).