Shark Violations in US Fisheries – Sept 2013 to Apr 2014

Notices of Violation and Assessments Issued

Cases charged from September 2013 to April 2014

•SE1200522; Mississippi state registered vessel – Owner and operator were charged in two counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for exceeding the bag limit on large coastal sharks and for possessing undersized sharks. A $4,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE1105098; F/V Watersport – Owner and operator were charged under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for failing to maintain a shark in its proper form by removal of the fins of the shark and no corresponding carcasses. A $5,015 NOVA was issued.

•SE1101510; F/V El Sueno – Owner and operator were charged in two counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for possessing blacktip sharks without an Atlantic HMS permit on board the vessel and for possessing twice the number of red snapper while on a commercial shrimp trawling trip. A $6,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE0901883; F/V Can Do – Owner and operator were charged three counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for possessing 11 red snappers without a red snapper IFQ allocation, failing to land sharks intact by possessing shark fins without the corresponding carcass, and possessing 21 sandbar sharks without a valid shark research permit. A $14,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE1100674; F/V Whiskey Joe – Owner and operator were charged in two counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for possessing shark fins on board the vessel and not having a valid Atlantic HMS permit, and for failing to maintain naturally attached shark fins through offloading. A $13,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE1003391; F/V Big Dog – Owner/operator was charged in two counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for failing to land finfish (red grouper and red snapper) intact and failing to land shark intact (both the finfish and shark were cut into pieces and being used as bait). A $16,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE1202522; F/V Lady Lyanna – Owner and operator were charged two counts under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for failing to land sharks intact (possessing shark fins without corresponding carcasses) and exceeding commercial retention limits for sharks. Respondents in this case were found with 17 bags containing 2,029 shark fins and when combined with the 11 sharks found on board amounts to a taking of approximately 518 sharks. A $45,000 NOVA was issued.

•SE1105096; F/V Sarah Brent – Owner/operator was charged one count under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for landing sharks in excess of that allowed for under the respondent’s shark research permit landed (respondent landed approximately 179 sandbar sharks from one trip—almost six times the amount (33) that respondent was allowed to land per trip per respondent’s shark research permit). A $23,366.97 was issued.

•NE1003176; F/V Elz Bellz – Owner /operator was charged under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for harvesting a swordfish without an Atlantic HMS swordfish permit. A $6,440 NOVA was issued.

Source: NOAA Fisheries, HMS Enforcement Overview

–