FWC considers new shark fishing rules

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering rules that would ban fishing for a number of different shark species that rely on Florida’s productive coastal waters for their survival.

Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992, with a one-shark-per-person, two-sharks-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters.

There is also a ban on shark finning; and a prohibition on fishing for nearly two dozen overfished, vulnerable or rare shark species.

Now the FWC wants to add a few more species to the banned list.

The FWC’s proposed rules would prohibit harvest of scalloped hammerheads, great hammerheads, smooth hammerheads and tiger sharks from state waters.

Scalloped hammerheads are in the most danger but research indicates the other three species have also suffered severe population declines in recent decades.

In addition to the proposed rules, the Commission also want to begin educational campaign highlighting proper fishing and handling techniques when catching and releasing sharks.

The board is also looking at a trophy tag program for the sharks, similar to the one used for tarpon.

That program would allow anglers to harvest a shark for record purposes.

A final public hearing on the proposed shark rules will be during the November FWC meeting in Key Largo.

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