Saving Seafood

Shark research effort still has bite after 50 years

November 14, 2025 –Aboard this 65-foot vessel, nothing much happens most of the time. The VHF marine radio crackles with mundane chatter. The Atlantic Ocean ebbs and swells. Below deck, crew members resort to playing Uno.

Then, everything happens all at once.

After four hours of “soaking” in ocean currents, the baited fishhooks are ready to be reeled in. A huge winch squeals to life, winding in the mile-long fishing line. Just below the surface of the water, a ghostly silhouette flickers into view.

It has arrived — the day’s first shark.

“Up!” several voices call in unison, an instruction to raise the hammock-like gurney six or seven feet to the boat’s railing. The sandbar shark nearly thrashes free, but two gloved hands show up just in time to gently, but firmly, coax the giant fish to stay put.

“That was a very alive one,” said Samuel Ruth, a few minutes after returning the shark into the waters where the ocean mingles with the Chesapeake Bay.

his is catch-and-release with a higher purpose. During the minute or two that the shark is out of the water, Ruth and his colleagues race to record vital information — its sex, length and weight (if it’s small enough to fit on the scale). The whirlwind of activity also includes collecting a DNA sample, affixing an ID tag below its dorsal fin and snapping photos to aid in future identification.

For more than five decades, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s shark research group has worked to pull back the veil on these mysterious creatures. Their research has helped protect sharks from overfishing, documented how they respond to climate change and shed light on their not infrequent appearances in the Chesapeake Bay.

The work is crucial for understanding sharks themselves as well as the marine ecosystems they inhabit, said Jameson Gregg, a senior marine scientist at VIMS.

Read the full article at the Bay Journal

MAINE: Experts say multiple factors contributing to recent shark sightings off Maine coast

August 15, 2025 — The state says there’s more than one reason behind the recent shark sightings off Maine’s coast, and climate change is one of them.

On Monday, drone video captured a shark, believed to be a great white that was 10 to 12 feet long, near Richmond Island, Higgins Beach, and Scarborough Beach.

It was spotted again near Pine Point Beach on Tuesday.

Matt Davis, a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, says shark sightings are becoming more common because people are more on the lookout and warming waters in Maine are something sharks are “warming up to.”

Read the full article at WGME

Are Gulf sharks really an ‘overwhelming problem’? It’s complicated, experts say

August 12, 2025 — Florida anglers say sharks are snatching their catches at unprecedented rates, calling it an “overwhelming problem” and blaming a boom in Gulf shark numbers.

But scientific research paints a more complicated picture.

Scientists who study sharks acknowledge that depredation — the act of fish being eaten by an underwater predator while on a fisherman’s line — is a growing concern in some areas, especially Florida. They cite several potential drivers of increased shark-human conflict, including climate change-related shifts in shark behavior and rebounding populations of some species.

But they note that changes in human behavior — such as more people fishing and heightened awareness of shark encounters through social media — may also play a role.

Now, researchers are working to learn when and why these encounters happen and how to prevent them.

Matt Ajemian, an associate research professor studying the issue at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, cautions against calling shark depredation a crisis, noting that historical accounts show similar encounters have long occurred.

“I don’t call it a problem,” he said. “I try to call it a challenge.”

Read the full article at the Bradenton Herald

FLORIDA: Sharks have become an ‘overwhelming problem’ in the Gulf, Florida anglers say

August 5, 2025 — Shark depredation is a major issue facing Gulf coast anglers fishing near and offshore.

It’s been making waves on social media with anglers complaining about the sheer amount of shark run-ins they have been seeing in recent years, and for good reason. Depredation is the act of a hooked fish being partially or completely removed by a shark, something almost all anglers deal with on a daily basis while targeting their favorite offshore species.

“Man, I don’t know how you offshore charter boat captains deal with this shark problem every day,” a Bradenton-based inshore charter captain posted on social media. “I went offshore today and fished six spots between 140 and 150 feet and got sharked on five of them. Probably lost 20+ fish to them today.”

This report, and many more like it, are constant across fishing communities. Countless other anglers are posting similar stories. Even when talking with those fishing offshore who don’t post, they experience similar situations when fishing from nearshore waters for hogfish all the way to deep waters for grouper and red snapper.

Captain Zac Sturm, host of Tampa Bay Fishing Radio, posted some advice for anglers seeking help from lawmakers in June.

Read the full article at Miami Herald

FLORIDA: Florida Safe Seas Act to Prohibit Shark Feeding in the EEZ off Florida’s Coast

June 17, 2025 — “As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to the responsible stewardship of our marine ecosystems and the safety of our waters,” said Rep. Webster. “This legislation mirrors current Florida law, which helps ensure the safety of Floridians and provide commonsense conservation of marine wildlife.”

The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025 is supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jupiter Dive Center, American Sportfishing Association, and Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.

“The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) applauds Congressmen Webster and Soto for introducing the Florida Safe Seas Act,” said Martha Guyas, ASA’s Southeast Fisheries Policy Director. “With depredation by sharks on the rise, anglers are increasingly concerned about the practice of shark feeding, which conditions sharks to associate humans and boats with food.”

“I wholeheartedly support the Florida Safe Seas Act that seeks to prohibit the feeding of sharks in federal waters off the State of Florida. This critical measure will protect shark populations, promote healthier marine ecosystems, and enhance the safety of our waters. By taking this step, we affirm our responsibility to preserve the delicate balance of ocean life and ensure a sustainable future for both marine wildlife and the communities that depend on them,” said Gerald Carroll, Owner of Jupiter Dive Center.

“Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) thanks Congressman Webster and Congressman Soto for their leadership in keeping Floridians safe. The Florida Safe Seas Act would prohibit the hand-feeding of sharks in federal waters off the coast of Florida, therefore mirroring the current prohibition in Florida state waters. The state of Florida prohibits the feeding of all wildlife, including alligators, on state property. The National Park Service prohibits the feeding of wildlife in national parks. This legislation is a common-sense approach to keeping Florida’s federal waters safe,” said Jessica McCawley, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries Management.

Read the full article at ECO Magazine

Using machine learning to map where sharks face the most risk from longline fishing

January 13, 2023 — The ocean can be a dangerous place, even for a shark. Despite sitting at the top of the food chain, these predators are now reeling from destructive human activities like overfishing, pollution and climate change.

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara focused on a particularly troublesome issue for : tangles with the longline tuna fishery. Using data from regional fisheries management organizations and  algorithms, the scientists were able to map out hotspots where shark species face the greatest threat from longline fishing. The findings, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, highlight key regions where sharks can be protected with minimal impact on tuna fisheries.

Offshore longline fisheries take an especially heavy toll on ocean life. The non-selective technique has the highest rate of shark bycatch. “Longline fishing gear is exactly what it sounds like: a long line with lots of hooks attached to it that are baited. And they can be left in the water, waiting for fish to bite, for a very long time,” explained co-lead author Darcy Bradley, who heads UC Santa Barbara’s Ocean & Fisheries Program at the Environmental Markets Lab (emLab). These baited hooks catch predators like tuna, but many nearby sharks will also converge on the bait.

Rather than simply report how many sharks were caught and where, the authors aimed to assess the relative risk sharks faced across different areas of the ocean. “One of the main questions was ‘Where is the risk for catching sharks the highest, and does that overlap with fishing effort?'” said co-lead author Echelle Burns, a project scientist at emLab.

Read the full article at phys.org

ASMFC 2022 Spring Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

April 27, 2022 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2022 Spring Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2022-spring-meeting for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF –  http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2022SpringMeeting/2022SpringMeetingSupplementalMaterials.pdf. This document does not include the supplemental materials for the Atlantic Striped Bass and Sciaenids Boards. For those Boards that have FMP Reviews and Compliance Reports on their agendas, the compliance reports are not posted due to their large file sizes. If you would like a copy of a specific state’s or jurisdiction’s compliance report, please contact the respective FMP Coordinator. 

As a reminder this will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and remote) to allow for remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders. The Law Enforcement Committee meeting will not be available remotely. The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Below is the list of documents included in the supplemental materials.

Revised Final Notice & Agenda

Sciaenids Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda & Meeting Overview; 2022 Red Drum Simulation Stock Assessment Report (previously posted report did not include the full report); and Advisory Panel Nomination

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Technical Committee Meeting Summary

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Plan Development Team Recommendations on Draft Addendum l to Amendment 3 & Public Comment

Executive Committee – Draft Meeting Summary from January 26, 2022

Coastal Sharks Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview; Proposal to List 54 Shark Species under Appendix II; and Advisory Panel Nomination

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Recommendations from the Advisory Panel; Input from the Law Enforcement Committee; and Full Public Comment Summary. The document is very large (>2100 pages), the bulk of which is public comment on Draft Amendment 7, so please be patient downloading.

ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Agenda; ASMFC De Minimis Discussion Paper; New York Tautog Tagging Feedback Survey DRAFT Results; Public Comment on Tautog Tags

Webinar Information

Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, May 2 at  10 a.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:30 p.m.) on Thursday, May 5. To register for the webinar, please go to

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6673024452273516048 (Webinar ID:  243-937-907).

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), you can may also call in at +1 (562) 247-8422, access code 616-672-938. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar; seewebinar instructions for details on how to receive the PIN. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

Meeting Process

In terms of meeting process, Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual Board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The Chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for the public and interested stakeholders when the Board Chair provides an opportunity for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the Board Chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter.  If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Public Comment Guidelines

To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).

1.    Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (April 11) have been included in the briefing materials.

2.    Comments received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April  26th will be included in supplemental materials.

3.    Comments received by 10:00 AM on Friday, April 29th will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.

We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Meeting.

NMFS Releases Proposed Rule to Establish a Commercial Retention Limit for Blacknose Sharks South of 34° N. Latitude in the Atlantic Region

August 11, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced a proposed rule to the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan that would establish a commercial possession limit of eight blacknose sharks per trip. It would apply to federal Atlantic shark limited access permit holders targeting small coastal sharks (SCS) south of 34˚ N. latitude. If approved, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Coastal Sharks Management Board could take action to apply this to state licensed fishermen as well.

In 2016, commercial fisheries for both blacknose sharks and SCS south of 34˚ N. latitude were closed approximately five months after the opening date of May 29, 2016 because the commercial Atlantic blacknose shark landings were projected to have exceeded 80% of the available quota. The blacknose shark and non-blacknose SCS fisheries south of 34˚ N. latitude are quota-linked under current regulations, meaning if landings from either fishery are projected to exceed 80% of the available commercial quota then the both fisheries will close.

As a result of the early closures, the non-blacknose SCS quota was underutilized in 2016. The purpose of the proposed rule is to maximize the utilization of the non-blacknose SCS quota, while minimizing the mortality and discards of blacknose sharks and other small coastal sharks. Under current regulations, there is no commercial retention limit for blacknose sharks. The preferred alternative would establish a commercial retention limit of eight blacknose sharks per trip for all federal Atlantic shark limited access permit holders. The full range of alternatives considered can be found in the Draft Environmental Assessment and/or proposed rule.

The public comment period is open until September 20, 2016. NMFS will hold a public hearing and conference call for the proposed rule. Written comments, identified by “NOAA-NMFS-2016-0095,” may be submitted electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov.

Vote coming on rules about removal of dogfish fins

July 28, 2016 — OLD LYME, Conn. — Interstate fishing regulators will vote on changes to rules that govern removal of fins from some coastal sharks by fishermen.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering an amendment that would allow fishermen to bring smooth dogfish to land with fins removed as long as their total retained catch is at least 25 percent smooth dogfish.

Current rules say fishermen can bring ashore as many dogfish with fins removed as they choose. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the New Jersey Herald

ASMFC 2016 Summer Meeting Supplemental Material Now Available

July 27, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2016 Summer Meeting have been posted here for the following Boards/Committees (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information).

Executive Committee – Memo on Plan Development Team Member; ACCSP Governance (Transition Document, Draft MOU, Staff Flowchart)

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Cobia Management White Paper; FMP Reviews for Atlantic Croaker and Red Drum

Tautog Management Board – 2016 Tautog Regional Stock Assessments for Long Island Sound and New Jersey/New York Bight; Regional Assessment Desk Review; Tagging Trial Preliminary Results

Horseshoe Crab Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda and Meeting Overview; Memo on Ecobait Trials; Draft Recommendations for ARM Framework Review; Draft Biomedical Exceedance Recommendations;

Coastal Sharks Management Board – FMP Review; Advisory Panel Nomination and Request for Review of New Membership

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Advisory Panel Report on Draft Addendum I; Draft Public Information Document for Amendment 3; Public Comment

ACCSP Executive Committee – ACCSP Governance (Transition Document, Draft MOU, Staff Flowchart)

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – FMP Review

ISFMP Policy Board – Cobia Management White Paper; Risk and Uncertainty Policy Workgroup Memo; Habitat Committee Memo on Seismic Testing; MAFMC Correspondence to BOEM; SCWF Correspondence to SAFMC

ACCSP Coordinating Council – ACCSP Governance (Transition Document, Draft MOU, Staff Flowchart)

American Eel Management Board – New York Yellow Eel Allocation Proposal

American Lobster Management Board – American Lobster Technical Committee Memo on the Effect of Gauge Changes on Exploitation, SSB, Reference Abundance, and Catch; GARFO letter to ASMFC on the Southern New England Stock of American Lobster; American Lobster Plan Review Team & Advisory Panel Comments on Maine Conservation Equivalency Proposal

For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF here.

As a reminder, Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 10:15 a.m. on August 2nd and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 4:00 p.m.) on Thursday August  4th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Please go here to register.