A review of the fishery for pelagic sharks in Atlantic Canada

Abstract

A domestic fishery for pelagic sharks has been developing in Atlantic Canada since 1990. Landings consist primarily of three species, porbeagle ( Lamna nasus), shortfin mako ( Isurus oxyrinchus), and blue ( Prionace glauca) sharks. A small but increasing quantity is landed as unspecified sharks. Porbeagle sharks are caught primarily in a directed longline fishery while shortfin makos are caught primarily as by-catch in the swordfish longline fishery. Small quantities of all three species are landed as by-catch in other fisheries. Although blue sharks are a significant by-catch in the swordfish and tuna longline fisheries, landings come primarily from a developing directed longline fishery. This developing fishery has been limited by market. Landings in 1994 totalled 1545 t of porbeagle, 157 t of shortfin mako, 113 t of blue, and 107 t of unspecified sharks. Fisheries regulations were amended in 1994 to permit the management of this fishery. A management plan, announced in July 1994, established precautionary catch levels, a limited number of exploratory licenses, gear restrictions, a prohibition on `finning' and submission of logbooks. Extreme caution has been advised in the development of this fishery due to elasmobranch life history traits, the history of elasmobranch fisheries, and the lack of information necessary for stock assessments.