Source: http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/march2015/final/18%20DE%20Reg%20701%2003-01-15.htm
Timestamp: 2018-03-22 11:55:52
Document Index: 735339027

Matched Legal Cases: ['§901', '§10118', '§928', '§928', '§10118', '§928', '§3541']

(7 Del.C. §§901(c & d), 903(e)(2)a and 903(e)(3))
Secretary’s Order No.: 2015-F-0003
Date of Issuance: February 18, 2015
Effective Date of the Amendment: March 11, 2015
This Order relates to proposed regulation amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 3541: Atlantic Sharks. The Department's Division of Fish and Wildlife commenced the regulatory development process with Start Action Notice 2014-07 dated October 24, 2014. The Department published its initial proposed regulation amendments in the January 1, 2015 Delaware Register of Regulations. The Department then held a public hearing on January 22, 2015. Consistent with 29 Del.C. §10118(a), the public hearing record remained open for public comment through February 6, 2015.
The purpose of this Order is to adopt as final the aforementioned proposed amendments to these regulations ("Amendments") consistent with Addenda II and III to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's ("ASMFC") Interstate Fishery Management Plan ("IFMP") for Atlantic Coastal Sharks. The proposed Amendments will, through a variety of changes summarized below, maintain consistency between the federal 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (as amended) and ASMFC management plans, preserve the historical distribution of smoothhound (Mustelus canis and Mustelis norrisi) landings, and protect hammerhead shark to maturity.
In accordance with Addendum II to ASMFC's IFMP, these proposed Amendments define a smoothhound (colloquially referred to as "smooth dogfish" or "sand sharks") complex. Although the smoothhound complex has not been assessed, NOAA Fisheries is developing a coastwide smoothhound quota. In anticipation of a coastwide quota, the ASMFC developed state allocations under Addendum II to preserve the historical distribution of smoothhound. Additionally, the proposed Amendments will also implement smoothhound shark finning limits consistent with the federal Shark Conservation Act of 2010 and 7 Del.C. §928A.
Consistent with Addendum III, the proposed Amendments adjust species groupings for management purposes. Most significantly, the proposed Amendments group scalloped (Sphyrna lewini), great (S.mokarran) and smooth (S.zygaena) hammerhead sharks into a single complex, as it is difficult to differentiate the species. A recent assessment of scalloped hammerhead sharks indicated that the species is overfished, and that overfishing is occurring. It was also determined that female scalloped hammerhead sharks reach maturity at 78 inches fork length (Hazin, et al. 2001, NOAA Fisheries FEIS for Amendment 5a, pp. 2-19). Therefore, NOAA Fisheries changed the recreational size limit for all hammerhead sharks to 78 inches, and the proposed Amendments adopt this restriction. The proposed Amendments also separate the blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus) from the small coastal shark complex.
Lastly, these Amendments propose editorial and clerical changes to improve readability, and to enhance the public's understanding of the existing regulation, without changing the intent of the same.
The proposed Amendments to Delaware's existing Atlantic Sharks regulations were presented and thoroughly vetted by the Department at the public hearing on January 22, 2015. It should be noted that no members of the public attended said public hearing, nor was any comment received by the Department from the public at any time during the course of this proposed promulgation. It should also be noted that all proper notification and noticing requirements concerning this matter were met by the Department. Proper notice of the hearing was provided as required by law.
The Department's presiding hearing officer, Lisa A. Vest, prepared a Hearing Officer's Report dated February 9, 2015 ("Report"). The Report documents the proper completion of the required regulatory amendment process, establishes the record, and recommends the adoption of the proposed amendments as attached to the Report as Appendix "A".
Based on the record developed by the Department's experts and established by the Hearing Officer's Report, I find that the proposed regulatory amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 3541: Atlantic Sharks are well-supported. Therefore, the recommendations of the Hearing Officer are hereby adopted, and I direct that the proposed regulatory amendments be promulgated as final.
I find that the Department's experts in the Division of Fish and Wildlife fully developed the record to support adoption of these regulatory amendments. The adoption of these regulatory amendments will allow Delaware to (1) maintain consistency between the federal 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (as amended) and ASMFC management plans; (2) preserve the historical distribution of smoothhound (Mustelus canis and Mustelis norrisi) landings; (3) protect hammerhead sharks to maturity; (4) implement quota-based management for smoothhound (smooth dogfish); (5) implement shark finning limits consistent with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010 and 7 Del.C. §928A; (6) adjust the shark species groupings for management purposes; and (7) formally adopt a 78-inch minimum size limit for hammerhead sharks.
1. The Department has the statutory basis and legal authority to act with regard to the proposed amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 3541, pursuant to 7 Delaware Code, Sections 901 (c) & (d), 903(e)(2)a, and 903(e)(3);
3.	The Department provided adequate public notice of the proposed regulatory amendments and all proceedings in a manner required by the law and regulations, provided the public with an adequate opportunity to comment on the proposed regulatory amendments, including at the time of the public hearing held on January 22, 2015, and held the record open through close of business on February 6, 2015, consistent with 29 Del.C. §10118(a), in order to consider public comment on these proposed regulatory amendments before making any final decision;
5.	The adoption of these proposed regulatory amendments will allow Delaware to (1) maintain consistency between the federal 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (as amended) and ASMFC management plans; (2) preserve the historical distribution of smoothhound (Mustelus canis and Mustelis norrisi) landings; (3) protect hammerhead sharks to maturity; (4) implement quota-based management for smoothhound (smooth dogfish); (5) implement shark finning limits consistent with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010 and 7 Del.C. §928A; (6) adjust the shark species groupings for management purposes; and (7) formally adopt a 78-inch minimum size limit for hammerhead sharks;
7.	The Department's proposed regulatory amendments, as published in the January 1, 2015 Delaware Register of Regulations, and as set forth in Appendix "A" hereto, are adequately supported, are not arbitrary or capricious, and are consistent with the applicable laws and regulations. Consequently, they are approved as final regulatory amendments, which shall go into effect ten days after their publication in the next available issue of the Delaware Register of Regulations; and
8.	The Department shall submit this Order approving as final the proposed amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 3541: Atlantic Sharks to the Delaware Register of Regulations for publication in its next available issue, and provide such other notice as the law and regulation require and the Department determines is appropriate.
2.1	It shall be is unlawful for any person to land, purchase, trade, barter, or possess or attempt to land, purchase, trade, barter, or possess a prohibited species [(1.9)].
2.3	It is unlawful for any person to engage in a directed commercial fishery for a prohibited [(1.9)] or research species [(1.10)].
3.01	It shall be Except as provided in 3.2, it is unlawful for any person to possess the fins from any shark in the management unit [(1.6)] prior to landing said shark unless said fins are naturally attached to the body of said shark.
5.0	It shall be is unlawful for any person to fillet a shark in the management unit [(1.6)] prior to landing said shark. A shark may be eviscerated prior to landing said shark, but the head, tail, and fins must remain naturally attached to the carcass, except that as provided in 3.2 and commercial fishermen may eviscerate and remove the head of any shark reduced to possession, but the tail and fins must remain attached to the carcass.
6.0	It shall be is unlawful to release any shark in the management unit [(1.6)] or any sandbar shark in a manner that will not ensure said sharks maximum probability of survival. All species of shark when prohibited from harvest under §3541 must be immediately released.
7.01	It shall be is unlawful for the operator of any vessel without a commercial food fishing license to have on board said vessel more than one non-prohibited shark per trip from among those species in the management unit [(1.6)], regardless of the number of people on board the vessel. In addition each recreational angler fishing from a vessel may harvest and possess one bonnethead, and one Atlantic sharpnose shark per trip.
7.2	It is unlawful for any shore angler without a commercial foodfishing license to take and reduce to possession more than one non-prohibited shark from among those species in the management unit [(1.6)] per day (a day being 24 hours). Recreational shore anglers may also harvest one additional bonnethead, and one additional Atlantic sharpnose shark per day.
7.1	It shall be is unlawful for any shark from the management unit [(1.6)] caught in state waters to be bought and sold without a federal Commercial shark dealer permit.
8.09.1	It shall be is unlawful for any person who has been issued a valid commercial food fishing license while on board any vessel to possess any non-prohibited shark from among those species in the management unit [(1.6)] during the remainder of any period after the effective date a commercial quota for that group of sharks has been reached in said period or is projected to be reached in said period by the National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce after the closure date set by NOAA Fisheries for that fishery. Further, it shall be is unlawful for any person who has been issued a valid commercial food fishing license while on board any vessel to possess any non-sandbar large coastal sharks, small coastal sharks, or pelagic non-prohibited sharks from the management unit in excesss excess of current federal daily harvest limits administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA Fisheries.
10.01	It shall be is unlawful for the operator of any vessel to possess without a valid commercial foodfishing license to have on board said vessel any non-prohibited shark from among those species in the management unit [(1.6)] that measures less than 54 inches, fork length (tip of snout to indentation between dorsal and ventral tail lobes), with the exception of Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, finetooth, bonnethead, and smooth dogfish sharks, for which no minimum size limit applies except as provided in 10.2 and 10.3.
10.2	It is unlawful to possess without a valid commercial food fishing license any hammerhead species [(1.4)] that measures less than 78 inches, fork length (tip of snout to indentation between dorsal and ventral tail lobes).
18 DE Reg. 701 (03/01/15) (Final)