General provisions
1. In fisheries that are not targeting sharks, live sharks that are caught incidentally and are not used for food or subsistence shall be released.
2. Member States shall, where possible, carry out research on shark species caught in the ICCAT Convention area in order to improve the selectivity of fishing gear, to identify potential nursery areas and consider time and area closure and other measures, as appropriate. Such research shall provide information on key biological and ecological parameters, life-history and behavioural traits, as well as on the identification of potential mating, pupping and nursery grounds.
Porbeagle sharks ( Lamna nasus )
1. Retaining on board, transhipping or landing any part or whole carcass of porbeagle sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries shall be prohibited.
2. Union catching vessels shall promptly release, unharmed, porbeagle sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries when brought alongside the vessel.
Bigeye thresher sharks ( Alopias superciliosus )
1. Retaining on board, transhipping or landing any part or whole carcass of bigeye thresher sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries shall be prohibited.
2. Union catching vessels shall promptly release, unharmed, bigeye thresher sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries when brought alongside the vessel.
Shortfin mako sharks ( Isurus oxyrinchus )
Member States shall take appropriate measures to reduce fishing mortality in fisheries targeting shortfin mako sharks and shall report to the Commission, as part of the annual report referred to in Article 71, about the progress made.
Oceanic whitetip shark ( Carcharhinus longimanus )
1. Retaining on board, transhipping or landing any part or whole carcass of oceanic whitetip sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries shall be prohibited.
2. Union catching vessels shall promptly release, unharmed, oceanic whitetip sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries when brought alongside the vessel.
Hammerhead sharks
1. Retaining on board, transhipping or landing any part or whole carcass of hammerhead sharks of the Sphyrnidae family (except Sphyrna tiburo ) caught in association with ICCAT fisheries shall be prohibited.
2. Union catching vessels shall promptly release, unharmed, hammerhead sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries when brought alongside the vessel.
Silky sharks ( Carcharhinus falciformis )
1. Retaining on board, transhipping or landing any part or whole carcass of silky sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries shall be prohibited.
2. Union catching vessels shall promptly release, unharmed, silky sharks caught in association with ICCAT fisheries, at the latest before putting the catch into the fish holds, giving due consideration to the safety of crew members.
3. Union purse seiners engaged in ICCAT fisheries shall take additional measures to increase the survival rate of silky sharks caught incidentally. Member States shall report to the Commission, as part of the annual report referred to in Article 71, about the progress made.
Sampling of shark species by scientific observers and other authorised individuals
1. By way of derogation from the prohibition to retain on board porbeagle, bigeye thresher, oceanic whitetip, hammerhead (of the Sphyrnidae family, except for the Sphyrna tiburo ) and silky sharks, as set out in Articles 31, 32, 34, 35 and 36, the collection of biological samples during commercial fishing operations by scientific observers or individuals authorised by the CPC to collect biological samples shall be permitted under the following conditions:
(a)
the biological samples are collected only from animals which are dead at the haul back;
(b)
the biological samples are taken in the framework of a research project notified to the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics of the ICCAT and developed taking into consideration the recommended research priorities of that Committee. The research project should include a detailed document that describes the objective of the project, the methodologies to be used, the number and type of samples to be collected and the time and area of sampling;
(c)
the biological samples are kept on board until the port of landing or transhipment; and
(d)
the authorisation of the flag Member State or, in the case of chartered vessels, of the chartering CPC and the flag Member State, must accompany all samples collected in accordance with this Article until the final port of landing. Such samples and other parts of the shark specimens sampled shall not be marketed or sold.
2. The biological samples referred to in paragraph 1 may include, in particular, vertebrae, tissue, reproductive tracts, stomachs, skin samples, coil valves, jaws, whole fish or skeletons for taxonomic studies and fauna inventories.
3. The sampling campaign may only start once the authorisation by the Member State concerned has been issued.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
