Circle Hook Requirement Will Help Sharks Live After Being Released
An interstate commission voted in 2019 to require recreational fishermen to use circle hooks when fishing for sharks in state waters. The measure, passed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in October, is expected to save thousands of sharks after being caught and released.
Unlike the traditional j-hook, circle hooks grab the corner of a shark’s mouth, reducing injury to their stomach and other organs. It’s also easier for fishermen to release a shark caught with a circle hook. Together, these traits increase the chance that a prohibited shark—or one too small to be kept—will survive after being released.
The commission’s decision comes after years of collaboration with NOAA Fisheries to create consistent conservation measures in state and federal waters. The commission also voted to extend NOAA Fisheries’ minimum size requirements for shortfin mako sharks to state waters. Beginning in 2020, recreational fishermen from Maine to Florida must release any shortfin mako measuring less than 71 inches for males or 83 inches for females.
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