Comment from Anonymous

Please refrain from increasing catch limits for any shark species. I strongly oppose flexible recreational retention limits and encourage NOAA to adopt Alternative D1, which would preserve the current Atlantic shark catch limits. More than half of the shark populations being considered for higher catch limits have never undergone a formal NOAA assessment. Furthermore, over two-thirds of the shark species currently allowed for harvest in the Atlantic are classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List. I also oppose raising commercial catch limits for blacknose sharks and encourage NOAA to support Alternative C1, which would maintain the existing limits. Current assessments indicate that blacknose shark populations are still severely depleted and only beginning to recover. The recovery of Atlantic shark populations is a long-term effort that will require decades and remains in its early phases. I urge the National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA leadership to seek solutions to shark and fishery conflicts that do not weaken conservation and rebuilding efforts. Management decisions should also take into account increasing recreational fishing pressure and the ongoing decline of sharks’ prey species.