The Dorsal Fin

According to an article from the Miami Herald, the Florida Fisheries and Wildlife Commission adopted a new set of rules to protect shark species in Florida waters. The rules which take effect in mid-January include.

• protection of sandbar, silky, and Caribbean sharpnose sharks in state waters from harvesting
• Establishing a 54″ minimum fork length for all sharks caught, with the exception of Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, finetooth, smooth dogfish and blacktip sharks
• Prohibiting the removal of a shark’s head or caudal fin at sea
• Allowing only hook-and-line gear for shark harvesting