With shark fishing becoming more popular along New York’s coast each summer, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is reminding anglers to follow the state’s recreational shark fishing regulations. Shore anglers may only chum with mollusks or crustaceans and must deploy baited hooks by casting with a rod and reel—kayaks, drones and other bait-deployment methods are prohibited. When fishing with bait, non-stainless, non-offset circle hooks are required, and shore anglers may not use metal leaders longer than 18 inches.
Anglers targeting sharks must also keep wire or bolt cutters on hand to quickly remove tackle if necessary. Any shark that is not being harvested—including all prohibited species—must remain in the water during release, with its gills submerged at all times. Sharks should be released immediately and handled in a way that maximizes their chance of survival. For sharks that may legally be kept, anglers must follow all size and possession limits, land the fish with the head, tail and fins naturally attached, and remember that selling or trading recreationally caught sharks or shark fins is prohibited.
