Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007

A. General recommendations for all fisheries

1.If operationally safe to do so, stop the vessel or have its speed substantially reduced.

2.When the shark is entangled (in netting, fishing line, etc.), if safe to do so, carefully cut the net or line free from the shark and release it to the sea as quickly as possible with no entanglements attached.

3.Where feasible, and while keeping the shark in the water, try to measure the length of the shark.

4.To prevent bites, place an object, such as a fish or big stick or wooden pole, in the jaw.

5.If, for whatever reason, a shark must be brought on the deck, then minimise the time it takes to return it to the water to increase its chance of survival and reduce risks to the crew members.

B. Longline fisheries specific safe handling practices

1.Bring the shark as close to the vessel as possible without putting too much tension on the branchline to avoid the possibility that a released hook or branchline break could shoot hook, weights and other parts toward the vessels and crew members at high speed.

2.Secure the far side of the longline mainline to the boat so that no gear remaining in the water pulls on the line and the shark.

3.If hooked, and the hook is visible in the body or mouth, use a dehooking device or long-handled bolt cutter to remove the hook barb, and then remove the hook.

4.If it is not possible to remove the hook or the hook cannot be seen, cut the line of the trace (or snood, leader) as close to the hook as possible (ideally leaving as little line and/or leader material as possible and no weights attached to the shark).

C. Purse seine fisheries specific safe handling practices

1.If in purse seine: Scan the net as far ahead as possible to spot any sharks early so as to react quickly. Avoid lifting the sharks up in the net towards the power block. Reduce vessel speed to slacken the tension of the net and allow the entangled shark to be removed from the net. If necessary, use clippers to cut the net.

2.If in brail or on deck: Use a purpose-built large-mesh cargo net or canvas sling or similar device. If the vessel layout allows, the sharks could also be released by emptying the brail directly onto a hopper and release ramp held up at an angle that connects to an opening on the top deck railing, without need to be lifted or handled by the crew members.

D. Specific recommendations and safe handling practices for all fisheries

1.To the greatest extent practicable, do not lift sharks from the water using the branchline, especially if hooked, unless it is necessary to lift sharks for species identification.

2.Do not lift sharks using thin wires or cables, or by the tail alone.

3.Do not strike a shark against any surface, for example to remove the animal from the line.

4.Do not attempt to dislodge any hook that is deeply ingested and not visible.

5.Do not try to remove a hook by pulling sharply on the branchline.

6.Do not cut the tail or any other body part.

7.Do not cut or punch holes in the shark.

8.Do not gaff or kick a shark, or insert hands into the gill slits.

9.Do not expose the shark to the sun for extended periods.

10.Do not wrap your fingers, hands or arms in the line when bringing a shark to the boat (could result in serious injury).

E. Useful tools for safe handling and release:

(a) gloves (shark skin is rough; ensures safe handling of shark and protects crew members’ hands from bites);

(b) towel or cloth (a towel or cloth soaked in seawater can be placed on the eyes of the shark to calm shark down);

(c) dehooking devices (e.g. pig tail dehooker, bolt or plier cutters);

(d) shark harness or stretcher (if needed);

(e) tail rope (to secure a hooked shark if it needs to be removed from the water);

(f) saltwater hose (if anticipated that it may require more than 5 minutes to release a shark, then place a hose into its mouth so seawater flows into it at a moderate rate; make sure deck pump has been running several minutes before placing it in a sharks mouth);

(g) measuring device or method (e.g. mark a pole, leader and float, or a measuring tape);

(h) data sheet for recording all catch;

(i) tagging gear (if applicable).

ANNEX X

1.The surface structure of the FAD shall not be covered or shall be, if covered, covered only with material implying minimum risk of entangling by-catch species.

2.The sub-surface components of the FAD shall be composed exclusively of non-entangling material (e.g. no ropes or canvas).

3.When designing FADs, the use of biodegradable materials shall be prioritised.