DEC announced changes to recreational fishing regulations in New York's Marine and Coastal District. The new regulations will further protect prohibited shark species while maintaining recreational opportunities for shore-based anglers targeting legal species. New gear restrictions specific to recreational shore anglers include the prohibition of:

• Metal fishing leaders attached to baited hooks that exceed 18 inches in length.
• Chumming within 600 feet of the shoreline (except with mollusks and crustaceans)
• Deploying baited hooks by means other than casting with rod and reel.

These new rules also include new shark handling requirements for all marine anglers which will reduce stress and injury to captured sharks and improve the condition of sharks that are released. These new rules require:

• immediate release of all prohibited shark species;
• anglers to keep any shark that is not being harvested in the water with its gills submerged (this does not apply to smooth dogfish and spiny dogfish);
• recreational shark anglers to have wire or bolt cutters immediately available to aid in the removal of tackle and the release of sharks that are not being harvested; and
• anglers to take every precaution to ensure the maximum probability of survival of any shark that will be released.

These regulations will further protect shark species that are currently illegal to take or possess and are referred to as "prohibited" shark species for recreational fishing. Visit DEC's website for a complete list of prohibited shark species.

A complete list of recreational shark fishing regulations is available on DEC's website. These new regulations go into effect Apr. 17, 2024.