Blue shark (Atlantic and Pacific populations) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 13

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Existing Protection or Other Status Designations

There are no jurisdictions that prohibit the capture of blue sharks. In Canada finning is prohibited on both coasts and blue sharks cannot be landed in the hook and line fishery (Pacific) or recreational fishery (Atlantic). Fisheries management plans for blue sharks in Atlantic Canada consist of a nonrestrictive catch guideline of 250t. Finning has been prohibited in the U.S. Atlantic since 1993 and since 2000, the U.S. Shark Finning Prohibition Act has prohibited finning in all federal waters. In 2004, ICCAT accepted a resolution to prohibit finning in Atlantic pelagic fisheries. Finally, the IUCN assessed the blue shark in 2000 and listed it as lower risk/near threatened (LR/nt).