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This rule implemented Amendment 9 to the Atlantic shark and smoothhound shark fisheries and the measures in Amendment 3 and the 2011 Highly Migratory Species trawl rule in the Atlantic smoothhound shark fishery. The rule fully implemented smoothhound shark quota measures as well as the Savings Clause of the Shark Conservation Act. The Shark Conservation Act included a provision that allows, under specific conditions, smooth dogfish sharks to be landed without fins attached (versus the Shark Conservation Act as a whole that requires sharks to be landed with fins naturally attached). The final rule balanced this statutory provision that provides operating flexibility for smooth dogfish fisherman with the need to ensure effective shark conservation and management. The rule also made changes to the shark gillnet vessel monitoring system requirement to aid the industry by limiting the scope of vessel monitoring systems.