Final Rule regarding Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Northern Albacore Quotas and Minor Change in Regulations to Address Predator-Damaged Tunas
NOAA Fisheries is modifying the baseline annual U.S. quota and subquotas for Atlantic bluefin tuna, as well as the baseline annual U.S. North Atlantic albacore (northern albacore) quota. NOAA Fisheries also makes a minor change to the Atlantic tunas size limit regulations to address retention, possession, and landing of bigeye and yellowfin tunas damaged through predation by sharks and other marine species. Specifically for 2018, NOAA Fisheries adjusts the bluefin tuna Reserve category quota and the northern albacore baseline quota to account for available underharvest from 2017 and recalculates the 2018 Purse Seine and Reserve category quotas that were announced earlier this year.
Adjustment of
the baseline bluefin tuna quotas: The final rule increases the baseline annual U.S. bluefin tuna quota from 1,058.79 to 1,247.86 metric tons (mt), the level recommended for 2018 through 2020 by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) at its 2017 annual meeting. See the table below for the final baseline Atlantic bluefin tuna quotas.
Adjustment of the baseline northern albacore quota: The final rule increases the baseline annual U.S. northern albacore quota from 527 to 632.4 mt, the ICCAT-recommended level for 2018 through 2020.
Modification
of the size limit regulations to address bigeye and yellowfin tuna damaged
through predation by sharks and other marine species: NOAA Fisheries makes a minor change to the Atlantic tunas size limit regulations to address retention, possession, and landing of bigeye and yellowfin tunas damaged through predation by sharks and other marine species. This change allows retention, possession, and landing of yellowfin and bigeye tuna for which a measurement to the fork of the tail may not be possible because the tail has been partially or entirely bitten off, provided that the remainder of the fish meets the current minimum size (e.g., 27 inches for yellowfin and bigeye tuna). To preserve evidence, for enforcement purposes, that the carcass was damaged through predation by sharks or other marine species, the regulatory text specifies that, aboard a vessel, no tissue may be cut away from or other alterations made to the predator-damaged area of the fish.
Adjustment of the 2018 quotas for northern albacore and for the bluefin tuna Purse Seine and Reserve category: Consistent with the regulations regarding annual quota adjustment, NOAA Fisheries annually announces the addition of available underharvest from the previous year, if any, to the northern albacore quota and to the bluefin tuna Reserve category once complete catch information is available and finalized. Such data are included with the final rule to provide the regulated community with the most up-to-date quota balances.
The 2018 adjusted northern albacore quota is 764.15 mt (baseline quota of 632.4 mt + underharvest carryover of 131.75 mt). The 2018 adjusted U.S. bluefin tuna quota is 1,381.24 mt (baseline quota of 1,272.86 mt + the 2017 underharvest carryover of 108.38 mt). Because the U.S. baseline quota and subquotas are increasing via this action, NOAA Fisheries has also recalculated the 2018 Purse Seine and Reserve category quotas that were announced earlier this year. Adjusted for the quota increase, 55 mt are available for Purse Seine category participants in 2018. The adjusted 2018 Reserve category quota as of filing of this action is: 24.8 mt (baseline) + 4.7 mt (ICCAT quota increase to baseline) - 144.5 (quota transfers) + 164.5 mt (Purse Seine adjustment) + 108.38 mt (underharvest carryover) = 157.9 mt.
This
action is necessary to implement ICCAT recommendations pursuant to the Atlantic
Tunas Convention Act and to achieve domestic management objectives under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. More information can be found in the final rule and supporting documents -- see the Atlantic HMS Management Division's website.
Final annual Atlantic
bluefin tuna quotas (in metric tons)
1 This subquota is referred to as the "January" subquota in the
regulations but is in effect from January 1 through the effective date of a
closure notice filed by NOAA Fisheries in the Federal Register announcing that the subquota is reached
or projected to be reached, or through March 31, whichever comes first.
2 Baseline
amount shown. Does not reflect the annual adjustment process (for the Purse
Seine and Reserve category quotas) adopted in Amendment 7.
3
Totals subject to rounding error.
For further information, contact the HMS
Management Division at (978) 281-9260, or go to the Atlantic HMS Management Division's website.
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