Atlantic Bluefin Tuna - Quota Transfer for General Category December Fishery

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Atlantic HMS

November 29, 2018

bluefin tuna

NOAA Fisheries Adjusts Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category December Subquota to 50 mt through Quota Transfers

NOAA Fisheries is transferring 129.2 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from the Reserve category to the General category, and 9.9 mt from the Harpoon category to the General category for the remainder of the 2018 fishing year. This action accounts for accrued overharvests of previous time period subquotas and provides opportunity for General category fishermen to participate in the December General category fishery, which reopens on December 1, 2018. This action results in 50 mt being available to the General category for the December subquota period and leaves 13.7 mt in the Reserve category. NOAA Fisheries reminds General category participants that when the fishery reopens December 1, 2018, the daily retention limit will be one large medium or giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73” or greater) per vessel per day/trip. More information can be found in the Federal Register notice -- see the Atlantic HMS Management Division’s website.

Who is Affected?

This action applies to General category (commercial) permitted vessels and to HMS Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna. Dealers are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of a dealer receiving bluefin tuna. Late dealer reporting compromises NOAA Fisheries’ ability to implement actions such as quota and retention limit adjustments or fishery closures and may result in enforcement actions. Additionally, and separate from the dealer reporting requirement, General category and HMS Charter/Headboat category vessel owners are required to report their own catch of all bluefin tuna retained or discarded dead, within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip, by accessing the HMS Permit Shop, using the HMS Catch Reporting app, or calling (888) 872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).

All bluefin tuna that are released must be handled in a manner that will maximize survivability and without removing the fish from the water. Download the Careful Catch and Release brochure for more safe handling tips.

This notice is a courtesy to bluefin tuna fishery permit holders to help keep you informed about the fishery.  For additional information, call (978) 281-9260, or go to the HMS Permit Shop.  Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register.