Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Commercial Handgear Fisheries
Find a buyer before you go fishing
NOAA Fisheries encourages operators of vessels authorized to sell bluefin tuna
to contact their local Atlantic tuna dealers before departing on a trip to determine
if dealers are willing to purchase bluefin. Some dealers may not accept or buy
bluefin given uncertainty regarding current market conditions.
Who is affected?
Individuals who fish commercially for bluefin tuna, including those with a Harpoon
category, General category, or HMS Charter/Headboat category (with a commercial
sale endorsement) permit.
What should I do if a fish cannot be sold?
1) Whether a bluefin is sold or not, vessel owners are required to report their entire catch of bluefin tuna retained or discarded, within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip by one of the following methods. A report confirmation number is provided upon successful reporting.
• Reporting online via the HMS Permit Shop
• Using the HMS Catch Reporting App on a smartphone or similar device
• Calling 888-872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.)
2) In addition to the above, if a fish cannot be sold, the vessel operator MUST contact
NOAA Fisheries at (978) 281-9213 and report the fish immediately upon landing. If
requested, the fish must be made available to enforcement for tagging. Alternatively, the vessel operator can request that an Atlantic tunas dealer tag the bluefin tuna and then report it as being “landed but not sold,” but this is solely at the dealer’s discretion.
NOAA Fisheries regulations require that all bluefin tuna that are released be handled in a manner that will maximize survivability, and without removing the fish from the water. For additional information on safe handling, see the Careful Catch and Release
brochure.
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