Swordfish General Commercial Permit Retention Limit In Season Adjustment July 1–December 31, 2019 NOAA Fisheries just announced an inseason change to the Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limits in the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions, as shown in the table below. The default Swordfish General Commercial permit retention limit of zero (0) swordfish […]
Exempted Fishing Permits were issued by the Pacific Fishery Management Council on April 29, 2019 to two vessels to fish off the U.S. west coast in federal waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) with pelagic longline gear. The listed purpose is to collect data about the performance of shallow-set (pelagic) longline gear and mitigation measures to minimize adverse […]
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently released an Options Paper to amend the current Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) strategy, implemented to reduce incidental bycatch of bluefin, in the pelagic longline fishery for public review. The allocation of bluefin tuna to all user categories may be changed. Why should the recreational community care? For two […]
NMFS Scoping New Strategies to Allow Commercial Vessels Inside Closed Zones to Research NEEDS ALL ANGLERS ATTENTION – The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) launched a new and very comprehensive process for evaluating the success or inefficiencies of current Pelagic Longline Closed Zones and Gear Restricted Areas to achieve full swordfish quota utilization and reduction […]
NOAA just released the 1st quarter landing update for the recreational fishing community. While only 1 blue marlin has been landed in the 1st quarter, we expect the number of fish to be reported will increase by the 2nd quarter due to tournament season. Landings are compiled using self-reported angler reports from the Atlantic Highly […]
Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Gulf of Mexico Trophy Fishery to Close May 31, 2019 NOAA Fisheries has determined that the subquota of 1.8 mt for the Angling category Gulf of Mexico trophy bluefin tuna fishery has been reached. Trophy bluefin are those measuring 73 inches or greater. The incidental Angling category fishery for trophy […]
The Billfish Foundation submitted our comments to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to consider Bullet Tunas, Auxis rochei, and similar Frigate Mackerel, Auxis thazard to the dolphin/wahoo fishery management plan as ecosystem component species, so they can acknowledge the role the two currently unmanaged species play as important prey for both dolphin and wahoo. Read […]
New Daily Limits – Except for the Gulf of Mexico NOAA Fisheries is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits that apply to vessels permitted in the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category and the HMS Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally for BFT). The adjustments below are effective May 11, 2019, through December […]
NMFS reducing billfish research support The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fishery Science Center, is further diminishes support for billfish research, now by not facilitating funding of a respected billfish scientist! This is a worsening of the government’s longstanding low priority given to billfish, whereas the highest priorities go to the “commercially targeted fish […]
