Amendment 8 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan: Management of Atlantic Swordfish

The final rule for Amendment 8 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) implements new and modified commercial vessel permits to retain and sell a limited number of swordfish caught on rod and reel, handline, harpoon gear, green-stick, or bandit gear. The management measures in Amendment 8 are intended to allow the United States to more fully utilize its domestic swordfish quota allocation, which is based upon the recommendation of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. The measures are also intended to provide additional opportunities for U.S. fishermen to harvest swordfish using selective gears that are low in bycatch, given the rebuilt status of swordfish and their resulting increased availability. 

If you have any problems accessing these documents, please contact nmfs.sf.webmaster@noaa.gov.