Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category and Harpoon Category Fishery: Retention Limit Adjustments

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category and Harpoon Category Fishery

Retention Limit Adjustments

NOAA Fisheries is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna daily retention limits for both the General category and Harpoon category fisheries.

What are the retention limits?

General category:

• 3 large medium or giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73 inches or greater curved fork length ) per vessel per day/trip
• Effective June 1 through August 31, 2024 unless modified by a later action

Harpoon category:

• 5 large medium and giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73 inches or greater curved fork length), combined, per vessel per day/trip
• No more than 2 of the 5 can be large medium bluefin tuna (i.e., measuring 73 inches to less than 81 inches curved fork length)
• Effective June 1 through November 15, 2024 unless modified by a later action

Who is affected?

The General category limits apply to Atlantic Tunas General category permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna. The Harpoon category limits apply to commercial vessels with an Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permit. The daily retention limits are effective for all areas except for the Gulf of Mexico, where NOAA Fisheries does not allow targeted fishing for bluefin tuna.

Vessels fishing recreationally for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species are not affected by these changes.

Catch reporting

Dealers are required to submit landings reports within 24 hours of 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.

Separate from the dealer reporting requirement, General category and Harpoon category and Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permitted vessel owners are required to report the catch of all bluefin tuna retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of landing or the end of each trip by:

• Accessing the Highly Migratory Species Permit Shop.
• Using the Highly Migratory Species Catch Reporting app.
• Calling 888-872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).