Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category October through November Subquota Adjustment and Adjustment of 2021 North Atlantic albacore tuna and North and South Atlantic swordfish quotas

NOAA Fisheries has transferred 140 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from the Reserve category to the General category for the remainder of the October through November time period. This action provides additional opportunity for General category fishermen to participate in the October through November General category fishery. The General category October through November fishery begins October 3, 2021, as October 1-2, 2021, are restricted-fishing days. The adjusted October through November 2021 subquota is 212.2 mt, and the remaining bluefin tuna Reserve category quota is 11.5 mt.

Who is affected by the General Category Transfer?

This action applies to commercial Atlantic Tunas General category permitted vessels and to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna.

Quota Adjustments

NOAA Fisheries also announces the adjustment of 2021 baseline quotas for North Atlantic albacore tuna (northern albacore) and North and South Atlantic swordfish. This action is based on the underharvest of 2020 adjusted U.S. quotas and limitations set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) on what can be carried forward.

The final 2021 adjusted quotas are:

• North Atlantic albacore tuna: 790.5 mt whole weight
• North Atlantic swordfish: 3,378.2 mt dressed weight
• South Atlantic swordfish: 75.1 mt dressed weight
• South Atlantic swordfish: 75.1 mt dressed weight
• Atlantic bluefin tuna Reserve category: 127.3 mt ww (as published in the Federal Register). Note that during the process of filing this action with the Office of the Federal Register, NOAA Fisheries transferred 140 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from the Reserve category to the General category (for the remainder of the October time period). The adjusted Reserve category quota as of October 4, 2020, will be 11.5 mt (i.e., the Oct.  1 balance of 24.2 mt-140 mt+127.3 mt)

This notice is a courtesy to fishery participants to help keep you informed about the fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register.