NOAA Fisheries now offers an online option to register Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) tournaments and report HMS tournament catch.
The Atlantic Tournament Registry and Reporting System is important for the management of swordfish, billfishes, tunas, and sharks because it characterizes a portion of the recreational fishing effort on these species. This includes general location and targeted species and provides catch and landings data that are used for stock assessments and monitoring of landings under international requirements. The new system provides a platform for electronic registration and reporting. It emails confirmation that NOAA Fisheries has reviewed the registration application, or reporting information, and determined that the entry is complete. The options to mail, e-mail, and fax still exist.
