Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico Large Pelagics Longline Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries
Learn about the 2024 classification of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico Large Pelagics Longline Fishery.
U.S. fisheries are classified annually under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.
Current Classification on the List of Fisheries
Category | I |
Estimated Number of Participants | 201 |
Target Species | Swordfish, tuna (yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore), dolphin fish, and wahoo |
Applicable Take Reduction Plans | |
Observer Coverage | From 2017-2021, estimated percent observer coverage in the Atlantic was 12, 10, 10, 9 and 8.3, respectively. From 2017-2021, estimated percent observer coverage in the Gulf of Mexico was 13, 20, 13, 6 and 16.2, respectively. |
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured | Atlantic spotted dolphin, Northern Gulf of Mexico (GMX); Bottlenose dolphin, Northern GMX oceanic; Bottlenose dolphin, Western North Atlantic (WNA) offshore; Common dolphin, WNA; Cuvier's beaked whale, WNA; False killer whale, WNA; Harbor porpoise, GME, BF; Kogia spp. (pygmy or dwarf sperm whale), WNA; Long-finned pilot whale, WNA; Mesoplodon beaked whale, WNA; Minke whale, Canadian East coast; Pantropical spotted dolphin, Northern GMX; Pygmy sperm whale, GMX; Risso’s dolphin, Northern GMX; Risso’s dolphin, WNA; Rough-toothed dolphin, Northern GMX Short-finned pilot whale, Northern GMX; Short-finned pilot whale, WNA1; Sperm whale, Northern GMX. |
^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NMFS acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.
*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).
1 Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.
Basis for Current Classification
The total annual mortality and serious injury of pygmy sperm whale (WNA stock), and short-finned pilot whale (WNA stock) in this fishery is greater than 50% of the stocks’ Potential Biological Removal (PBR) levels.
Distribution
This fishery operates year-round and occurs within and outside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone throughout Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico waters. The fishery has historically been composed of five relatively distinct segments with different fishing practices and strategies, including: Gulf of Mexico yellowfin tuna fishery; South Atlantic-Florida east coast to Cape Hatteras swordfish fishery; Mid-Atlantic and New England swordfish and bigeye tuna fishery; U.S. distant water swordfish fishery; and Caribbean Islands’ tuna and swordfish fishery. In addition to geographical area, these segments have historically differed by percentage of various target and non-target species caught, gear characteristics, and deployment techniques.
Gear Description
The fishery uses a mainline of >700 lb (317.5 kg) test monofilament typically ranging from 10-45 mi (16-72 km) long. Bullet-shaped floats are suspended at regular intervals along the mainline and long sections of gear are marked by radio beacons. Long gangion lines of 200-400 lb (91-181 kg) test monofilament of typically 100-200 ft (30.5-61 m) are suspended from the mainline. Only certain sized hooks and baits are allowed based on fishing location. Hooks are typically fished at depths between 40-120 ft (12-36.6 m). Longlines targeting tuna are typically set at dawn are hauled near dusk, while longlines targeting swordfish are typically set at night and hauled in the morning. Gear remains in the water typically for 10-14 hours. Fishermen generally modify only select sections of longline gear to target dolphin fish or wahoo, with the remaining gear configured to target swordfish, tuna, and/or sharks.
Management
This fishery is managed under the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The dolphin fish and wahoo portions of the fishery are managed under the South Atlantic FMP for Dolphin and Wahoo. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act address the target fish species, as well as bycatch species protected under the Endangered Species Act and/or the MMPA. A portion of this fishery is subject to regulations under the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (50 CFR 229.36).
Historical Information
Original Category (Year added to the LOF) | I (1996) |
Original Number of Participants | 364 |
Basis for Original Classification | This fishery was listed as a Category I based on the extrapolation of observer data throughout the entire fishery using the total number of sets reported in logbooks. In 1994, this fishery was listed as Category II based on the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) section 114 classification system. In 1996, this fishery was placed in Category I based on the current LOF classification system (established in 1996 under section 118 of the MMPA). Incidental serious injury and mortality of pilot whales was estimated to be 26 animals/year in 1992-1993, or 93% of PBR at a minimum (PBR = between 4 and 28 animals). This estimated total mortality of pilot whales exceeded the 50% threshold for either long- or short-finned pilot whales. One Risso’s dolphin was observed killed in 1993 in the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS also received sighting reports (both at sea and stranded on land) of whales (humpback, sperm, long-finned pilot, and minke whales) carrying gear that could be attributed to the pelagic longline fishery, and reports of a variety of other species injured or killed (including, but not limited to, bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoise, Risso’s dolphins, and unidentified large cetaceans). |
Past Names | N/A |
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list) | Atlantic spotted dolphin (WNA); bottlenose dolphin (Northern GMX continental shelf); Gervais beaked whale (GMX); Humpback whale (WNA); killer whale (GMX oceanic); Northern bottlenose whale (WNA); Pantropical spotted dolphin (WNA); sperm whale (GMX oceanic); striped dolphin (WNA) |
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