These notices are a courtesy to Atlantic billfish fishery interests to 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. Catch statistics from previous months are available below or by contacting Jennifer Cudney at (727) 824-5399.
Landings are compiled using self-reported angler reports from the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Non-Tournament Recreational Swordfish and Billfish Landings Database; tournament landings from the Atlantic Tournament Registration & Reporting system; catch card reports from North Carolina and Maryland; and individual billfish intercepted by the Large Pelagic Survey and Marine Recreational Information Program. Please note that estimates are subject to change due to receipt of updated information (e.g., data from late reporting). As specified in 50 CFR Part 635.27(d) (1), the recreational billfish fishery is limited to a maximum of 250 Atlantic blue and white marlin and roundscale spearfish landings, combined, per year.
Preliminary landings for January 1 through December 31, 2018 in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish.
|
Species |
2018 (Q1–Q4) |
2017 |
|---|---|---|
|
Atlantic Blue Marlin |
59 |
62 |
|
Atlantic White Marlin |
51 |
61 |
|
Roundscale Spearfish |
20 |
6 |
|
Total |
130 |
129 |
|
Remaining Landings Limit (of 250) |
120 |
121 |
|
Western Atlantic Sailfish* |
97 |
105 |
*Western Atlantic sailfish are not included in the 250 fish landings limit for Atlantic blue and white marlin/roundscale spearfish.
Preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish.
|
Species |
2018 (Q1 - Q3) |
2017 |
|---|---|---|
|
Atlantic Blue Marlin |
56 |
62 |
|
Atlantic White Marlin |
43 |
61 |
|
Roundscale Spearfish |
20 |
6 |
|
Total |
119 |
129 |
|
Remaining Landings Limit (of 250) |
131 |
121 |
|
Western Atlantic Sailfish* |
75 |
105 |
* Western Atlantic sailfish are not included in the 250 fish landings limit for Atlantic blue and white marlin/roundscale spearfish.
Preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish.
| Species | 2018 (Q1-Q2) |
2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Blue Marlin | 37 | 62 |
| Atlantic White Marlin | 5 | 61 |
| Roundscale Spearfish | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 42 | 129 |
| Remaining Landings Limit (of 250) | 208 | 121 |
| Western Atlantic Sailfish* | 58 | 105 |
* Western Atlantic sailfish are not included in the 250 fish landings limit for Atlantic blue and white marlin/roundscale spearfish.
Preliminary 2018 (January 1, 2018 through March 31, 2018) landings in numbers of fish for Atlantic blue and white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and western Atlantic sailfish.
| Species | 2018 (Q1) |
2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Blue Marlin | 0 | 60 |
| Atlantic White Marlin | 1 | 61 |
| Roundscale Spearfish | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 1 | 121 |
| Remaining Landings Limit (of 250) | 249 | 123 |
| Western Atlantic Sailfish* | 33 | 105 |
* Western Atlantic sailfish are not included in the 250 fish landings limit for Atlantic blue and white marlin/roundscale spearfish.
Study Fleet scientist Calvin Alexander holding a monkfish.
An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
Dense beds of small Atlantic sea scallops photographed on the ocean floor in the Mid-Atlantic in 2015. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.