Blueline Tilefish
Blueline Tilefish
Caulolatilus microps
Quick Facts
About the Species
Blueline tilefish are found Maine to Campeche, Mexico on the outer continental shelves, shelf breaks, and upper slopes. The blueline tilefish fishery in the Greater Atlantic Region of the U.S. is managed from Maine through Virginia, with the majority of the fishery concentrated between Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, south to Cape May, New Jersey; more specifically between Hudson and Veatch Canyons. The commercial fishery predominantly uses longline gear, although handline, rod and reel, and trawl gear are also authorized. The recreational fishery has no gear restrictions, but rod and reel and spear are the most common gears used based on the authorized possession limits. Market data is not yet available for the Mid-Atlantic blueline tilefish fishery north of the VA/NC border. U.S. wild-caught blueline tilefish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart N.
Population
In the South Atlantic, above target population levels. In the Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, the population level is unknown, but presumed stable.
Fishing Rate
In the Mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, at recommended levels. In the South Atlantic, reduced to end overfishing.
Habitat Impacts
Fishing gears used to harvest blueline tilefish have minimal impacts on habitat.
Bycatch
Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch.
Population Status
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There are three stocks of blueline tilefish: the Mid-Atlantic stock, the South Atlantic stock, and the Gulf of Mexico stock. According to the most recent stock assessments:
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The Mid-Atlantic stock has not been assessed so the population status is unknown.
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The South Atlantic stock is not overfished (2017 stock assessment), and is subject to overfishing based on 2020 catch data. Summary stock assessment information can be found on Stock SMART.
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The Gulf of Mexico stock is managed as part of the Tilefish Complex and has not been assessed so the population status is unknown. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2019 catch data.
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Appearance
- Blueline tilefish get their name from a narrow gold stripe underlined in blue that runs from their snout to the tip of their eye.
- They have a long snout and are a dull olive-gray on the top of their body and white on the bottom.
- They have long, continuous dorsal and anal fins that are more than half the length of their body.
- Unlike golden tilefish, they do not have a large adipose flap (crest) on their head.
Biology
- Blueline tilefish can grow to be 35 inches long and live up to 26 years.
- Males can grow larger than females.
- Female blueline tilefish mature when they are about 3 years old.
- They can spawn year-round, but peak spawning is in May. Spawning primarily occurs at night.
- Females can lay more than 4 million free-floating eggs.
- Blueline tilefish feed primarily on invertebrates that live near the sea floor, such as crabs, shrimp, snails, worms, sea urchins, and small fish.
- Recent genetic studies suggest that the U.S. Atlantic population of blueline tilefish is continuous from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, around the Florida Keys, and up through the Mid-Atlantic region.
Where They Live
- Blueline tilefish are commonly found in the western Atlantic from Campeche, Mexico, to Hudson Canyon, off the coast of Maryland, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
- There are reports of catches as far north as Maine and as far west as Texas.
Fishery Management
- The Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils develop management measures for the blueline tilefish fisheries in their respective jurisdictions. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for implementing and enforcing these measures.
- The Mid-Atlantic Tilefish Fishery Management Plan measures for blueline tilefish include:
- Permit requirements for commercial and for-hire vessels.
- Annual catch limits for the commercial and recreational fisheries.
- Limits on commercial possession. The fishery is closed if the landing limit is harvested.
- Closed season and bag limit for recreational anglers.
- For more information on current management, see the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office’s Tilefish page.
- The South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan measures for blueline tilefish include:
- Permit requirements.
- Annual catch limits.
- Limits on the number or pounds of blueline tilefish commercial and recreational fishermen may harvest during a fishing trip.
- Prohibition of longline gear in certain areas to protect snapper-grouper species and live-bottom habitat.
- For more information on current management, see the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office’s South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper page.
- The Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Plan blueline tilefish measures include:
- Annual catch limits for both the commercial and recreational fisheries.
- An Individual Fishing Quota program for the commercial fishery.
- Restrictions on the seasons, areas, and depths where longlines can be used, to protect reef fish, sea turtles, and bottom habitat.
- For more information on current management, see the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office’s Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish page.
Harvest
- Commercial fishery:
- In response to the stock assessment in 2013, more restrictive regulations were implemented in the South Atlantic’s Snapper-Grouper FMP and commercial landings declined by half.
- In 2017, management measures were developed by the Mid-Atlantic Council.
- In 2020, commercial landings of blueline tilefish totaled 250,000 pounds and were valued at $645,000, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database.
- Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:
- Commercial fishermen mainly use longline and vertical hook-and-line gear to harvest blueline tilefish.
- Sea turtles, marine mammals, smalltooth sawfish, and reef fishes can be incidentally caught while fishing for blueline tilefish.
- Commercial reef fish fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico must use “release gear” and follow safe-handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for incidentally caught protected species, like sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish.
- To further reduce bycatch, the use of trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in certain areas of the South Atlantic, and several areas are also closed to all fishing to protect snapper and grouper species.
- To protect reef fish, sea turtles, and bottom habitat in the Gulf of Mexico, there are restrictions on the areas and depths where longlines can be used.
- In the Gulf of Mexico and certain areas of the South Atlantic, fishermen are required to use circle hooks to reduce injury to any unintentional catch.
- Recreational fishery:
- In 2020, recreational anglers caught 900,000 pounds of blueline tilefish.
- Charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico must use de-hooking devices and follow safe-handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for incidentally caught protected species, like sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish.
- In the Mid-Atlantic, for-hire vessels are required to have a permit and report catch, and recreational anglers can keep a limited number of blueline tilefish per fishing trip.
- In the South Atlantic, blueline tilefish are included in the daily aggregate grouper bag limit for recreational fishermen.
- In the Gulf of Mexico, there is a limit on the number of reef fish, including blueline tilefish, that recreational fishermen can keep per day.
Commercial Fishing Regulations
Possession and Size Requirements
The commercial trip limit for blueline tilefish is 500 lb. Fish must have head and fins attached, but may be gutted.
There are no fish size limits in the tilefish fisheries.
Current Blueline Tilefish Specifications (January 1 to December 31, 2019)
| Overfishing Limit (OFL) | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) | 100,520 lb |
| Commercial Annual Catch Limit (ACL) | 27,140 lb |
| Recreational ACL | 73,380 lb |
| Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT) | 27,140 lb |
| Recreational ACT | 73,380 lb |
| Commercial Total Allowable Landings (TAL) | 26,869 lb |
| Recreational TAL | 71,912 lb |
Reporting A Commercial Catch
Catch Reporting and Vessel Trip Reports (VTR)
VTRs must be submitted with a record of all fishing activity for each month. The reports must be submitted to NOAA fisheries or postmarked within 15 days after the end of the reporting month. Copies of VTRs must be retained on board the vessel for 1 year after the date of the last entry on the log and otherwise retained for 3 years after the date of the last entry on the log. Reports can also be submitted electronically through our online reporting page.
Other Reporting Information
The commercial blueline tilefish fishery does not have any Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), or specific observer requirements. However, all federally permitted vessels are obligated to carry an observer if randomly selected by the National Observer Program.
Commercial Gear Information
Bottom-tending mobile gear (such as trawl gear) may not be used in specified gear-restricted areas (see below). There are no other gear requirements in the commercial tilefish fisheries.
Tilefish Gear Restricted Areas
There are four canyons that have been designated "Tilefish Gear Restricted Areas." These areas are closed to vessels with bottom-tending mobile gear and are described in the tilefish regulations at 50 CFR 648.297. No vessel of the United States may fish with bottom-tending mobile gear (otter trawls, beam trawls, hydraulic dredges, non-hydraulic dredges, and seines) within the restricted areas described below; which include Lydonia, Norfolk, Oceanographer, and Veatch Canyons.
| Lydonia Canyon | Norfolk Canyon | Oceanographer Canyon | Veatch Canyon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N Lat. | W Long. | N Lat. | W Long. | N Lat. | W Long. | N Lat. | W Long. |
| 40°31'55.2" | 67°43'1.2" | 37°5'50" | 74°45'34" | 40°29'50" | 68°10'30" | 40°0'40" | 69°37'8" |
| 40°28'52" | 67°38'43" | 37°6'58" | 74°40'48" | 40°29'30" | 68°8'34.8" | 40°41'69" | 69°35'25" |
| 40°21'39.6" | 67°37'4.8" | 37°4'31" | 74°37'46" | 40°25'51.6" | 68°6'36" | 39°54'43" | 69°33'54" |
| 40°21'39.6" | 67°37'4.8" | 37°4'1" | 74°33'50" | 40°22'22.8" | 68°6'50.4" | 39°54'43" | 69°40'52" |
| 40°21'4" | 67°43'1" | 36°58'37" | 74°36'58" | 40°19'40.8" | 68°4'48" | - | - |
| 40°28'31" | 67°43' | 37°4'26" | 74°41'2" | 40°19'5" | 68°2'19" | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | 40°16'41" | 68°1'16" | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | 40°14'28" | 68°11'28" | - | - |
Science Overview
The 2017 blueline tilefish stock assessment noted that despite recent regulatory changes, no indices were available for the area north of Cape Hatteras for blueline tilefish. The fishery was not established enough to provide sufficient data, and necessary survey data for the Mid-Atlantic was unavailable. Thus, there are no reference points for blueline tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic at this time, and the official overfished and overfishing status is unknown, though it is not expected to be overfished and there is no indication that overfishing is occuring.
