Pacific Bluefin Tuna Commercial Harvest Status

On August 5, 2022, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule (87 FR 47939, August 5, 2022) regarding domestic implementation of Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) Resolution C-21-05 (pdf) (Measures for the Conservation and Management of Pacific Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean). This rule includes catch limits that apply to U.S. commercial vessels that fish for Pacific bluefin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean during 2022-2024. The rule implements catch limits that may differ in each year. In each year, NOAA Fisheries will impose an initial trip limit, an intermediate trip limit, and a lower trip limit on individual fishing vessels that reduce as catch thresholds are met throughout the year. Additionally, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule (88 FR 5273, January 27, 2023) that establishes that in-season actions (e.g., reductions in trip limits and closure of the fishery) will be announced via emails to the affected public, as well as being published in the Federal Register and posted online. The effective date of the in-season action will be the earlier of actual notice via email or the date of notification in the Federal Register, whichever comes earlier.

At the beginning of each period (semi-annual or quarter), the initial trip limit will be imposed unless at the start of the period, the threshold for the intermediate or lower trip limit is met. Similarly, if the intermediate trip limit has been imposed during the previous period, the intermediate trip limit will remain in effect unless at the start of the next period the threshold to reduce the trip limit to the lower trip limit has been met. In each year, if the annual limit is estimated to be met, the fishery would be closed. The annual and trip limits for each year are as follows:

2023

The annual limit will be 720 mt with an initial trip limit of 30 mt. The trip limit will be reduced as follows:

• January - June: If cumulative catch is within 320 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 400 mt), the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 220 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 500 mt), the trip limit will be 3 mt.
• July - September: If cumulative catch is within 290 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 430 mt), the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 200 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 520 mt), the trip limit will be 3 mt.
• October - December: If cumulative catch is within 250 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 470 mt), the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 100 mt of the annual limit (i.e., cumulative catch reaches 620 mt), the trip limit will be 3 mt.

2024

The annual limit will be 720 mt with an initial trip limit of 30 mt. The trip limit will be reduced as follows:

• January - June: If cumulative catch is within 320 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 220 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 10 mt. If cumulative catch is within 150 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 3 mt.
• July - September: If cumulative catch is within 300 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 200 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 10 mt. If cumulative catch is within 140 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 3 mt.
• October - December: If cumulative catch is within 250 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 20 mt. If cumulative catch is within 100 mt of the annual limit, the trip limit will be 3 mt.

Fish buyers are also required to submit, within 24 hours of landing, electronic landings receipts with Pacific bluefin tuna landings in California ports using the E-tix system.

Anyone impacted by this rule should check this webpage for updates on in-season actions.

¹ Catch data is presented in a manner consistent with data confidentiality standards under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
² Precise estimate is not provided due to confidentiality restrictions.
³ Accounts for over-harvest by Mexico (483 mt) or under-harvest by the United States (30 mt) from 2017-2018 catch limit. Resolution C-18-02 specifies that under-harvest up to 5 percent of the previous biennial, or two-year, limit may added to the current biennial limit.
⁴ The U.S. catch limit is notwithstanding the Commission-wide limit.
⁵ IATTC Resolution C-12-09 established a Commission-wide limit of 10,000 mt for 2012 and 2013. NOAA Fisheries implemented the resolution in 2013 when 3,295 mt of the Commission-wide limit remained after the IATTC Director determined that 6,705 mt had been caught by IATTC Members and Cooperating non-members in 2012.

Note: The source for 2013-2022 catch data is the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. 2023 and 2024 catch data are preliminary and are provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Pacific Fisheries Information Network. Monthly catch reports for IATTC CPCs are available on the IATTC website.

The above information is current as of February 28, 2024.

For more information, contact Celia Barroso at Celia.Barroso@noaa.gov or (562) 432-1850.