The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily retention limit from the default limit of one to four large medium or giant BFT (measuring 73″ or greater) per vessel per day/trip for June 1 through August 31, 2017.
NMFS takes this action after considering the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, which include considerations about the amount of available quota, effects of the action on the continuation of the fishery, availability of BFT on the fishing grounds, the value of information obtained from the fishery, and the effects of the adjustment on the stock and on accomplishing the objectives of the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan and amendments. This action should provide opportunities to harvest the available U.S. BFT quota without exceeding it; prevent overharvest of the 2017 General category quota; and collect a broad range of data for stock monitoring purposes. NMFS anticipates that General category participants in all areas and time periods will have opportunities to harvest the General category quota in 2017, through active inseason management such as retention limit adjustments and/or the timing and amount…
