Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Angling Category Quota Transfer
Key claim: NOAA is moving 15 metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from the reserve pool to recreational anglers, so private and charter boats can catch more large-school and small-medium tuna this season.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NMFS is transferring 15 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the Angling category large school/small medium subquota. This transfer results in an adjusted Angling category large school/small medium subquota of 188.4 mt and an adjusted Reserve category quota of 27 mt. This action is intended to provide further harvest opportunities for Angling category fishermen, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and applies to HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally for BFT.
Why this matters
Inseason quota transfers are the main lever NOAA uses to balance recreational and commercial access to Atlantic bluefin tuna under a fixed U.S. ICCAT allocation. Shifting tons from the reserve into the Angling category expands recreational harvest opportunities without changing the overall cap, and tracks whether NMFS is leaning toward recreational or commercial sectors in a given season.