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For the first time ever the 2008 Iccat Western Atlantic agreement made mandatory re-allocation of past historical allotments of Bluefin required in 2010.
This means the uncaught US share of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is up for reassignment to other fishing nations, all of whom fish with a less conservative approach than we do. For instance, mandatory bag limit in the General and Harpoon categories, Charter boat restrictions, minimum fish size of 47 vs. 73 inches for US fishermen, closures of spawning areas, and restrictions on PLL vessels.
Because of this, and a decreasing abundance of giants inshore, we have caught less than 50 percent of our quota since 2005.
At the AP meeting NMFS HMS stonewalled any effort control options put forth by fishermen and AP members that would assist in reaching our 2009 quota levels. There are things that we could do to help protect our share, but clearly they just don't want us to catch our fish.
If we fished like other nations did we would not have enough quota. US fisherman, support industries, and the recreation sector are going to pay a heavy price for being more conservative than others. The 2009 and 2010 base quota levels are 1009 and 952 MT respectively. It is likely that under current effort restrictions we will leave 30 to 50 percent on the table.
Besides losing the fish, this transfer will negatively impact bluefin tuna rebuilding through 2018, the remainder of the ICCAT rebuilding plan.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
We should be harvesting our qouta. Even if it means dropping fish size, expanding seasons, and even letting those horrible mean longliners keeping them. Lets get catch our qouta. Unfortunately we are in a tough spot. If we do not get it others will.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
BigBen
The Western Atlantic Bluefin fishery is allocated 1900 tons in 2009 by International treaty managed By ICCAT. ICCAT has about 20 member nations plus all those in the EU, around forty total. Only 4 have allocations in the west. Those are USA, Canada, Japan and more recently Mexico has become a player. The USA currently owns 1009 metric tons of the 1900 in 2009. The countries that you might be referring to could be those in East who also fish the Atlantic Bluefin with similar regulations, they just don't obide by them.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Ralph,
Why is it that we as the United States have to be the sole conservationists when it comes to size? But the amount of small fish being taken in the angling category seems to go unnoticed...meaning there are alot of people not reporting their catch because in my opinion there is no way that that category should not have been filled and closed over the past three years...furthermore if they can catch catch them at that size what is stopping the US from following a courese of action that would allow the sale of large mediums again ie 65" to 73" even if it was a subquota odf the general category, that would also help to increase landings? NO?
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Forgot to mention that there are two public hearings, that one in Gloucester I mentioned above and another in Silver Spring, MD, at the NOAA Science Center (1301 East-West Highway), on March 17th from 4pm to 6pm.
Sash- I agree, its amazing that we are not allowed to sell those fish in the large medium size. We are the only nation in the world that has such a high size limit, and even if we lowered it to 65" it would still the highest out there.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Hi Doug, One of our proposals was to take 131 tons of GC roll over and convert is to 65 inch fish using a neutral mortality formula for the GC and 12.2 tons for the HC. The rest of the Western Atlantic nations have a min size of about 47 inches. The 131 would convert to about 2 to 1, so we would end up with about 65 tons of 65 inch fish. Most every one sees this as temporary measure that would assist toward achieving some higher catch in 2009. Remember that in 2008 the Gc only caught about 235 of 740 mt.
The 65 inch thing would be argued at Iccat, that even though we landed 65t of 65 inch fish we actually maintained a mortality equivalent to 131t. Its like buying an option to protect a larger share.
yup, I realize the angling cat seems to be a little out of control, 27000 individuals in two years is a lot. It is unbelievable that this subcategory could end protecting the largest share of US quota...a discussion for another day. At the AP meeting is was good to see GC, HC, Angling, Charter boats, and PLL's all on the same page, protect USA quota. It will be easier to fight among our selves once we are sure it is ours to keep. If we lose it to other nations it is forever.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
I'll be there on the 4th in March. I'll be driving up from Plymouth if anyone wants to carpool. I have a charter boat in Green Harbor, MA. It doesn't make logical sense. Our US rules don't allow us to keep enough fish, so we'll give those fish to other countries so they can keep them, using less restricitve rules. The same fish are destined to be caught...almost mandated to be caught by ICCAT. So, let us keep them instead of other countries.
__________________ Rich Antonino, fishing as much as possible. Remember, you're dead a long time.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Just a note to some who may be on the fence about the March 4th meeting. The reason NMFS thinks they can do this to us is because the past meetings have had poor attendance. They don't believe Tuna Fisherman have the soul to continue the battle. They think because fishing is slow we will go away, They think they can use our bluefin as chips on the table to buy support from other nations for their mis guided fishery policy. We need to show them that we are to stay.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Quote:
Black Rose - 2/23/2009 12:37 PM
It doesn't make logical sense. Our US rules don't allow us to keep enough fish, so we'll give those fish to other countries so they can keep them, using less restricitve rules. The same fish are destined to be caught...almost mandated to be caught by ICCAT. So, let us keep them instead of other countries.
That right there is the meat of the issue. The whole ordeal is mind boggling, I cannot see why the US would not want to lighten up restrictions to allow the quota to be met. Especially with the state of the US economy as it is, don't we need every edge we can get to stimulate our economy? Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't the US recognize the fact that a) These tuna "have to or will" be caught and b) we are only shooting ourselves in the foot in every way by not allowing fishermen to harvest the predetermined quota.
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
While I will always stand with Ralph, who happens to be one of the good guys for those of you think differently or just don't know any better, I have always said that the efforts we make here in the States go ignored while other, generally eurotrash cuntries (o specificaly omitted) trash the fishery with impunity. My contention has been for a long time now that our iccat contingent is the political equivalent of pissing the in the wind and those who "represent" us generally prove my contention. That said, I will be there to support Ralph and other like-minded people who realize that, depsite the complete incompetency of the fools who "represent" us at iccat and who refuse to try to hold pols feet to the fire, we need to step up and make them a little uncomfortable as they sell us down the river. BTW, it's nice here in Key West and the tarpon are snapping in this ENE wind...
Re: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel
Nice to hear from you Mark, Fools at Iccat is being generous. In fact one of the leading scientist at the AP meeting said abandoning Iccat would be appropriate.
Here is a letter that is supportive of changes in the recreational and commercial fisheries. ECTA and GCTA are supportive of the commercial changes. The ap member that represents HB/CB's added his to it also, and the rec's got thiers in it too. everyone is happy?
February 26, 2009
Sarah McLaughlin HMS Management Division Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1) NMFS 55 GreatRepublic Drive Gloucester, MA01930
I am writing to you to express my concern regarding the NMFS proposed rules pertaining to the 2009 bluefin tuna quotas. In light of ICCAT’s “use it or lose it” BFT quota policy, I ask that the NMFS assist US fishermen in every possibly way to help ensure that this natural resource remains with US fishermen.
I ask that NMFS ease effort control measures so that the US fishermen, both recreational and commercial, have a better chance of achieving the 2009 US BFT quota as specified by ICCAT. Under the current NMFS BFT effort controls, the US doesn’t harvest nearly enough bluefin tuna to fill the ICCAT quota and unless something is done, transfer of US allocation to other nations will result in two very bad things—the permanent loss of United States allotted tuna catch (both commercial and recreational), and a significant reduction in tuna population via ICCAT approved commercial take of 45” by nations to whom that transfer is made.
There are several measures that NMFS can take to help increase in the harvest of US fishermen, these include:
Increase the number of BFT retained recreationally from one fish to two fish per day. Specifically, one fish between 27” and <47” and one fish between 47” and <73”.
Allow the Charter/Headboat Category to fish both recreationally and commercially in the same day and on the same trip.
Convert 131.4 tons of General category rollover quota to 65 inch fish for sale using a neutral mortality formula. The agency should maintain some flexibility relative to the base quota. Additional conversion of some base quota may assist in attaining higher quota achievement if there seems to be less availability of giants or the converted rollover becomes exhausted. The remaining 16 tons of roll over should stay at the current limit of 73 inches and distributed to December and January as it already is. AP members from the NC that I spoke with preferred to remain at 73 inches. They said they believed that they could obtain sub quotas with out a conversion.
Convert 12.2 tons of Harpoon category rollover quota to 65 inch fish for sale using a neutral mortality formula.
Allow the General category to operate without bag limits for fish above 73 inches. Limit only one fish per day between 65 and 73 inches/day. Encourage fisherman to supply samples of fish between 65 and 73 inches for analysis.
Maintain 50 tons of GC quota for December and January.
If the Purse Seine category is not obtained by September 15 and effort is not current, reallocate that quota to angling, harpoon and general categories. Additionally, apply the reserve as needed to achieve higher quota levels in any exhausted user group category.
I believe the implementation of these measures would help enable US fishermen to reach their allotted quota and help prevent ICCAT from transferring the quota to other countries. The recreational sport fishing interests of Americans are at stake along with thousands of US jobs.
Please ease the NMFS effort controls associated with BFT and help the US retain this valuable natural resource.
Sincerely, (your name &address)
Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov Fax: 978-281-9340, Attn: Sarah McLaughlin Mail: Sarah McLaughlin, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 55 GreatRepublic Dr., Gloucester, MA01930
As far as the Angling cat. don't you need this same permit for Shark as well? Of the number of permits sold how many are actually targeting tuna is my question....
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna update HMS Advisory Panel 
