Holy Bluefin Closure Batman!!

[Roccus7]

Market glutted, buyers stop buying and now NOAA HMS has shut down commercial and charter/headboat tuna retention until Sept 1!!!

Fishery Closure Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery for June–August Subquota Period

Fishermen aboard vessels permitted in the Atlantic tunas General and Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat categories may not retain, possess, or land large medium or giant Atlantic bluefin tuna after 11:30 p.m. on August 9, 2019.​ How long will the closure be in effect? The General category bluefin tuna fishery will reopen on September 1, 2019.​ Why is this change being made? Based on the best available landing information, we project that the 277.9 mt subquota for June through August will be reached. As of August 6, reported landings total approximately 246 mt, and average daily catch rates are approximately 9.4 mt. ​ Who is affected? This action applies to commercial General category permitted vessels and to HMS Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna.​ Reporting Dealers are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of receiving a bluefin tuna. Late dealer reporting compromises NOAA Fisheries’ ability to implement actions such as quota and retention limit adjustments or fishery closures and may result in enforcement actions. Additionally, and separate from the dealer reporter requirement, General category and HMS Charter/Headboat category vessel owners are required to report the catch of all bluefin tuna retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip by:​ Accessing the HMS Permit Shop. Using the HMS Catch Reporting App. Calling 888-872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.). Catch and Release All released bluefin tuna must be handled in a manner that will maximize survivability and without removing the fish from the water. Download the Careful Catch and Release brochure for more safe handling tips.​

This notice is a courtesy to fishery permit holders to help keep you informed about the fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register.​

 

[Old Mud]

Best thing they could have done. IMHO. If they did it sooner we would have more quota when the fish are Fat. Not wait till 278 MT. was caught mostly junk fish.

 

[george]

Best thing they could have done. IMHO. If they did it sooner we would have more quota when the fish are Fat. Not wait till 278 MT. was caught mostly junk fish.

It was such a great fishery this year. When you own a small CC and you're able to get into the action we saw this year, you just hate to see it end.

Just think of how many anglers are now addicted to fishing for buefin Mud? I know I am

 

[Roccus7]

It was such a great fishery this year. When you own a small CC and you're able to get into the action we saw this year, you just hate to see it end.

Just think of how many anglers are now addicted to fishing for buefin Mud? I know I am

They only shut down the commercial fishery George. Recs, along with headboats and charters doing rec fishing is still open.

 

[Old Mud]

It was such a great fishery this year. When you own a small CC and you're able to get into the action we saw this year, you just hate to see it end.

Just think of how many anglers are now addicted to fishing for buefin Mud? I know I am

I'm glad for you George, Im suprised as much a you fish you didn't try that many years ago. Dom is right you can still fish for them. Only the comm. is closed and will open up again Sept. 1st for the Sept Oct. quota. If you think your hooked now just wait till you hook a Giant. Although there are tons of small fish down that way and all the way up to a hundred or so miles from here their are few small up this way. It's slowly coming around full circle. At the low point up here you couldn't even find one. 5 or 6 years ago. About 10 or 15 years ago it was quite difficult to pick through the smalls to get to the biguns. It all comes full circle just as our Bluefish and other species. Not from over fishing but a natural thing.