2007 bluefin regs??

ads427 · 06-21-2007, 08:12 PM

does anyone know the up to date regs for this year, will their be a time slot again for schoolies??

74Formula233 · 06-21-2007, 08:16 PM

News

last updated: 6/21/2007 Bluefin Tuna Landings Update
The Coastwide General Category has landed 2.3 mt out of 643.6 mt to date. The Harpoon category: 3.7 mt out of 53.3 mt to date. Longline North: 2.7 mt out of 105.0 mt to date. Longline South: 2.6 mt out of 120.0 mt to date. Trap category: 0.0 mt out of 1.4 mt to date. Purse Seine category: 0.0 mt out of 254.1 mt to date.
NMFS Announces Final 2007 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Effort Controls
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces a final rule to set the 2007 fishing year quotas for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BlueFin Tuna) fishery and effort controls, based on the 2006 quota recommended for the United States by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The final quotas for the 2007 fishing year (June 1 through December 31, 2007), including the time-period subquotas for the General category, are posted in the LIBRARY. The compressed timeframe is due to the shift from a fishing year of June through May to a calendar year beginning January 1, 2008, as required by the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. NMFS establishes the following General category restricted fishing days: all Saturdays and Sundays from November 17, 2007 through December 31, 2007, plus November 22, 2007, and December 25, 2007, provided the fishery remains open. NMFS also establishes General category retention limits and Angling category retention limits for the 2007 fishing year, as posted in the LIBRARY. This notice is a courtesy to help keep you informed about your fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register. For further information contact the HMS Management Division at (978) 281-9260.
2007 Fishing Year Opens on June 1, 2007.
Most of the commercial Atlantic tunas categories, including the General, Harpoon, Incidental Longline, and Trap as well as the recreational Highly Migratory Species fisheries (tunas, sharks, swordfish, and billfish) will open on June 1, 2007. The Atlantic Tunas Purse Seine category is set to start on July 15, 2007. The General category retention limit is 3 large medium or giant BlueFin Tuna (measuring 73 inches curved for length (CFL) or greater) per vessel per day/trip. The Harpoon category retention limit is 2 large medium BFT (measuring 73 inches to less that 81 inches CFL) and unlimited giant BFT (81 inches or greater CFL) per vessel per day/trip.
Recreational Atlantic Tunas Retention Limits
The recreational daily bluefin tuna (BlueFin Tuna) retention for limit for HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels (while fishing recreationally) is 1 school BFT (measuring 27 inches to less than 47 inches) Curved Fork Length (CFL) and 2 large school/small medium BFT (measuring 47 inches to less than 73 inches CFL) per vessel per day/trip. , effective in all areas, for the entire fishing year. HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Heaboats are also eligible to retain 1 BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel per year as a “trophy” fish for the boat. These BFT retention limits are effective for all areas, except for the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is designated as a spawning grounds for BFT and therefore NMFS does not allow vessels, commercial or recreational, to target BFT while fishing in this area. The recreational yellowfin tuna daily retention limit is 3 yellowfin/person. The minimum size for yellowfin and bigeye tuna is 27" curved fork length. There are no recreational limits for bigeye, skipjack or albacore tunas.
NMFS Adjusts General and Angling Category BlueFin Tuna Retention Limits
Starting on June 1, 2007, Atlantic tunas General and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels (while fishing commercially), may retain 3 BlueFin Tuna per vessel per trip, measuring 73 inches curved fork length (CFL) or greater. HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat (while fishing recreationally) main retain 1 school BFT measuring 27 inches to less than 47 inches CFL and 2 large school/small medium BFT, measuring 47 inches to less than 73 inches CFL per vessel. HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Heaboats are also eligible to retain 1 “trophy” BFT per year measuring 73 inches or greater CFL (no sale). See Library for full Notice.
PERMITS FOR 2007 ARE NOW AVAILABLE
This notice outlines the procedure for obtaining a 2007/2008 Atlantic Tunas Permit, which allows you to commercially fish for and/or retain Atlantic Bluefin, Yellowfin, Skipjack, Albacore, and Bigeye tunas; an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit, which allows you to recreationally fish for and or retain any regulated Atlantic HMS (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish, or billfish); or an HMS Charter/Headboat Permit, which is required by vessels taking fee paying passengers fishing for or retaining HMS. The permits issued for the 2007/2008 season will be valid from the date of issuance through December 31, 2008. The permit fee is $28.00, payable by credit card (Visa, Master Card, Discover, or American Express) or money order only. You will need your Atlantic tunas or your Atlantic HMS permit number to renew your permit for this up coming season. If you do not have your permit number from last year available, you may look it up at www.hmspermits.gov using your last name, phone number, and zip code, or a Customer Service representative may assist at the number below. Please check your current permit information carefully prior to renewing your permit. Due to the duration of the permit, changes to you permit category may be made under the following circumstances: a) When you renew the permit for the upcoming season; b) During the time period of January 1 – May 31, 2008; or c) Within 10-calendar days from the permits’ date of issuance, to correct any errors in permit category.
NMFS Proposes Initial Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a proposed rule to set initial 2007 fishing year quotas for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BlueFin Tuna) fishery and effort controls. Based on the 2006 quota recommended for the United States by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic tunas (ICCAT), 2006 fishing year underharvests, and other considerations (including accounting for dead discards and a new ICCAT cap on carryover of underharvest), NMFS proposes for the 2007 fishing year (June 1 through December 31, 2007) the quotas shown in the document posed in the LIBRARY, which also shows the proposed time-period subquotas for the General category. This compressed timeframe is due to the shift from a fishing year of June through May to a calendar year as required by the final rule implementing the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. NMFS proposes to provide permit holders an extended window of opportunity to change their permit category for the 2008 fishing year, i.e., once during the period of January 1, 2008, through May 31, 2008. NMFS proposes restricted fishing days for: all Saturdays and Sundays from November 17, 2007 through December 31, 2007, plus November 22, 2007, and December 25, 2007. These days are intended to extend the General category BFT fishery into the late season for the southern Atlantic region. NMFS also proposes initial General category retention limits and a schedule of Angling category retention limits for the 2007 fishing year, again posed in the LIBRARY Comments on the proposed action should be sent to: E-mail: 07BFTSPECS@noaa.gov; Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http:www.regulations.gov; Mail: Sarah McLaughlin, HMS Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, One Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930; Fax: 978-281-9340. Comments must be received on or before May 4, 2007. NMFS will hold three public hearings to receive comments from fishery participants and other members of the public regarding these proposed initial quota specifications and effort controls, as follows: 1. April 24, 2007, 7-9 p.m., Carteret Community College, Joselyn Hall, H.J. McGee, Jr. Building, 3505 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557; 2. April 26, 2007, 6:30-8:30 p.m., West Islip Public Library, 3 Higbie Lane, West Islip, NY, 11795; and 3. April 27, 2007, 3:30-5:30 p.m., NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. This notice is a courtesy to BlueFin Tuna fishery participants to help keep you informed about your fishery. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register. For further information contact the HMS Management Division at (978) 281-9260.

ads427 · 06-23-2007, 08:46 AM

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