NMFS Closes Small/Med BFT category effective 4/2!

[Capt John S]

Well, good thing I got in a few days of tuna fishing out of Oregon Inlet when I did. NMFS is at it again,
Yesterday releasing info that as of 4/2/11, the harvest of Small/Med BFT is Prohibited. When I was in NC, we had problems finding fish under 73", but we did. Now all the charters and private guys with boats there, for the bite, cant even keep the ones over 59". I understand the quota's and they way they work, but come on, shut down a fishery that is doing well,and charter boats are filling much needed trips. While the purse seine sector still holds 18% of the total BFT tuna quota, UNUSED for years, and we can't get a rollover?  Why they continue to wipe out the schools over in the east by the non ICCAT countries.. but yet they tell us here, with a 3 day notice, the fishery gets shut down. Would you still keep a booked charter for $1600 if you knew it was total catch and release, and you couldn't even take 1 68" fish home?

[Bottom Dweller]

Thats a bad April fools joke right!

[Capt John S]

I'm not that evil to post that as an april fool's joke.. I wish I could say that though.. Just talked to a few buddies down there. They are finding scattered 58" fish, but told it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, or a weakfish in the bay.. In my opinion, this move by nmfs just promotes poaching and flawed data as to true catch numbers.

[Hotrod]

Is This it??

The National Marine Fisheries Service has posted new bluefin tuna catch and size limits for the Northeast region. They are as follows:

Bluefin Tuna Recreational Size/Catch Limit:

Starting on January 1, 2011, the retention limit for recreational anglers (Angling Category) engaged in the bluefin tuna fishery will be 1 fish measuring 27″ to less than 73” curved fork length, per vessel per day/trip, and 1 trophy fish (73” or greater) per vessel per/year (until the quota has been filled).


Coastwide General Category Bluefin Tuna Limits:


The General Category Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery is currently open with a daily retention limit for vessels permitted in the Atlantic tunas General or HMS Charter/Headboat categories (while fishing commercially), set at 2 fish/vessel/day/trip measuring 73″ or greater. Vessels permitted in the Atlantic Tunas General or HMS Charter/Headboat categories may catch and release or tag and release bluefins of all size classes.

Fishermen in Maine and Massachusetts will get an opportunity to voice their opinions on the regulations at 2 hearings, one of which takes place in Gloucester, Massachusetts, today (April 1) at 1:00 p.m. Another hearing will be held in Portland, most likely in mid-April.

I AM CONFUSED

[Capt John S]

That is the original regs, yes Rod.  The notice I put up is the adjusted. Anglers north of little egg   can still keep one fish over 73" in the year. South of little egg, cant keep any over 59" at all. Daily was adjusted from 1 fish 27-73" to one fish 27-59" for rec, and 1 each slot size for charter/head, coast wide.