Harpoon fishermen will be able to catch an additional 40 metric tons of bluefin tuna this year. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration at the United States Department of Commerce announced in the Federal Register of Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 that it is transferring the 40 tons to the harpoon category from the reserve category. The in-season quota transfer is in effect immediately.
The revised harpoon limit now stands at 73.4 metric tons, up from 33.4 metric tons. It lasts until Nov. 15, 2015 or until the harpoon limit is reached, whichever comes first. The season opened June 1. If you have any questions, call Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale at (978) 281-9260.
The move represents the third lowering of the reserve category this year, which now stands at 21.4 metric tons. NMFS determined that the transfer would not harm stock health. The agency figured it would help reach the quota without exceeding it and allow a fair distribution of the catch among the various categories. (NMFS is not allowed to transfer the reserve to the angling category because it maintains a separate reserve for it.)
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