General Category December subquota set at 50 mt and opens on December 1, 2018.  The daily retention limit will be one large medium or giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73” or greater) per vessel per day/trip. This action applies to General category (commercial) permitted vessels and to HMS Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna.

General category and HMS Charter/Headboat category vessel owners are required to report their own 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, or calling (888) 872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.). 

All bluefin tuna that are released must be handled in a manner that will maximize survivability and without removing the fish from the water.  For further information, please go to: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-hms.

Click here to report your catch to NOAA

Purchase or Renew a Permit

Training Opportunities on Upcoming South Atlantic Federal For-Hire Electronic Reporting Requirements

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is continuing its series of hands-on training sessions for federally permitted charter captains. The next stop in the series is in North Carolina next week with trainings in Morehead City, Wednesday (12/5) and Kitty Hawk, Thursday (12/6).  Charter captains with South Atlantic federal, for-hire permits (Snapper Grouper, Dolphin Wahoo, and/or Coastal Migratory Pelagic fisheries) should attend.

Registration is required – http://safmc.net/satl-federal-for-hire-electronic-reporting-outreach/

Can’t attend an in-person training?

Council staff will also host informational webinars twice a month for federal for-hire permit holders to provide information about electronic reporting, the proposed amendment, and upcoming training sessions. Registration is required –  http://safmc.net/satl-federal-for-hire-electronic-reporting-outreach/

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Bluefin Tuna Quick Links 

 

 

If you hold the following permits, you must report your catch as indicated.

Swordfish and billfishes landed in registered HMS tournaments must be reported by the tournament operator. Check the list of registered HMS tournaments to be sure that the tournament you are participating in is registered with NOAA Fisheries.

Maryland and North Carolina vessel owners should report their recreational bluefin tuna, blue marlin, white marlin, roundscale spearfish, sailfish and swordfish landings at state-operated reporting stations and not through this system.