A final rule to modify the annual US quota and sub-quotas for Atlantic bluefin tuna as well as the annual US North Atlantic albacore tuna (northern albacore) quota have been announced by NOAA Fisheries.

The rule increases the baseline annual bluefin tuna quota from 1,247.86 tonnes to 1,316.14 tonnes and adjusts all the bluefin tuna domestic fishing category sub-quotas per existing quota distribution formulas.

Bluefin-tuna

Bluefin-tuna

Source: NOAA

The final rule increases the baseline annual bluefin tuna quota to 1,316.14 tonnes

It also increases the baseline annual northern albacore quota from 632.4 tonnes to 711.5 tonnes, and further adjusts the bluefin tuna reserve category and northern albacore quotas based on the underharvest of the 2021 quotas, which result in the following quotas:

  • Atlantic bluefin tuna reserve category – 306.69 tonnes
  • Northern albacore – 889.4 tonnes

NOAA said the changes are consistent with the 2021 recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and should achieve the domestic management objectives under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The rule becomes effective on 1 July 2022.

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