Rule2025-12600
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Harpoon Category Fishery for 2025
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 7, 2025
Effective
July 2, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permitted vessels.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 127 (Monday, July 7, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 127 (Monday, July 7, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29792-29793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12600]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 220919-0193; RTID 0648-XE987]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Fisheries; Closure of the Harpoon Category Fishery for 2025
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and
giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or
greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025
fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category
permitted vessels.
DATES: Effective 11:30 a.m., local time, July 2, 2025, through December
31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Redd, Jr., <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#375b5645454e1945525353775958565619505841"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8fe3eefdfdf6a1fdeaebebcfe1e0eeeea1e8e0f9">[email protected]</span></a>,
or Ann Williamson, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#22434c4c0c554b4e4e4b434f514d4c624c4d43430c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dcbdb2b2f2abb5b0b0b5bdb1afb3b29cb2b3bdbdf2bbb3aa">[email protected]</span></a>, by email, or by phone at
301-427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic BFT fisheries are managed under the
2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS
FMP) and its amendments, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.) and consistent with the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA;
16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). ATCA is the implementing statute for binding
recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The HMS FMP and its amendments are implemented
by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27(a) divides the U.S.
BFT quota, established by ICCAT and as implemented by the United States
among the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations
established in the HMS FMP and its amendments. NMFS is required under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act at 16 U.S.C. 1854(g)(1)(D) to provide U.S.
fishing vessels with a reasonable opportunity to harvest quotas under
relevant international fishery agreements such as the ICCAT Convention,
which is implemented domestically pursuant to ATCA.
Under Sec. 635.28(a)(1), NMFS files a closure notice with the
Office of the
[[Page 29793]]
Federal Register for publication when a BFT quota (or subquota) is
reached or is projected to be reached. Retaining, possessing, or
landing BFT under that quota category is prohibited on and after the
effective date and time of a closure notice for that category, for the
remainder of the fishing year, until the opening of the subsequent
quota period or until such date as specified.
As described in Sec. 635.27(a), the current baseline U.S. BFT
quota is 1,316.14 metric tons (mt) (not including the 25 mt ICCAT
allocated to the United States to account for bycatch of BFT in pelagic
longline fisheries in the Northeast Distant Gear Restricted Area per
Sec. 635.27(a)(3)). The Harpoon category baseline quota is 59.2 mt. As
described under Sec. 635.27(a)(4), the Harpoon category quota is only
available between June 1 and November 15 of each year.
Closure of the 2025 BFT Harpoon Category Fishery
To date, reported landings for the Harpoon category total
approximately 55.7 mt. As described above, the baseline quota is 59.2
mt. However, landings estimates from 2024 indicate that the Harpoon,
Angling, and General category quotas were exceeded. Thus, under Sec.
635.27(a)(9) and consistent with ICCAT requirements, in order to ensure
the overall U.S. quota is not exceeded, NMFS expects to take action
later this year to reduce the various category quotas consistent with
the estimated overharvest. While that action is not yet final, NMFS
must still consider the implications of reduced quotas for various
categories, including the Harpoon category. If both the 2024 and 2025
U.S. adjusted quotas are exceeded, under ICCAT requirements, the United
States could be required to pay back 125 percent of the second year's
(2025) overharvest in 2026. Based on that consideration and the current
landings data, as well as average catch rates and anticipated fishing
conditions, NMFS has determined that the Harpoon category quota is
projected to be reached shortly, and that the Harpoon category should
be closed. Therefore, retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or
giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) CFL or greater) BFT by
persons aboard vessels permitted in the Harpoon category must cease at
11:30 a.m. local time on July 2, 2025. Should NMFS determine that
reasonable fishing opportunities are available at a later date, NMFS
may reopen the fishery. At this time, NMFS is closing the Harpoon
category BFT fishery for the remainder of the Harpoon category season,
which ends November 15, 2025, and thus for the year. The Harpoon
category will reopen automatically on June 1, 2026, for the 2026
fishing year. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category
(commercial) permitted vessels, and is taken consistent with the
regulations at Sec. 635.28(a)(1).
Monitoring and Reporting
NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fisheries closely. Per Sec.
635.5(b)(2)(i)(A), dealers are required to submit landing reports
within 24 hours of a dealer receiving BFT. Late reporting by dealers
compromises NMFS' ability to timely implement actions such as quota and
retention limit adjustments, as well as closures, and may result in
enforcement actions. Additionally, and separate from the dealer-
reporting requirement, Harpoon category vessel owners are required per
Sec. 635.5(a)(4) to report their own catch of all BFT retained or
discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip,
by accessing <a href="https://hmspermits.noaa.gov">https://hmspermits.noaa.gov</a>, using the HMS Catch Reporting
app, or calling 888-872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until
4:30 p.m. Eastern Time).
Depending on the level of fishing effort and catch rates of BFT,
NMFS may determine that additional adjustments are necessary to ensure
available subquotas are not exceeded or to enhance scientific data
collection from, and fishing opportunities in, all geographic areas. If
needed, subsequent adjustments will be published in the Federal
Register. In addition, fishermen may access <a href="https://hmspermits.noaa.gov">https://hmspermits.noaa.gov</a>, for updates on quota monitoring and inseason
adjustments.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(d)) and regulations at 50 CFR part 635 and
this action is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for NMFS (AA) finds that pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice of, and an
opportunity for public comment on, this action because it is
impracticable and contrary to the public interest for the following
reasons. Specifically, the regulations implementing the HMS FMP and its
amendments provide for inseason retention limit adjustments and fishery
closures to respond to the unpredictable nature of BFT availability on
the fishing grounds, the migratory nature of this species, and the
regional variations in the BFT fishery. Providing for prior notice and
opportunity to comment is impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as this fishery is currently underway and, based on the most
recent landings information, the 2025 quota for the Harpoon category is
projected to be reached shortly. Delaying this action could result in
BFT landings which would exceed the final 2025 Harpoon category quota,
which may result in future potential quota reductions for other BFT
categories or the 2026 Harpoon category quota, depending on the
magnitude of a potential Harpoon category overharvest. NMFS notes that
the public had an opportunity to comment on the underlying rulemakings
that established the U.S. BFT quota and the inseason adjustment and
closure criteria.
For all of the above reasons, the AA also finds that pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(d), there is good cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 2, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-12600 Filed 7-2-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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