Rule2025-15303
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Angling 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
August 12, 2025
Effective
August 12, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS closes the Angling category fishery for school and large school/small medium-sized (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 centimeters (cm)) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. In addition to this closure, NMFS through a separate action is simultaneously closing the Angling category Gulf of Maine BFT fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) CFL or greater). As a result of these closure actions, the Angling category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for the remainder of the year. This closure applies to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 153 (Tuesday, August 12, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 12, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38709-38710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15303]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 220919-0193; RTID 0648-XF071]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Fisheries; Closure of the Angling Category Fishery for 2025
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS closes the Angling category fishery for school and large
school/small medium-sized (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 centimeters
(cm)) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL))
Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year.
In addition to this closure, NMFS through a separate action is
simultaneously closing the Angling category Gulf of Maine BFT fishery
for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185
cm) CFL or greater). As a result of these closure actions, the Angling
category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for the
remainder of the year. This closure applies to Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted
vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT).
DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m., local time, August 12, 2025, through
December 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad McHale, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#187a6a797c36757b7079747d5876777979367f776e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="197b6b787d37747a7178757c5977767878377e766f">[email protected]</span></a>,
Larry Redd, Jr., <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dbb7baa9a9a2f5a9bebfbf9bb5b4babaf5bcb4ad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8de1ecfffff4a3ffe8e9e9cde3e2ececa3eae2fb">[email protected]</span></a>, or Ann Williamson,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#58393636762f3134343139352b37361836373939763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1c7d7272326b757070757d716f73725c72737d7d327b736a">[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 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.
Every year, the BFT fishing year starts on January 1 and ends on
December 31. The Angling category opens on January 1 and continues
through December 31 or until the applicable quota or subquota is
reached or projected to be reached, whichever comes first. 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
Angling category baseline quota is 297.4 mt. This quota is further
subdivided into subquotas by size class. Specific to this action, the
subquotas are 134.1 mt for school BFT and 154.1 mt for large school/
small medium BFT.
[[Page 38710]]
Closure of the 2025 BFT Angling Category Fishery
To date, reported and estimated school and large school/small
medium BFT landings for the Angling category total approximately 244.1
mt (135.7 mt of school BFT and 108.4 mt of large school/small medium
BFT, respectively). As described above, the baseline school and large
school/small medium Angling category subquotas total 288.2 mt. However,
landings estimates from 2024 indicate that the Angling, Harpoon, 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 Angling 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 Angling category school and large school/small
medium subquotas have been reached, and that the fisheries for these
subquotas within the Angling category should be closed. Therefore,
retaining, possessing, or landing school, large school, and small
medium (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185
cm) CFL or greater) BFT by persons aboard HMS Angling and HMS Charter/
Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT) must
cease at 11:30 p.m., local time on August 12, 2025.
Related to this action, the Angling category trophy subquota of 9.2
mt, which is specifically for large medium/giant-sized BFT, is divided
among four distinct areas delineated at Sec. 635.27(a)(2)(iii) with
2.3 mt allocated for each area. NMFS has previously closed three BFT
trophy areas (90 FR 11233, March 5, 2025; 90 FR 17342, April 25, 2025;
90 FR 21697, May 21, 2025). At the time of this closure action, NMFS
through a separate action is simultaneously closing the Gulf of Maine
BFT trophy area meaning all regional trophy fisheries are closed for
the remainder of the year. Thus, as a result of these closure actions,
the Angling category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for
the remainder of the year. This action is intended to prevent
overharvest of the Angling category BFT quota.
Pursuant to Executive Order 14276, ``Restoring American Seafood
Competitiveness,'' (April 17, 2025), NMFS is making prudent efforts to
identify strategies to expand fishing opportunities within the
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Should NMFS determine that
reasonable fishing opportunities are available at a later date, NMFS
may reopen the 2025 Angling category fishery. The Angling category will
reopen automatically on January 1, 2026, for the 2026 fishing year.
This action applies to HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted
vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT), and is taken consistent
with the regulations at Sec. 635.28(a)(1). These vessels may continue
to recreationally harvest other HMS, including other tunas (bigeye,
albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack), during this closure.
During a closure, fishermen aboard HMS Angling and HMS Charter/
Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally may continue to
catch and release (or tag and release) BFT of all sizes, subject to the
requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs at
Sec. 635.26. All BFT that are released must be handled in a manner
that will maximize survival, and without removing the fish from the
water, consistent with requirements at Sec. 635.21(a)(1). For
additional information on safe handling, see the ``Careful Catch and
Release'' brochure available at <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-and-education/careful-catch-and-release-brochure/">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-and-education/careful-catch-and-release-brochure/</a>.
Monitoring and Reporting
NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fisheries closely. Per Sec.
635.5(c)(1), HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessel
owners are required to report the catch of all BFT retained or
discarded dead, within 24 hours of the landing(s) or the end of each
trip, by accessing <a href="https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/home">https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/home</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 per Sec. 635.27(a)(7) and Sec. 635.28(a)(1). In addition,
updates regarding the Angling category fishery for Atlantic tunas,
including any further Angling category inseason adjustments and quota
monitoring updates is available at <a href="https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/home">https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/home</a>.
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.
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 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 Angling category
has been reached. Delaying this action could result in BFT landings
that would exceed the final 2025 Angling category quota, which,
depending on the magnitude of a potential Angling category overharvest,
may result in future potential quota reductions for the Angling
category and other BFT categories. NMFS must close the Angling category
BFT fishery before additional landings of these sizes of BFT occur.
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: August 8, 2025.
Michael P. Ruccio,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-15303 Filed 8-8-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 12, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.