NOAA 97-R151

Contact: Gordon Helm               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                   7/23/97

Atlantic Swordfish Quotas Proposed; Fisheries Service Also Proposes Southern Stock Definition

The National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed Atlantic swordfish quotas for the next three years and will be seeking comment on the proposals, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today.

The fisheries service also proposes to define the South Atlantic swordfish stock separately from the northern stock, and set a separate 1997 quota for that stock. Management measures for the vessels fishing in the South Atlantic would be consistent with those in the North Atlantic, including vessel permitting, logbook reporting, and observer programs.

The fisheries service proposes to reduce the 1997 North Atlantic swordfish quota to 2,458 metric tons, dressed weight (mtdw), the 1998 quota to 2,393 mtdw and the 1999 quota to 2,327 mtdw. A separate South Atlantic swordfish quota is proposed for 187.5 mtdw for 1997. The annual swordfish quota is split equally between two semi-annual fishing seasons (June 1 through Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 through May 31).

The reductions are intended to improve conservation and management of Atlantic swordfish, while allowing harvests consistent with recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). In late 1996, ICCAT members adopted a lower total Atlantic swordfish quota for all countries, and the new quotas reflect the U.S. portion of those lower quotas.

Despite the proposed reductions in proposed Atlantic swordfish quota, fishermen may realize an increase in total landings. For 1995 and 1996, the United States was obligated to reduce its Atlantic swordfish quota by the number of estimated dead discards. However, the United States does not have to reduce its 1997 ICCAT quota to account for discards, so there is an actual increase of 7.7 percent in the total weight of swordfish available for landing compared to the adjusted 1996 quota. Overall, the cumulative impact of quota adjustments for 1997-1999, under this proposal, will be a net gain for fishermen of 1.93 percent over the 1996 adjusted quota.

Also proposed for 1997, swordfish landings that are over or under the annual quota will be applied to the following year's quota.

The latest scientific evidence confirms that the North Atlantic swordfish stock is overexploited. Scientists estimate the population is at 58 percent of its optimum level, and the average size fish landed has declined to 90 pounds compared with 266 pounds thirty years ago.

There are four public hearings scheduled: 


     Friday, Aug. 1, 1997; 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.; McAuliffe Seafoods, Gallows Bay 
     Dock, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI (Conference call) 
     
     Monday, Aug. 4, 1997; 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Gosman's Dock, West Lake Drive, 
     Montauk, NY (Conference call)
     
     Friday, Aug. 8, 1997; 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.; NMFS Northeast Regional Office, 1 
     Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA
     
     Friday, Aug. 8, 1997; 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.; NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 
     9721 Executive Center Drive, North, St. Petersburg, FL
The public is invited to comment on these proposals. Written comments must be received by Aug. 21, 1997, and should be sent to Rebecca Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.

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