CONTACT: Gordon Helm                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                        6/3/97

The National Marine Fisheries Service has adopted a series of sweeping proposals to more effectively manage the valuable and highly-competitive Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery for 1997, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today.

The fisheries service finalized a new tuna permit program to improve catch and fishing effort information; prohibited bluefin tuna fishing by General category permit holders on restricted fishing days and prohibited retention of smaller size fish by General category fishers; and split the Angling large school/small medium and trophy category quotas into North/South sub-quotas. The fisheries service is still reviewing the public comments received concerning the proposed prohibition on the use of spotter aircraft.

The new changes to bluefin tuna regulations are the result of comments and suggestions from fishermen and stakeholders from two earlier Advanced Notices of Proposed Rulemaking, input from the comment period for the proposed rule, and a commitment by Rolland Schmitten, fisheries service director, to make needed management improvements.

"I am pleased by all the good advice we received from those interested in the future of Atlantic bluefin tunas," said Schmitten. "These new regulations will improve our management of this fishery, as I promised."

The changes to Angling category regulations also are expected to allow fishermen from a greater geographical area to pursue bluefin tuna for a longer period of time and lengthen the fishing season.

In recent years, the fisheries service has received substantial comment concerning the number of active vessels fishing for tunas. Fleet size estimation is considered an important element in the current recreational monitoring system. Therefore, the fisheries service has finalized the new automated tuna permit system. Permits renewed under the automated system are valid through Dec. 31, 1997. Permit holders who have not yet renewed permits through the automated system must obtain valid permits for 1997 by Sept. 1. All permit holders must renew their permits annually. The fisheries service recommends applicants allow enough time to process their application prior to their fishing trip. Permits are available by calling 888-USA-TUNA.

Under the new regulations, the recreational quotas for large school-small medium and large medium-giant (trophy) Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT) quotas have been subdivided, allocating 53 percent of landings to the northern region and 47 percent to the southern region. Subdividing the quotas increases the temporal and geographic scope of scientific monitoring and serves to minimize impacts on northern fisheries.

The fisheries service has also redefined the prohibition on fishing aboard vessels permitted in the General category on designated restricted-fishing days. The final regulations prohibit fishing for ABT only on those restricted-fishing days.

Because a considerable number of General category permit holders have already renewed permits, and a significant number of these vessel owners may elect to switch to the Angling category under the new catch limit rules, the prohibition on retaining small ABT by General category vessels is delayed until Jan. 1, 1998. However, the delay does not apply to the prohibition on retention of all ABT by General category vessels on restricted-fishing days.

Finally, Atlantic tunas permitting requirements are being extended to require permits when fishing under the provisions for tag and release. Current regulations require that tagging kits be on board the vessel and that tags be used to qualify anglers for the catch and release exemption to bluefin tuna fishery closures. By requiring vessel permits in addition to tagging kits, the fisheries service recognizes that these fishermen constitute a directed fishery for ABT and the new requirements will improve enforcement of bluefin tuna regulations along with collection of catch and effort information.

A series of questions and answers regarding these regulations is available by fax by calling (301) 713-2370.