Bluefish
is one of the most sought after recreational species along the
Atlantic coast. In the late 1970s, anglers petitioned the Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council (Council) to develop a Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for Bluefish in order to address concerns about the
potential for harvest of bluefish by tuna purse seine vessels.
The Bluefish FMP, developed in the 1980s, is the first management
plan developed jointly by an interstate commission and Regional
Fishery Management Council. Today, bluefish continues to be managed
by both the Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Amendment
1 to the FMP reflects the popularity of bluefish as a sportfish
by allocating over 80 percent of the annual catch to the recreational
fishery. As a result of harvest restrictions imposed under Amendment
1, bluefish are considered rebuilt as of 2009, with stock biomass
above the target of 324 million lbs. The most recent stock status
information indicates that bluefish are not overfished and overfishing
is not occurring, based on the biological reference points developed
in the 2005 stock assessment (½BMSY = 73.5 million lbs;
FMSY = 0.19). Trends in state and Northeast Fishery Science Center
data show a decreasing trend in fishing mortality, an increasing
trend in population biomass, and an increasing trend in population
numbers. January 1 population abundance estimates show a general
increase in overall abundance since 1997. <species
profile> <stock
status> <habitat
fact sheet>
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