The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced an adjusted retention limit for bluefin tuna that went into effect June 3. The update brings a major reduction in both the number and size of fish recreational anglers can harvest, as reported by TheFishingwire.com.
In many parts of the Northeast, the bluefin bite in recent years has consisted predominantly of fish in the 50- to 70-inch class; these fish are ineligible for harvest in 2025. Over the past five seasons, Northeast anglers have seen a “tuna boom,” with many new anglers getting into the fishery. As a result, tackle shops that previously had no involvement in the tuna market have been selling rod-and-reel combos, jigs, poppers and trolling gear, which has provided a boost in sales. These new limits threaten to slow that momentum.
The new retention limits are as follows:
Recreational anglers:
• 1 school-sized fish (27-47”)
• 0 medium-sized fish (47-<73”)
Charter/headboats:
• 2 school-sized fish (27-47”)
• 0 medium-sized fish (47-<73”)
To put this into perspective, the default retention limit is one school or one medium fish per vessel. Due to the strong fishery in recent years, NOAA had allowed adjusted limits of two school and 1 medium fish. The new rule is a dramatic step backward.
NOAA’s data suggests an abundance of small bluefin, and classifies the species as “least concern” in terms of conservation status. It claims recreational anglers exceeded quota by more than 50% in 2024 and retained more small fish than in 2023.
A key issue cited was underreporting by recreational anglers. Many have been hesitant to report catch data, fearing that doing so would lead to more restrictions — ironically, that’s exactly what we are now facing. Unfortunately, NOAA has not done enough to educate the recreational community on how reporting directly impacts quotas and regulations.
If you’d like to voice your concerns about these changes, you can contact NOAA directly. Brad McHale is information, reporting and monitoring branch chief (New England/Mid-Atlantic) in NOAA’s Office of Sustainable Fisheries, [email protected].
