The following is a statement by Dr. Bill Hogarth – U.S. Commissioner to ICCAT and Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA Fisheries Developing Rule to Clarify
250 Atlantic Marlin Landing Limit
We all know that Atlantic blue and white marlin populations are at very low levels, and all fishing nations need to do more to reverse those trends. The U.S. has been a leader in this endeavor, but we cannot affect this change unilaterally. These stocks can only be rebuilt through a concerted international effort under the umbrella of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
Recovery will happen only if the United States is able to maintain its leadership status and credibility on this issue at ICCAT, and to do so, we must act to implement binding ICCAT recommendations regarding Atlantic marlin.
One of the ICCAT recommendations is a cap on recreational landings of Atlantic blue and white marlin set at 250 fish combined. If the U.S. fails to implement a cap, other ICCAT fishing nations can impede or halt the ongoing international efforts to recover Atlantic marlin.
As part of its domestic management of Atlantic marlin, the U.S. has changed recreational angling reporting requirements. Available landings data have indicated that the U.S. has been below the 250 marlin limit over the past three years. However, while data from tournament landings are fairly reliable, other landings of recreationally caught marlin are less so. We need to improve our data collection and provide for measures to ensure that the U.S. meets its recreational catch requirements under ICCAT.
To address these issues, NOAA Fisheries is developing a proposed rule and will be seeking public comment on several related issues later this summer. They include implementation and compliance requirements related to the 250 Atlantic marlin landing limit and consideration of a possible carryover mechanism if marlin landings are over or under the landing limit.
The bottom line is that U.S. recreational anglers are doing their part to rebuild Atlantic blue and white marlin. We need to make sure that sacrifice and dedication is acknowledged by the international community.