SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] — December 29, 2014 — NMFS is transferring 21 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the General category December 2015 subquota period to the January 2015 subquota period (from January 1 through March 31, 2015, or until the available subquota for this period is reached, whichever comes first).
NMFS also is adjusting the Atlantic tunas General category BFT daily retention limit for the January 2015 subquota period to three large medium or giant BFT from the default retention limit of one.
This action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and applies to Atlantic tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels when fishing commercially for BFT.
The quota transfer is effective January 1, 2015. The General category retention limit adjustment is effective January 1, 2015, through March 31, 2015.
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