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.
Today, bluefish are jointly managed by the Council and the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission). The Bluefish
FMP, developed in the late 1980s, is the first management plan
developed jointly by an interstate commission and Regional Fishery
Management Council. 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 rebuilding,
with stock biomass predicted to reach the target of 324 million
lbs by the 2010 deadline.
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>
|
