NOAA taking comment on proposed 2023 bluefish commercial and recreational limits
NOAA Fisheries is proposing the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s recommended catch specifications for the 2023 bluefish fishery.
These proposed catch limits are largely unchanged from what was previously projected for fishing year 2023, with adjustments to the final recreational harvest limit to account for a 2021 recreational sector overage, and the most recent (2021) recreational discard data available.
The commercial fishery state allocations for 2023 are unchanged from what was previously projected. No states exceeded their state-allocated quota in 2021 or are projected to do so in 2022, so no adjustments are necessary for the 2023 commercial fishery.
All other management measures and requirements, including the recreational daily bag limit of three fish per person for private anglers and five fish per person for for-hire (charter/party) vessels, would remain unchanged.
For more details on the proposed specifications, read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. The comment period is open through November 30, 2022.