The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing a new rule under the Tuna Conventions Act that would set annual and trip limits on the U.S. commercial catch of Pacific bluefin tuna for 2025-2026. These measures aim to conserve the tuna population and meet the U.S.'s international commitments with the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). The proposed rule outlines specific trip limits that decrease as the cumulative catch approaches annual limits, and details a system for announcing and managing in-season actions to adjust these limits. Public comments on the proposed rule and the draft environmental assessment are invited until January 29, 2025, and can be submitted through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
Simple Explanation
The government wants to set some rules to help protect a kind of fish called the Pacific bluefin tuna, which lives in the ocean by the USA and some other countries. They plan to allow fishermen to catch only a certain amount each year to make sure there are plenty of tuna left in the sea for future generations.