Local fishermen are objecting to a proposed federal rule that would decrease catch limits for Atlantic bluefin tuna, a move they say is unnecessary.
More than 100 fishermen participated at Monday’s public hearing in Portland to express their opposition to the rule, which would subtract 160 tons from catch quotas along the Eastern Seaboard, according to the Portland Press Herald. The current limit is 858 tons. Federal regulators said the new rule would offset the amount of tuna inadvertently caught by other fishermen that do not survive being caught and released, but fishermen argued that, though they’ve been overfished elsewhere, bluefin tuna are abundant along the eastern coast. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe also opposes the change and called it “overly cautious” in a statement.
Bluefin tuna are especially popular in Japan, which accounts for 80% of the global market. A National Marine Fisheries Service spokesperson said a final public hearing will be held in Massachusetts tonight, and that the rule change is expected to take effect June 14.
