The North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has announced a new limit on bluefish harvests for commercial fishermen.

Effective from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, the limit is now set at 50 pounds per trip or per day.

This reduction aims to manage the state’s bluefish quota more effectively. The DMF will issue another proclamation to close the fishery once the commercial quota is projected to be reached or by December 31, 2024.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which manages bluefish from Maine to Florida, allocates quotas to each state. This year, the ASMFC set a quota of 2.4 million pounds for commercial bluefish harvest across 14 states, a decrease from previous years. North Carolina received an allocation of over 776,000 pounds.

Chris Batsavage, special assistant for councils, DMF, noted that North Carolina’s commercial fishermen have already harvested 80% of their quota. “We’re not even 50% of the way through the year, and we’re already 80% of the way there,” Batsavage said.

To address this, the DMF is seeking quota transfers from other states within the ASMFC. If successful, North Carolina’s share of the 2.4 million pounds could increase, potentially raising future trip limits.

Earlier this year, the DMF initially reduced the daily harvest limit to 800 pounds on March 3. Subsequently, the limit was further decreased to 400 pounds on May 23. Despite these reductions, in 2022, North Carolina’s commercial fishermen harvested more than 872,000 pounds of bluefish. This occurred even though the state’s allocated quota was 1.13 million pounds.

The new regulations are part of an ongoing effort to manage bluefish stocks and ensure sustainable fishing practices.