BLUEFISH

Stock Status – Viable– Bluefish are not experiencing overfishing, and are no longer overfished. Fishing mortality has steadily declined since 1991, with biomass estimates increasing since 1997. 

Average Commercial Landings and Value 1999-2008 - 2,964,399 lbs./$848,115

2008 Commercial Landings and Value – 1,930,391 lbs./$707,749 (quota managed)

Average Recreational Landings 1999-2008 –  987,359 lbs., 2008 – 1,113,321 lbs.

Average Number of Award Citations (17 lbs.) 1999-2008 – 6, 2008 – 8

Average Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL) Landings 2002-2008 –17,022 lbs., 2008 – 19,554 lbs.

Status of Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) - In North Carolina, bluefish is currently included in the Interjurisdictional FMP, which defers to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)/Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) FMP compliance requirements.
The FMP allows annually adjusted, state-by-state commercial quota system and recreational harvest limits to reduce fishing mortality. 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 2008 stock assessment update.  Data show a decreasing trend in fishing mortality, an increasing trend in population biomass, and an increasing trend in population numbers.  Model estimates of total stock biomass were above the target in 2009. The stock rebuilding deadline is 2010.

Data and Research Needs - validated age data, fishery independent data, commercial bycatch and recreational mortality estimates, exploration of alternative assessment models

Current Regulations – 15-fish/person/day by hook and line. Only 5 fish of the 15-fish limit can be greater than 24 inches total length (TL).

Harvest Season - open year round (commercial season can close if quota met)

Size and Age at Maturity - 13 inches fork length (FL)/2 years

Historical and Current Maximum Age – 14 years/12 years

Juvenile Abundance Index - unknown  

Habits and Habitats - Bluefish are pelagic and important to saltwater fishermen throughout the world.  Bluefish school by size and make seasonal migrations north in the spring and south in winter.  Large fish tend to congregate in the northern part of the range.  There are two spawning groups, one that spawns at sea during the spring and the other spawns at sea in the summer.

For more information, contact Beth Burns at beth.burns@ncdenr.gov (252- 473-5734).