2024-21507. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Adjustments to the 2024 North Atlantic Albacore Tuna, North and South Atlantic Swordfish, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Reserve Category Quotas

Table 1—2024 Northern Albacore Quota

Northern albacore quota (mt ww)	2023	2024
Baseline Quota	711.5	889.4
Underharvest from Previous Year	578.8	708.9
Underharvest Carryover from Previous Year †	(+)177.9	(+)177.9
Adjusted Quota (Baseline + Underharvest)	889.4	1,067.3
† Allowable underharvest carryover is capped at 25 percent of the 2023 baseline quota allocation (177.9 mt ww).

North and South Atlantic Swordfish Annual Quota and Adjustment Process

North Atlantic Swordfish

Consistent with the North Atlantic swordfish quota regulations at § 635.27(c), in this final rule, NMFS adjusts the U.S. annual North Atlantic swordfish quota for allowable underharvest in the previous year. NMFS makes such adjustments consistent with ICCAT carryover limits and when complete catch information for the prior year is available and finalized. Consistent with ICCAT Recommendation 17-02 as amended by Recommendation 23-04, the U.S. North Atlantic swordfish baseline annual quota through 2024 is 2,937.6 mt dw (3,907 mt ww).

Relevant to the North Atlantic swordfish quota adjustment in this action, and as codified at § 635.27(c)(3), the maximum underharvest that the United States may carry forward from one year to the next is 15 percent of the baseline quota, which equates to 440.6 ( print page 77031) mt dw (586 mt ww). For 2023, the adjusted North Atlantic swordfish quota was 3,378.2 mt dw (2,937.6 mt dw baseline quota plus 440.6 mt dw of 2022 underharvest). In 2023, U.S. landings of North Atlantic swordfish, which includes landings and dead discards, was 1,008.3 mt dw, which is an underharvest of 2,369.9 mt dw of the 2023 adjusted quota. This underharvest exceeds the 440.6-mt dw underharvest carryover limit allowed under Recommendation 23-04; therefore, only 440.6 mt dw may be carried forward to the 2024 fishing year.

Additionally, in accordance with ICCAT Recommendation 23-04, the United States will transfer 150.4 mt dw (200 mt ww) of its North Atlantic swordfish quota to Morocco, which serves to facilitate cooperative management efforts between ICCAT contracting parties. Morocco agreed to adhere to ICCAT management measures, reporting requirements, and monitoring of the transferred quota.

Thus, the adjusted 2024 North Atlantic swordfish quota will be 3,227.8 mt dw (2,937.6 mt dw baseline quota, plus 440.6 mt dw carryover, minus 150.4 mt dw transfer to Morocco). In accordance with regulations at § 635.27(c)(1)(i), 50 mt dw of the adjusted quota will be allocated to the Reserve category for inseason adjustments and research, 300 mt dw of the adjusted quota will be allocated to the incidental category, which covers recreational landings and landings by incidental swordfish permit holders, and the remainder of the adjusted quota (2,877.8 mt dw) will be allocated to the directed category, which will be split equally between two seasons in 2024 (January through June, and July through December) (table 2).

South Atlantic Swordfish

Consistent with the South Atlantic swordfish quota regulations at § 635.27(c), NMFS adjusts the U.S. annual South Atlantic swordfish quota for allowable underharvest, if any, in the previous year. NMFS makes such adjustments, if needed, consistent with ICCAT carryover limits and when complete catch information for the prior year is available and finalized. Consistent with ICCAT Recommendation 17-03 as amended by Recommendation 22-04, the U.S. South Atlantic swordfish baseline annual quota through 2026 is 75.2 mt dw (100 mt ww), and the amount of underharvest that the United States can carry forward from one year to the next is 75.2 mt dw (100 mt ww) (table 2). In 2023 there were no landings of South Atlantic swordfish by U.S. fishermen, which is an underharvest of 75.2 mt dw of the 2023 adjusted quota. Of that underharvest, 75.2 mt dw may be carried forward to the 2024 fishing year. Under Recommendations 17-03 and 22-04, the United States continues to transfer a total of 75.2 mt dw (100 mt ww) to other countries. These transfers are 37.6 mt dw (50 mt ww) to Namibia, 18.8 mt dw (25 mt ww) to Côte d'Ivoire, and 18.8 mt dw (25 mt ww) to Belize. Thus, the adjusted 2024 South Atlantic swordfish quota will be 75.2 mt dw.

Table 2—2024 North and South Atlantic Swordfish Quotas

North Atlantic swordfish quota (mt dw)	2023	2024
Baseline Quota	2,937.6	2,937.6
International Quota Transfers *	N/A	(−)150.4
Underharvest from Previous Year	2,371.3	2,369.9
Underharvest Carryover from Previous Year †	(+)440.6	(+)440.6
Adjusted Quota (Baseline + Carryover + Transfer)	3,378.2	3,227.8
Quota Allocation:
Directed Category	3,028.2	2,877.8
Incidental Category	300	300
Reserve Category	50	50
South Atlantic swordfish quota (mt dw)	2023	2024
Baseline Quota	75.2	75.2
International Quota Transfers **	(−)75.2	(−)75.2
Underharvest from Previous Year	75.2	75.2
Underharvest Carryover from Previous Year †	75.2	75.2
Adjusted quota (Baseline + Transfers + Carryover)	75.2	75.2
* Under ICCAT Recommendation 23-04, the United States transferred 150.4 mt dw (200 mt ww) to Morocco.
† Allowable underharvest carryover is capped at 15 percent of the baseline quota allocation (440.6 mt dw) for the North Atlantic and 75.2 dw (100 mt ww) for the South Atlantic.
** Under ICCAT Recommendations 17-03 and 22-04, the United States transfers 75.2 mt dw (100 mt ww) annually to Namibia (37.6 mt dw, 50 mt ww), Côte d'Ivoire (18.8 mt dw, 25 mt ww), and Belize (18.8 mt dw, 25 mt ww).

Bluefin Tuna Annual Quota and Adjustment Process

Consistent with the regulations regarding annual bluefin tuna quota adjustment at § 635.27(a), in this final rule, NMFS announces the addition of available underharvest in the bluefin tuna Reserve category. Specifically, the adjusted 2024 Reserve category quota is now 161.5 mt.

In 2022, NMFS implemented relevant provisions of an ICCAT western Atlantic bluefin tuna recommendation (Recommendation 21-07) in a final rule (87 FR 33049, June 1, 2022). That rulemaking implemented the annual U.S. baseline quota of 1,316.1 mt, plus an additional 25 mt to account for bycatch related to pelagic longline fisheries in the Northeast Distant gear restricted area (NED), for a total quota of 1,341.1 mt. At the 2022 annual meeting, a management procedure was implemented for bluefin tuna (Recommendation 22-09). This management procedure set the western Atlantic bluefin tuna TAC for 2023 through 2025 at the same level as 2021 (Recommendation 22-10). As such, the total annual U.S. bluefin tuna quota for 2024 remains 1,341.1 mt (see § 635.27(a)). Consistent with Recommendation 22-10, the maximum underharvest that the United States can carry forward from one year to the next is 10 percent of its total annual quota, which equates to 134.1 mt. ( print page 77032)

In 2023, the adjusted U.S. quota was 1,447.7 mt, and the U.S. catch, including landings and dead discards, totaled 1,311.3 mt. Thus, the 2023 underharvest was 136.4 mt, which exceeds the underharvest carryover limit (134.1 mt). As such, the United States is carrying forward the allowable 134.1 mt underharvest to 2024. Per § 635.27(a) this underharvest augments the Reserve category quota. The 2024 Reserve category quota of 38.2 mt was recently adjusted to 27.4 mt (89 FR 58074, July 17, 2024). Thus, the adjusted 2024 Reserve category quota is now, through this action, 161.5 mt (27.4 mt plus 134.1 mt underharvest) (table 3).

Table 3—2024 Bluefin Tuna Quota

Bluefin tuna quota (mt ww)	2023	2024
Baseline Quota	1,316.1	1,316.1
Total Quota (Baseline Quota + Bycatch Allocation) *	1,341.1	1,341.1
Underharvest from Previous Year	106.5	136.4
Underharvest Carryover from Previous Year †	(+)106.5	(+)134.1
Adjusted Quota (Total quota + Carryover)	1,447.7	1,475.2
Baseline Reserve Category Quota	‡ 38.2	** 38.2
Adjusted Reserve Category Quota (Reserve quota + Carryover)	133.9	161.5
Values in this table are subject to rounding error.
* The United States is allocated an additional 25 mt to account for bycatch related to pelagic longline fisheries in the Northeast Distant gear restricted area (NED).
† Allowable underharvest carryover is capped at 10 percent of the total annual quota (134.1 mt ww).
‡ The 2023 baseline Reserve category quota of 38.2 mt was adjusted to 27.4 mt (88 FR 48136, July 26, 2023).
** The 2024 baseline Reserve category quota of 38.2 mt was adjusted to 27.4 mt (89 FR 58074, July 17, 2024).