Comment from Elizabeth Lotz

Thank you for recognizing the need to protect Western Atlantic bluefin tuna in their only known spawning area – the Gulf of Mexico. Experimental "weak" hooks may provide partial protection for spawning bluefin this spring, but bluefin still need an effective long-term solution. To conserve bluefin and other at risk species, I urge you to direct a full closure of the Gulf of Mexico to surface longlining for yellowfin tuna and swordfish.