Comment from Robert Tartaglia

I am writing to you and the National Marine Fisheries Service to express my strong objection to the “NMFS Proposed 2011 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries Management Measures” dated March 11, 2011. Specifically, the National Marine Fisheries Service’s proposal to allocate 160 metric tons of US BFT quota to cover the “dead discard” of the Pelagic Long Line (PLL) fishery and then to further allocate another 69.5 metric tons for them to retain and sell, is entirely unacceptable. The effect of this proposal is to punish the Angling, General and Harpoon Category BFT Fishermen for the wasteful practices and indiscriminate killing of Pelagic Long Line Fishermen. The magnitude of the PLL dead discard problem can only be truly appreciated when you consider that the entire proposed Angling Category BFT quota is 169.1 metric tons. This means that PLL Fishermen will kick overboard one dead discarded BFT for every BFT landed by a Recreational Fisherman! I feel this practice is outrageous and I believe the NMFS needs to put an abrupt end to the Pelagic Long Liner’s wastefulness. How inappropriate that a resource that is as highly coveted and regulated as Bluefin tuna should be killed and tossed overboard by Pelagic Long Line Fishermen while the other category Fishermen are made to obey strict seasonal quotas and effort controls. Further, this misdirected strategy of punishing the highly selective and discriminate gear types to the benefit of PLL Fishermen is unjust and unwarranted. PLL gear and Bluefin tuna are an incompatible mix. I ask that the NMFS take immediate measures to stop Pelagic Long Line Fishermen from interacting with, killing and then wasting our precious Bluefin tuna stocks. Thank you for your consideration.