Comment from Earthjustice, Wild Oceans, and The Safina Center
Earthjustice, Wild Oceans, and The Safina CenterSupportAdvocacy
Summary: Earthjustice and the Safina Center support the proposed rule because it aligns with the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Act by requiring that both recreational and commercial fishing mortality be counted toward the bluefin tuna quota. They argue that a previous U.S. delegation letter misinterpreted international recommendations and that failing to account for recreational catch would violate federal law and risk overfishing.
We support the proposed rule insofar as it implements the ICCAT bluefin tuna quota and counts both recreational and commercial sources of fishing mortality towards the quota as required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. These requirements are outlined in the attached letter to Mr. Drew Lawler dated March 2, 2026. Thank you for your attention.
*Please note this is an updated version of a comment submitted earlier today. Please use this version.