March 30, 2021 — Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council members took a bold step last week in response to the internationally overfished North Pacific striped marlin stock. The Council supported a catch limit for U.S. vessels of roughly 1 million pounds, or 457 metric tons in 2022.
The new limit would apply to all U.S. vessels fishing north of the equator and west of 150° W. longitude. An in-season accountability measure would also be implemented to track catch relative to the limit. Retention and landing of striped marlin would be prohibited in longline fisheries when the catch limit is projected to be reached, the Council said in a press release.