Tuna fishers on P.E.I. have decided to use a list created in 2015 to allocate quota transferred from Mexico.
Fishers were asked whether to use the list of 308 tag numbers on a rotational basis anytime there was a quota allocation from Mexico, or use a different method. The first fisher on the 2015 list to receive a tag this year will be number 110. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has yet to decide on the number of Mexican tags available, or the cost.
The Island tuna season opened Aug. 2 and the first fishing period will run until Sept. 26. Any remaining quota will be reallocated and the fishery will reopen on Sept. 29 and continue until Dec. 31 or until all the quota is caught.
There’s a new license condition regarding tail cuts prohibiting the extraction of flesh from a tuna between the second dorsal fin and tail cut until the fish has been offloaded. All other management measures are the same as 2016, including the use of Electronic Monitoring Systems in both the commercial and hook-and-release fisheries.
