NOAA Fisheries Adjusts Certain Commercial Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Seasons and Size Tolerance Limits The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) has adjusted several regulations governing the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) fishery including the opening date of the Purse seine category, closure dates for the Harpoon and General categories, and large medium BFT retention tolerances for the Purse seine and Harpoon categories. The start date for the Purse seine category BFT fishery will be changed to July 15 of each fishing year. This action is intended to minimize conflicts with other gear types and permit categories, as well as maximize economic yields from General and Purse seine category landings (i.e., avoid market gluts). The new start date will be effective on January 23, 2004. Based on market conditions and landing rates the final rule includes a provision to delay the commencement of the Purse seine start date from July 15 to no later than August 15. NOAA Fisheries is establishing a Harpoon category season end date of November 15 (or when the quota is reached, whichever comes first). The intent of this action is to preserve the traditional Harpoon category fishery by restricting its geographic activity to the New England area. This new closure date will go into effect on January 23, 2004.The General category season will be extended until January 31 to broaden the distribution of the fishery both geographically and temporally. The new end date will be effective on December 24, 2003. The General category is currently closed because the quota has been harvested. NOAA Fisheries is removing the tolerance limit on a per trip basis for the Purse seine category, and increasing the seasonal large medium BFT tolerance to 15 percent of landings by weight annually. This action is intended to increase Purse seine category vessel opportunities to harvest their allocated annual quota while minimizing mortality on pre-spawning BFT. Likewise, vessels permitted in the Harpoon category will be able to retain two large medium BFT per vessel per day. These new tolerance limits go into effect on January 23, 2004. Official notice of Federal fishery actions is made through filing such notice with the Office of the Federal Register. For further information, contact Dianne Stephan or Brad McHale at (978) 281-9260.