Recently,the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management Division has received several inquiries about:
1) gears authorized for HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels; and
2) the permit required to take paying passengers on HMS fishing trips.
The following reminder of current regulations is intended to help vessel owners comply with the regulations and choose the appropriate vessel permit.
Harpoons are not authorized for use as primary fishing gear on HMS Charter/Headboat vessels.
Harpoon gear is authorized as primary fishing gear for General category and Harpoon category permitted vessels onlv.
Vessel operators that a person who fishes for, retains, or possesses bluefin tuna may not have on board a vessel or use any primary gear other than those authorized for the vessel permit category.
Charter/Headboat...Rod and reel (including downriggers), bandit gear, handline, and green stick gear are authorized for all recreational and commercial Atlantic tuna fisheries. Speargun is authorized for recreational Atlantic bigeye, albacore, yellowfin and skipjack tunas only.
Secondary gears including but not limited to dart harpoons, gaffs, flying gaffs, tail ropes etc. may be used at boatside to aid and assist in subduing, or bringing on board a vessel, Atlantic HMS that have first been caught or captured using primary gears but may not be used to capture or attempt to capture, free swimming HMS.
An HMS Charter/Headboat permit is required to carry paying passengers and fish for, possess, or retain any Atlantic HMS. General category, Harpoon category or Angling category vessels are not authorized to take paying passengers on HMS fishing trips.