Anglers in North Carolina are no longer required to report their catches of Bluefin Tuna and billfishes to the state government. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has officially ended its Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Catch Card Program, as of today.
The program’s termination mandates that federal HMS permit holders in North Carolina, whether holding HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat, or Atlantic Tunas permits, must now directly report their landings and dead discards to the National Marine Fisheries Service. This can be accomplished using one of the electronic options provided: online via the HMS Permit Shop, through the HMS Catch Reporting smartphone app, or by contacting the HMS Permit Shop Customer Service Line at (888) 872-8862. All reports are to be submitted within 24 hours after completing a fishing trip.
The division communicated this transition by mail to all HMS permit holders in the state.
The HMS Catch Card Program was initiated over 25 years ago to aid in federal data collection before the availability of a federal electronic reporting system. The current electronic reporting system is deemed more efficient, leading to the program’s discontinuation.
Despite this change, it remains mandatory for anglers to possess a valid Atlantic HMS permit to fish for or retain Atlantic tunas, billfishes, swordfish, and sharks in both federal and state waters.
Atlantic HMS permit holders using Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) or Southeast For-Hire permits, which require vessel trip or logbook reports, will not need to file separate HMS catch reports. This is applicable if their reports are submitted via the specific platforms within 24 hours post-trip: ACCSP’s SAFIS eTrips for both GARFO and Southeast permit holders and Bluefin Data LLC’s VESL program for Southeast For-Hire Permit holders only.
For those using SAFIS eTrips, each harvested swordfish or billfish, as well as each Bluefin Tuna caught, either landed or dead discard, must be recorded individually. Additionally, anglers must report these catches by weight in pounds, necessitating a change in the unit of measure from count to pounds. Bluefin Tuna dead discards also need individual reporting.
Details on HMS reporting requirements can be accessed at the HMS Permits website or the Atlantic HMS Reporting website. Inquiries can be directed to Dallis Tucker at Dallis.Tucker@deq.nc.gov or by phone at 252-948-3816.
