The news for bluefin tuna just got worse. NOAA Fisheries announced Monday, April 14, 2025 landings for the 2024 fishing year and it relates that landings were 138.3 mt (9 percent) higher than the quota.  Recreational landings alone were 52 percent above quota. 

This bad news was preceded last month with a bluefin tuna fishery closure delay, allowing the fishery to be overfished without the ability to close it due to the Trump administration’s regulation executive order that relates for every new regulation, 10 regulations have to come off the books.  

Fishing was excepted from a similar executive order in the first Trump Administration. We need this exception today to manage fisheries to sustainable levels. See a story on this executive order from Pt. Judith at USA Today.

Landings for 2024, including estimated dead discards (using the 2023 dead discard estimate as a proxy), totaled 1,613.5 mt, which is 138.3 mt (9%) higher than the 2024 U.S. adjusted quota of 1,475.2 mt. As shown in the posted landings table, the General, Harpoon, and Angling category quotas were exceeded by 4%, 8%, and 52%, respectively. Recreational landings were particularly high late in 2024. This is the first time in more than 20 years that the U.S. adjusted quota has been exceeded. 

Landings of school-size bluefin tuna (measuring 27-<47 inches curved fork length) also exceeded the internationally-agreed limit in 2024. Because landings and dead discards exceeded the adjusted quota for 2024, there is no carryover of underharvest available for use in 2025. 

In an advisory this week NOAA Fisheries related it is considering options for domestic management of the 2025 Atlantic bluefin tuna quota to pay back the 2024 overharvest along with managing category quotas in 2025. The actions that NOAA Fisheries may consider for quota management include commercial and recreational retention limit adjustments; quota adjustments or transfers; and/or closures. NOAA Fisheries plans to discuss bluefin tuna quota matters at the HMS Advisory Panel meeting, May 6-8, 2025, including an opportunity for public comment at the end of each meeting day.

Opening Day big success

Rhode Island and Massachusetts have stocked waterways with a variety of trout for the spring trout season. These initiatives provide excellent fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages and skill levels. 

Opening Day of trout season in Rhode Island was this past Saturday, April 12. The cold, windy and snowy morning deterred a few anglers but those that braved the cold caught trout.

Gary Vandemoortele of Smithfield, who fished Spring Grove Pond, Chepachet, on opening day, said, “The trout were good size this year. We arrived a bit later in the morning and the anglers fishing next to us had already caught five nice trout. Shortly after I caught a nice 14-inch rainbow trout.” 

Kenneth “Casey” Fernstrom, Senior Biologist and manager of the four trout hatcheries the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have in Rhode Island said, “We are stocking with larger fish this year, most are between 14” and 18”, however, the 20 plus inch fish are more abundant, particularly the golden trout we stocked this year.”

Anglers who catch a golden rainbow trout on Opening Day and through May 6 will be eligible to receive a golden trout pin. Simply take a picture and email it to dem.fishri@dem.ri.gov for verification. Submissions must be received no later than Monday, May 5, 2025. 

Last week, The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) officially began its annual spring trout stocking program, bringing hundreds of thousands of healthy, hatchery-raised trout to state waterways. MassWildlife raises brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout. The fish are raised at hatcheries in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. Over 260 Massachusetts cities and towns are scheduled to receive trout this spring. Anglers are encouraged to visit MassWildlife’s website at mass.gov/trout to find daily stocking updates and locations. 

“The trout stocking program is a key part of MassWildlife’s mission to enhance recreational fishing and connect people to nature,” said Todd Richards, MassWildlife Assistant Director of Fisheries. 

This year’s fish are bigger and better than ever in Massachusetts too. While the quantity of stocked trout (measured in total pounds) has remained about the same for the last decade, MassWildlife has been steadily producing larger trout by adjusting hatchery growing techniques. Just 10 years ago, less than 60% of stocked trout were over 12 inches—now, more than 80% measure over a foot. 

For complete regulations, a list of stocked ponds, and a copy of the RI Freshwater Fishing Regulations and Guide visit Fish & Wildlife | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and in Massachusetts visit Freshwater Fishing | Mass.gov.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass fishing in salt ponds, rivers and waterways continues to be very good with anglers catching holdover striped bass to 34 inches. The exponential increase in the number and size (to 34 inches) of holdover striped bass (bass that decided to stay in our waters rather than migrate south) is a matter of concern.  

Sure, it is great to catch these bass, however, one wonders where these fish are spawning, how productive their spawn will be in the future, and how far north will this holdover anomaly occur in the future. It points out the need for research to understand this climate impact. 

On any given day fish are being caught in the Pawcatuck River, Westerly; Narrow River, Narragansett; coastal ponds in South County; and in estuaries on Cape Cod. Last week Ryan Collins of My Fishing Cape Cod - your source for Cape Cod fishing reports & more, said, “What makes these estuaries particularly valuable to holdover stripers is their temperature fluctuation. On this April night, the water temperature was easily 10-15 degrees warmer than the adjacent ocean – creating a comfortable haven for fish transitioning from winter’s dormancy to spring’s activity.”

Cod Fishing is still open south of Cape Cod as new regulations have still been delayed due to the new Federal rule making executive order, agencies must reduce regulations by ten to introduce every new one. This executive order needs to exempt fishing (as it did in the last Trump administration) as fisheries open and close regularly based on quotas. 

Freshwater trout fishing is a good bet with trout stocking recently occurring in RI and MA waterways. See above article.

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.