Catch Reporting 3.2

NOAA Fisheries' Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division oversees the management of several fish species in U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters referred to as highly migratory species (HMS). These species include tuna, sharks, swordfish, and billfish, which inhabit vast areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, embarking on extended migrations. Given their wide-ranging movements across national borders, the HMS Management Division is tasked with regulating these species in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Collaborating with an advisory panel, the division formulates and enacts fishery management plans respecting both domestic and international mandates outlined in the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Due to the extensive wanderings of these species, effective HMS stewardship necessitates global coordination through various agreements such as the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

This application serves as a practical tool for fishermen to log their journeys and report catches of bluefin tuna, blue marlin, white marlin, roundscale spearfish, sailfish, and swordfish. By using this app, fishermen can document their HMS landings and releases during their fishing expeditions aboard their vessels. The stored information can be submitted to HMS when an internet connection is established.