Bluefish Stock Statusin North Carolina
Status Overview
Bluefish are fast, aggressive predators found along North Carolina’s coast, prized by anglers for their hard-fighting nature and valued for their role in maintaining balanced marine ecosystems. For Bluefish, the FINDEX gap assessment compared Target and Terminal values of Fishing Mortality (F35%) and Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB35%) from the 2025 management track stock assessment. The model, which includes Bluefish data from North Carolina, was developed jointly by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The Terminal year in the stock assessment model was 2024.
How It’s Calculated
FINDEX is a novel way to gauge whether the status of a fish population is trending up or down. Management of most fish species in North Carolina is guided by stock assessment models developed by various groups of scientists. The calculations in our FINDEX metric measure the gap between the desired condition of a fish stock (the Target reference value) and the existing condition (the most recent data year in the model called the Terminal value) as determined in each stock assessment. The gaps between Target and Terminal values are reported as ratios.
(2.148 x 0.890) x 100 = 191.1%
FINDEX = 191.1% for 2024
What Does Robust Mean?
“Robust” is assigned to any stock with a FINDEX value between 150 and 199% and indicates that the population is performing exceptionally well relative to the established target values. The most recent peer-reviewed stock assessment model for Bluefish showed a continual decline in fishing mortality from 2020-2024. The mortality estimates over this period were the lowest in the time series (which is a good thing) and remained below the target values. In response to lower removals of Bluefish, the model calculated an increasing trend in the number of spawning females, which is a positive sign for this important fishery.
Status Over Time
The stock assessment model for Bluefish provides point estimates of Fishing Mortality and Spawning Stock Biomass for each year covered in the data set. We’ve compared the Target reference values to these annual point estimates and calculated the ratios (gaps) for each data year from 1985–2024. Applying the FINDEX gap assessment to the entire time series provides the following stock status trendline:
How Do We Get To World-Class?
Bluefish Target values for Fishing Mortality (0.232) and Spawning Stock Biomass (86,627 metric tons) have been established by the management agencies. The most recent estimates (2024 values) are 0.108 and 77,065 metric tons. Under one potential scenario, if Fishing Mortality remained at the 2024 estimate and Spawning Stock Biomass was to increase to 4,000 metric tons, then the FINDEX value would exceed 200% on our barometer.
Commercial Trends
The graph below illustrates commercial trends for Bluefish from 1990 through 2022. In 2022, commercial fishers harvested 872,041 pounds of Bluefish valued at $513,425. Supporting data was sourced from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.Recreational Trends
The graph below illustrates recreational trends for Bluefish from 1990 through 2022. In 2022, recreational fishers harvested an estimated 1,533,911 Bluefish weighing 1,645,410 pounds. Supporting data was collected through the Marine Recreational Information Program as sourced from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.Bluefish
Did You Know?
- The scope of North Carolina’s authority to manage Bluefish is limited to actions that are consistent with federal fishery management plans developed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
- Bluefish migrate in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and are commonly found in North Carolina’s estuaries from March through October.
- Known to be voracious feeders, large schools of Bluefish can be seen shredding baitfish during what’s commonly called a Bluefish “blitz”.
- Spawning occurs offshore from Massachusetts to Florida.
State Record
- North Carolina’s state record Bluefish was landed off Cape Hatteras on January 30, 1972, by James Hussey.
- The record-breaking fish, which is also the All-Tackle World Record, weighed 31 pounds, 12 ounces.
Harvest Seasons
for Bluefish
- The recreational limit for Bluefish is currently 3 fish per day, except persons fishing on a for-hire vessel can keep 5 fish per day. There is no size limit.
- Commercial Bluefish landings are managed through an annual quota which was set at 1,056,058 pounds in 2020. Daily trip limits are commonly required. Proclamations for Bluefish can be found here.
Stay Current
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