NOAA Fisheries announces that it is considering issuing regulations to implement the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 (BCA). The BCA prohibits any person from offering billfish or billfish products for sale, selling them, or having custody, control, or possession of them for purposes of offering them for sale.
Swordfish are excluded from the BCA’s definition of billfish. NOAA Fisheries welcomes the public’s comments on potential issues and the scope of any future regulations. Comments will be accepted until July 3, 2013. More information is available on the Office of Sustainable Fisheries website. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/news_ANPR_Billfish.htm