Golden Tilefish

NOAA Fisheries and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council manage the golden tilefish fishery from the northern extent of their US Atlantic range to North Carolina under the Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England Tilefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The largest golden tilefish stock occurs in the Mid-Atlantic (followed by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico respectively) and as such, the majority of the US catch occurs in this region. Implemented in 2001, the FMP and its subsequent amendments establish:

• Annual catch limits and a per trip possession limit
• An annual limit on incidental tilefish catch (once the annual catch limit is reached the incidental fishery closes)
• Permit requirements for commercial fishers
• An individual fishing quota program where fishers are allocated a percentage of the annual catch in which they can choose when to fish their allocation during the year 
• Gear restrictions limiting the use of trawls and other bottom gears in areas to reduce impact on tilefish habitat

According to a 2014 stock assessment the Mid-Atlantic golden tilefish population is above target population and the stock, which was once declared overfished in 1998, is rebuilt. Management measure in place by the FMP are considered highly effective and according to the latest stock assessment golden tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic region are not overfished nor experiencing overfishing.

NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council manage the golden tilefish fishery from North Carolina to the southern extent of their US Atlantic range under the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The 1983 FMP and its subsequent amendments are responsible for the management of the multispecies grouper snapper complex covering over 50 different South Atlantic species. Among measures the plan addresses are: 

• A “2 for 1” permit program where fishers participating in the fishery must purchase two transferrable vessel permits for each newly issued permit – eliminating one permit each time a new fisher enters the fishery
• An endorsement program to limit participation in the bottom longline golden tilefish fishery (those commercial fishers without an endorsement are limited to 500 lbs. of tilefish (gutted) per trip)
• Annual catch limits by gear type (75 percent of golden tilefish catch is allocated to the bottom longline fishery; 25 percent to the hook and line fishery) as well as per trip possession limits
• Prohibiting the use of bottom longline gear in certain areas to protect other species in the fishery
• Establishing deepwater marine protected areas

While current fishing rates for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic are considered to be too high, a 2011 stock assessment concluded the stock is above target populations and is not overfished.

NOAA Fisheries and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council manage the golden tilefish fishery in the US Gulf of Mexico under the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The 1984 FMP and its amendments establish: annual catch limits, an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program (implemented in 2010), and longline gear restrictions – limiting the areas and depths longline gear can be deployed.

Golden tilefish account for 80 percent of the total tilefish landings in the US Gulf of Mexico. The fishery is considered well managed and a 2011 stock assessment indicated that the stock is above target populations and is not overfished.