Hawaii longline tuna fishery on track to hit quota

HONOLULU — Hawaii's longline bigeye tuna industry is on course to hit its catch quota for the year in mid-November.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is a federal advisory body responsible for protecting fisheries off Hawaii.

The council's scientific committee recommended Wednesday that the council warn the industry that the fishery may have to close if the quota is hit.

International fishery management quotas limit the Hawaii longline fleet bigeye catch to 3,763 metric tons — 8.2 million pounds — of bigeye tuna per year in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Vessels over 24 meters, or about 80 feet, long may catch up to 500 metric tons — about 1.1 million pounds — of bigeye in the Eastern Pacific.