Bluefin Tuna Quota Boosted for January Fishing Frenzy
Published Date: 1/12/2026
Rule
Summary
NOAA is shifting 26 metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from December 2026 to January through March 2026 to give commercial fishermen more chances to catch tuna early in the year. This change affects fishermen with General category and Charter/Headboat permits who sell their catch commercially. The new quota rules kick in on January 8, 2026, and last through March 31, 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
January–March Quota Lifted for Commercial Fishers
If you fish commercially for Atlantic bluefin tuna with a General category permit or an HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial sale endorsement, NMFS transferred 26.0 metric tons (mt) from the December 2026 subquota to the January–March 2026 subquota. The adjusted January–March 2026 subquota is 63.7 mt and the adjusted December 2026 subquota is 11.0 mt; this rule is effective January 8, 2026 through March 31, 2026 and may keep the fishery open longer in early 2026.
Planned Rulemaking to Raise U.S. BFT Quota
NMFS intends a separate rulemaking in 2026 to consider increasing the baseline U.S. Atlantic bluefin tuna quota from 1,316.14 mt to 1,509.98 mt consistent with ICCAT Recommendation 25-05; NMFS expects a proposed rule in the next few months and any final rule would likely be effective in mid-2026 or later. This prospective change would affect how total U.S. quota and subquotas are calculated if implemented.
24‑Hour Dealer and Vessel Reporting Requirement
Dealers must submit bluefin tuna landing reports within 24 hours of receiving BFT, and General category and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessel owners must report retained or dead-discarded BFT within 24 hours of landing or trip end via https://hmspermits.noaa.gov, the HMS Catch Reporting app, or by phone. Late reports can hinder quota monitoring and may lead to enforcement actions.
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