# 2025-12600: NOAA Shuts Down Harpoon Fishing for Giant Bluefin Tuna

2025-12600, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Harpoon Category Fishery for 2025, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2025-07-07, effective This closure applies for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12600
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-12600
- Title: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Harpoon Category Fishery for 2025
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 90 FR 29792
- Published: 2025-07-07
- Effective: This closure applies for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year.
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-08

## In one line

NOAA Shuts Down Harpoon Fishing for Giant Bluefin Tuna

## Summary

Starting now, boats with Harpoon permits can’t catch big Atlantic bluefin tuna (73 inches or longer) for the rest of 2025. This means fishermen in the Harpoon category need to stop fishing these giant tunas to help protect the species. It’s all about keeping the tuna population healthy while following the rules for the year.

## Abstract

NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permitted vessels.

## Effects PRIA read

- Harpoon Bluefin Fishery Closed 2025: cost, medium. If you operate a vessel with an Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permit, you may not catch Atlantic bluefin tuna measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. The closure is effective immediately for all Harpoon-permitted vessels.

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## Sources
- [2025-12600 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/07/2025-12600/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-atlantic-bluefin-tuna-fisheries-closure-of-the-harpoon-category)
- [2025-12600 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-07-07/pdf/2025-12600.pdf)

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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12600 (as of 2026-06-08).