# 2025-15303: NOAA Shuts Down 2025 Bluefin Tuna Angling Fishery Early

2025-15303, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Angling Category Fishery for 2025, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2025-08-12, effective Closed for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year (effective immediately); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-15303
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-15303
- Title: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the Angling Category Fishery for 2025
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 90 FR 38709
- Published: 2025-08-12
- Effective: Closed for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year (effective immediately)
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

NOAA Shuts Down 2025 Bluefin Tuna Angling Fishery Early

## Summary

Starting now, recreational fishers with special permits can’t catch Atlantic bluefin tuna of any size for the rest of 2025. This means the Angling category fishery is officially closed to protect tuna populations. If you’re planning a fishing trip, you’ll need to wait until next year—no bluefin tuna bites allowed this season!

## Abstract

NMFS closes the Angling category fishery for school and large school/small medium-sized (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 centimeters (cm)) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. In addition to this closure, NMFS through a separate action is simultaneously closing the Angling category Gulf of Maine BFT fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) CFL or greater). As a result of these closure actions, the Angling category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for the remainder of the year. This closure applies to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT).

## Effects PRIA read

- Recreational Bluefin Tuna Fishery Closed 2025: cost, medium. If you hold an HMS Angling permit, you cannot catch Atlantic bluefin tuna of any size for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. The closure covers school and large school/small medium-sized tuna (27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length) and large medium and giant "t…
- Charter/Headboat Tuna Trips Halted 2025: cost, high. If you operate an HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessel and run recreational Atlantic bluefin tuna trips, you must stop harvesting bluefin tuna of any size for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. The closure covers tuna measuring 27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) CFL and troph…

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## Sources
- [2025-15303 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/12/2025-15303/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-atlantic-bluefin-tuna-fisheries-closure-of-the-angling-category)
- [2025-15303 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-08-12/pdf/2025-15303.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-15289, Removal of Definition of “Plan Assets”-Insurance Company General Accounts; With…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-15289)
- [Next: 2025-15311, Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Co…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-15311)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-15303 (as of 2026-06-11).