Bluefin Tuna Season Pauses; Tag-and-Release Fishing Still Permitted
Published Date: 10/20/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting October 17, 2026, the General category fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna will close until November 30, 2026, to protect the tuna population. Fishermen with permits can’t keep big tuna during this time but can tag and release any size. The fishery will reopen automatically on December 1, 2026, giving everyone a fair chance to fish while keeping the tuna safe.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
October–November 2026 Bluefin Closure
If you fish commercially under an Atlantic Tunas General category permit or an HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial sale endorsement, you may not retain, possess, or land large medium and giant Atlantic bluefin tuna (measuring 73 inches / 185 cm curved fork length or greater) from 11:30 p.m. local time on October 17, 2026 through November 30, 2026. This closure is being implemented because the October–November subquota is projected to be reached.
Tag-and-Release Allowed During Closure
During the closure period, fishermen aboard General category and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release bluefin tuna of all sizes, subject to the catch-and-release and tag-and-release program requirements at §635.26(a). All released BFT must be handled to maximize survival and not be removed from the water, consistent with §635.21(a)(1).
Restricted-Fishing Days Waived
NMFS waived the previously scheduled restricted-fishing days (RFDs) for the remainder of the October through November time period. The RFDs had been scheduled every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from July 1 through November 30; the waiver applies for the remainder of October–November 2026 and, combined with the closure, allows tag-and-release on those days under program rules.
24-Hour Dealer and Vessel Reporting Requirement
Dealers must submit landing reports within 24 hours of receiving bluefin tuna, and General and HMS Charter/Headboat vessel owners must report their own catch of all BFT retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip (via hmspermits.noaa.gov, the HMS Catch Reporting app, or by phone).
Automatic Reopening on December 1, 2026
The General category bluefin tuna fishery will automatically reopen on December 1, 2026 for the December time period. NMFS may still make additional inseason adjustments after reopening depending on catch rates and the criteria in §635.27(a)(7).
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Key Dates
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