NOAA Closed the Commercial Atlantic Bluefin General Category Through November 30
NMFS closed the Atlantic bluefin General category from Oct. 17 through Nov. 30, 2026. It reopens Dec. 1. Recreational angling quota is separate.
The National Marine Fisheries Service closed the Atlantic bluefin tuna General category for the rest of the October through November period, effective 11:30 p.m. local time on October 17, 2026. The commercial fishery reopens automatically on December 1. Recreational anglers on the separate Angling category are not closed by this rule.
What happened
NMFS published that temporary rule on October 20, 2026. It was filed on October 16, and NMFS waived the usual wait before it could take effect, so the closure time is earlier than the publication date.
When that category is open, vessels may keep only large medium and giant bluefin of 73 inches (185 centimeters) curved fork length or greater. Retaining, possessing, or landing those fish must stop at the effective time. NMFS also waived the remaining restricted-fishing days, which a May 31, 2024 rule set as Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from July 1 through November 30. During the closure, General category and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels may tag and release bluefin of all sizes. Released fish must be handled to maximize survival and must not be removed from the water.
An August 19, 2026 final rule raised the U.S. bluefin quota from 1,316.14 metric tons to 1,509.98 metric tons, not counting 62.5 metric tons ICCAT allocated for pelagic longline bycatch near the management boundary. The General category baseline is 815.4 metric tons. The October through November baseline subquota is 106 metric tons. On October 6, NMFS adjusted it to 192.9 metric tons, published October 8.
NOAA's commercial bluefin status table, updated October 20, 2026, lists preliminary landings of 210.8 metric tons. The closure rule did not print that number.
Why it matters for hunters and anglers
This notice does not change a hunting season or a bag limit. It changes what commercial bluefin boats, and charter or headboat boats that are selling fish, can keep through November 30.
Recreational fishing uses a different quota. On October 15, 2026, NMFS transferred 15 metric tons from the Reserve to the Angling category large school/small medium subquota, effective October 13 through December 31. The adjusted subquota is 188.4 metric tons, the adjusted Reserve is 27 metric tons, and NMFS says the overall Angling category quota rises to 356.3 metric tons. That subquota stays open until December 31, 2026, or until it is reached, whichever comes first. NMFS says recent late-summer and fall recreational fishing has shifted toward large school and small medium bluefin spread more widely along the East Coast. That is not a list of closed state waters.
A charter or headboat follows the closure when it has a commercial sale endorsement and is fishing commercially. The October 15 transfer applies to HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels when they are fishing recreationally.
Who's affected (states/species/dates)
The species is Atlantic bluefin tuna, under the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan and 50 CFR part 635. The closure names no states. It applies to Atlantic Tunas General category vessels and to HMS Charter/Headboat vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially.
Dates in the October 20 closure:
- Effective 11:30 p.m. local time, October 17, 2026, through November 30, 2026
- Automatic reopen on December 1, 2026, for the December General category period
- Restricted-fishing days waived for the rest of October and November
The October 15 transfer, quoted above, runs October 13 through December 31, 2026, and adjusts the large school/small medium Angling subquota to 188.4 metric tons. The closure says "local time" and does not name a time zone. Federal rules still apply on top of the launch state. See the Massachusetts bluefin tuna fishing guide and the North Carolina fishing guide. They are not this rule.
Dealers must report bluefin landings within 24 hours of receiving the fish. General category and HMS Charter/Headboat owners must report every bluefin retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing or the end of the trip, at hmspermits.noaa.gov, in the HMS Catch Reporting app, or at 888-872-8862 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time).
What groups are saying
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Deer Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, South Carolina DNR, and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers feeds checked for this draft had no statement on this closure from the last seven days.
NMFS wrote: "Based on reported landings to date for the BFT General category October through November time period, NMFS has determined that the subquota for this time period is projected to be reached shortly."
On waiving comment, the agency wrote that delaying the action "could result in BFT landings that exceed the adjusted October through November time period subquota, which may result in future potential quota reductions for other BFT categories or the 2027 General category quota, depending on the magnitude of a potential General category overharvest."
NMFS also says the closure "does not raise conservation and management concerns," and that the public already had a chance to comment on the rules that set the U.S. bluefin quota and the inseason closure criteria.
What happens next / how to comment
There is no public comment deadline. NMFS waived prior notice and comment, and waived the 30-day delay in the effective date.
The next date in the rule is December 1, 2026, when the General category reopens for the December period. That is not a comment deadline. NMFS may still adjust the fishery after the reopen. Any further adjustment would be published in the Federal Register. Check hmspermits.noaa.gov, NOAA's fishery status and minimum-size page, and the Careful Catch and Release brochure. Ask whether a booked trip is recreational under the Angling category or commercial under the General category, and confirm retention rules with NMFS before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions About the October 2026 Bluefin General Category Closure
Did NOAA close recreational bluefin tuna fishing?
No. Only the commercial General category is closed. The October 15 rule added 15 metric tons to the Angling category subquota used on recreational trips.
When does the General category closure end?
It runs from 11:30 p.m. local time on October 17, 2026, through November 30, and reopens on December 1, 2026.
Who has to stop keeping bluefin?
General category vessels, and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels with a commercial sale endorsement while fishing commercially, must stop keeping bluefin of 73 inches curved fork length or greater.
Can those boats still release fish?
Yes. They may tag and release bluefin of all sizes, and released fish must stay in the water.
What quota is about to be reached?
NOAA's October 20, 2026 status table lists 210.8 metric tons landed against the 192.9 metric ton adjusted subquota. NOAA calls that figure preliminary.
Can the public comment?
No. NMFS waived prior notice and comment.
Sources
- General category closure, 91 FR 66288 (October 20, 2026)
- Angling category quota transfer, 91 FR 65472 (October 15, 2026)
- Commercial bluefin status table
- HMS permits and catch reporting
- Atlantic highly migratory species fishery statuses and minimum sizes
- Careful Catch and Release brochure
- Unsplash: gray tuna fish (kate estes)
Written by
Kenny Flermoen
Kenny Flermoen is the owner and CEO of The Inside Spread. Growing up in the Upper Midwest he spent most of his childhood outside—rain, snow, or shine. He writes about hunting, fishing, and conservation with a focus on public-land access, habitat, and the decisions that shape the future of America's outdoor heritage.
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