Opportunity
Federal Register #2026-08416
NOAA Adjusts 2026 Atlantic Shark Commercial Fishing Quotas and Sets Recreational Fishery Measures
Buyer
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Posted
April 30, 2026
Identifier
2026-08416
This regulatory action from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) adjusts the 2026 Atlantic shark commercial fishing quotas and sets recreational management measures for select fish species: - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), HMS Management Division - No OEMs or commercial vendors are involved, as this is a regulatory quota adjustment, not a procurement - Products/Services Requested: - Adjusted commercial fishing quotas for various Atlantic shark species and management groups for the 2026 fishing year - Includes Gulf of America blacktip sharks, Atlantic smoothhound sharks, and Gulf of America smoothhound sharks - Quotas are based on underharvests from the 2025 fishing year and are expressed in metric tons and pounds - Federal recreational fishery management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass for 2026 and 2027 - Measures are designed to achieve harvest targets and prevent overfishing - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Adjustments are made only for shark groups not overfished or experiencing overfishing - No new base quotas are introduced; adjustments follow established formulas under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan - No procurement of goods or services is requested; this is a regulatory action only
Description
This temporary final rule by NMFS adjusts the base annual commercial quotas for the 2026 Atlantic shark commercial fishing year based on underharvests from the 2025 fishing year. The 2026 fishing year opened on January 1, 2026, under the base quotas and default retention limits. The adjustment provides additional fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen to harvest optimum yield from the Atlantic shark fisheries. The rule is effective from April 30, 2026, through December 31, 2026.