Federal Register #0648-BN60

NOAA Final Rule: 2026 Atlantic Swordfish, Albacore, and Bluefin Tuna Quota Adjustments

This opportunity involves regulatory quota adjustments for highly migratory Atlantic fish species by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). - Government Buyer: - National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), under NOAA, Department of Commerce - OEMs and Vendors: - International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Products/Services Requested: - No commercial products or services are requested; the rule pertains to quota allocations for fisheries - Quota allocations for: - North Atlantic swordfish: 3,378.2 metric tons (mt) dressed weight (dw) - South Atlantic swordfish: 75.2 mt dw - Northern albacore tuna: 1,111.8 mt whole weight (ww) - Atlantic bluefin tuna: 1,509.98 mt ww (baseline), with subquotas for General, Harpoon, Longline, Trap, Angling, and Reserve categories - Pelagic longline bycatch set-aside quota for bluefin tuna: 62.5 mt ww - Bluefin tuna Reserve category: 43.8 mt ww (baseline), adjusted to 112.2 mt ww with underharvest and transfers - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Implements ICCAT binding recommendations for quota management - Adjusts quotas based on prior year underharvests and international quota transfers - Transfers 30.8 mt of bluefin tuna quota from Longline to Reserve category - Finalizes management procedures for North Atlantic swordfish and northern albacore - Quotas are effective for the 2026 fishing year, with inseason adjustments allowed - No procurement of goods or services; this is a regulatory action affecting fisheries management.

Description

This final rule by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implements binding recommendations from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) regarding quotas for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, North Atlantic albacore tuna, and Atlantic bluefin tuna. It includes management procedures for North Atlantic swordfish and northern albacore, increases the U.S. baseline quota for bluefin tuna, and adjusts quotas based on underharvests and international quota transfers for 2026. The rule also transfers a portion of the bluefin tuna quota from the Longline category to the Reserve category and temporarily adjusts baseline quotas for 2026. The rule is effective from August 19, 2026, through December 31, 2026, for the temporary quota adjustments and transfer.

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