Commercial bluefin tuna fishermen on both sides of the Atlantic are settling into the 2026 season, with NOAA Fisheries continuing to manage the U.S. fishery under existing quota rules while the United Kingdom has expanded commercial access following an increase in its national allocation.

In the United States, the Atlantic bluefin tuna General category reopened June 1 for the summer fishery, with commercial vessels allowed to harvest large medium and giant bluefin tuna under NOAA's time-period quota system. Beginning July 1, NOAA reduced the daily retention limit from three fish per vessel to one fish per vessel per day or trip for General category permit holders and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels with commercial sale endorsements, a move intended to pace landings throughout the season.

According to NOAA Fisheries, the June through August General category remains open with a base quota of 355.4 metric tons. As of July 9, preliminary landings stood at 53 metric tons, well below the available quota. NOAA has also said it plans to pursue separate rulemaking later this year to consider modifying the U.S. baseline Atlantic bluefin tuna quota to reflect quota decisions adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) during its 2025 annual meeting.

While U.S. fishermen continue operating under NOAA's quota management system, the United Kingdom opened its 2026 commercial bluefin tuna season on July 13 with expanded fishing opportunities.

According to the UK's Marine Management Organization (MMO), the country doubled the number of commercial permits issued this year, allowing 30 rod-and-line vessels to participate, up from 15 last season. Individual vessel allocations also increased from three metric tons to four metric tons after the UK secured a larger national bluefin tuna quota.

The UK's recreational fishery also expanded, with permits issued to all 89 charter vessels that applied and 56 private vessels selected through a ballot. Recreational participants are required to have at least one person aboard who has completed mandatory catch-and-release training through the Angling Trust.

The UK's expanded season reflects continued growth in its relatively new commercial bluefin fishery, while U.S. fishermen continue fishing under NOAA's established quota management framework as regulators monitor landings throughout the 2026 season.