Proposed rule · 2026-09059

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; North Atlantic Swordfish, South Atlantic Swordfish, North Atlantic Albacore, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas

NMFS is proposing to implement recent binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) on quotas for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, North Atlantic albacore tuna (northern albacore), and Atlantic bluefin tuna. While this action does not propose to change the existing baseline quotas for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, and northern albacore, this action proposes to implement the management procedure for North Atlantic swordfish, describes the existing management procedure for northern albacore, and considers the possibility of future quota changes for swordfish and northern albacore consistent with their respective management procedures and ICCAT recommendations. For bluefin tuna, this action also proposes to implement the increased U.S. baseline quota adopted by ICCAT in 2025, divide it among the established regulatory domestic subquota categories, and implement changes to the bluefin tuna quota associated with longline bycatch adopted by ICCAT in 2025. This proposed rule also describes the annual quota adjustment procedures for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, northern albacore, and bluefin tuna and requests public comment on them. This action is required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA) and to achieve domestic management objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).