Fisheries Management – Atlantic Highly Migratory Species

Current understanding

NMFS manages Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) fisheries — including tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks — and implements binding recommendations from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Bycatch mitigation for non-target species (e.g., mobulid rays) is handled through retention prohibitions and unharmed-release requirements incrementally added as ICCAT adopts new recommendations.

Evidence log

• 2026-08-19 — Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; North Atlantic Swordfish, South Atlantic Swordfish, North Atlantic Albacore, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas: NMFS final rule raises the U.S. Atlantic bluefin tuna baseline quota and sets 2026 quotas for North/South Atlantic swordfish and northern albacore to align with ICCAT recommendations and roll over unused 2025 catch, then subdivides limits among existing domestic fishing categories. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-08-14 — Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Revisions to Fishing Gear Regulations: NMFS proposed rule would loosen HMS gear restrictions—expanding authorized areas and target species for buoy gear and spearguns, and simplifying bait-collection gear rules—to expand commercial and recreational fishing opportunity. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-05-07 — Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; North Atlantic Swordfish, South Atlantic Swordfish, North Atlantic Albacore, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas: NMFS proposed rule would implement 2025 ICCAT recommendations by increasing the U.S. Atlantic bluefin tuna baseline quota and dividing it among domestic subquota categories, while codifying management procedures for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, and northern albacore without changing their baseline quotas. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-05-20 — Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Prohibit Retention of Mobulid Rays in Fisheries for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species: cross-connection with fisheries-management-pacific-highly-migratory-species: Parallel U.S. HMS management regimes in the Atlantic and Pacific, both implementing regional fishery management organization recommendations (ICCAT vs. IATTC/WCPFC) into domestic bycatch and retention rules. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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