New Jersey raises bluefin tuna retention limits for anglers in 2026

Bluefin trips out of New Jersey just got a lot more practical. Starting June 1, private boats with HMS Angling permits will be able to keep 2 bluefin tuna from 27 to less than 73 inches curved fork length, charter boats with HMS Charter/Headboat permits will be able to keep 3, and headboats will be able to keep 6, with only 1 large school or small medium fish in each case.

That change matters most for charter captains and clients trying to decide whether to stay on the troll after a bite or release a fish and keep hunting. The new angling-category limits apply per vessel per day or trip, and anglers may not possess more than a single day’s limit at landing, even after a multi-day run. The rules run through December 31, 2026 unless NOAA Fisheries changes them earlier, and NOAA has already warned that the fishery could be adjusted again later in the year if conditions change.

The limits apply to HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels fishing recreationally in all areas except the Gulf of America, where targeted fishing for bluefin tuna is prohibited. New Jersey DEP Fish & Wildlife says anglers who want to recreationally fish for or retain tunas need either an HMS Angling permit or an HMS Charter/Headboat permit from NOAA Fisheries. Bluefin retained, and bluefin discarded dead, must be reported within 24 hours of landing or the end of the trip through the HMS Permit Shop, the HMS catch-reporting app, or by phone.

The timing comes with a stronger bluefin management backdrop than anglers had a year ago. ICCAT approved western Atlantic bluefin tuna TACs of 3,081.6 metric tons for 2026 through 2028, a 13% increase, and NOAA separately proposed raising the U.S. baseline bluefin quota from 1,316.14 metric tons to 1,509.98 metric tons. NOAA set a public hearing for May 28 and a comment deadline of June 8, so the season could still move again if the rulemaking shifts.

That uncertainty is exactly why the June 1 window matters. After the tighter recreational restrictions in 2025 sparked backlash in New Jersey and helped kill at least one bluefin tournament, anglers and captains are getting a more workable bite window, but not a guarantee of stability. For now, the payoff is simple: more legal bluefin to box, different trip planning for charter and headboat operations, and a near-term season that looks better for anyone running offshore with a tuna rod on deck.