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United States Wins Largest Single Year Bluefin Quota Increase

U.S. negotiators secured an additional 231 metric tons of Atlantic bluefin tuna at the 2025 ICCAT annual meeting in Seville, marking the largest single year quota increase in U.S. bluefin history. The boost, roughly a 17 percent rise in the U.S. baseline allocation, takes effect beginning in 2026 and could expand commercial and recreational opportunities once domestic rulemaking is complete.

Jamie Taylor•12/27/2025•2 min read

Published 05:33 PM

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United States Wins Largest Single Year Bluefin Quota Increase — Source: media.fisheries.noaa.gov

At the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas annual meeting in Seville on December 22, 2025, the United States won a 231 metric ton increase to its Atlantic bluefin tuna allocation. The increase was approved unanimously by ICCAT's 55 member parties and was negotiated by a U.S. delegation led by NOAA's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries. The gain represents roughly a 17 percent rise over the U.S. baseline allocation and stands as the largest single year quota increase in U.S. bluefin history.

Alongside the numerical gain, the meeting produced a commitment to intersessional discussions on stock distribution and mixing between east and west stocks. Those discussions are intended to incorporate genomics and tagging data and to inform future allocation decisions. The science track is likely to shape how future quotas are shared across nations and fisheries as new genetic and movement data refine understandings of bluefin population structure.

For the fishing community the headline number matters, but practical impacts will depend on domestic follow through. International quota changes take effect through NOAA and NMFS rulemaking and Federal Register actions. Subquota distributions, adjustments to commercial and recreational seasons, permits and reporting rules will be set through those domestic processes. Industry sources and fishery stakeholders expect expanded commercial and charter opportunities beginning in 2026, but managers caution that specific regulatory changes and allocation procedures will be announced through formal NOAA Fisheries rulemaking.

Monitor the NOAA Fisheries Federal Register for proposed rules, public comment periods and final actions that implement the new allocation. Local managers and state agencies will translate federal quota decisions into season dates, bag limits and quota monitoring procedures, so stay in contact with regional offices and port agents for the latest guidance. The ICCAT outcome opens room for increased harvest and fishing activity, and the planned science discussions promise to influence how those opportunities are allocated in seasons to come.