Congratulations to the U.S. delegation for successfully securing a 13% increase in the U.S. allocation of Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna during this year’s ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) negotiations. This important victory raises the U.S. quota from 2,726 mt to 3,081.6 mt for the 2026–2028 management period.
This achievement reflects the delegation’s strong commitment to ensuring the U.S. has a fair and equitable share of this valuable resource. With this increase, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will initiate the process of distributing the allocation across domestic sectors, including the five commercial fishing categories and the recreational (Angling) category, which comprises several regional subcategories on the Gulf (incidental) and East Coast (targeted) coasts.
The Billfish Foundation continues to advocate for transparent, data-driven management at ICCAT and remains engaged in ensuring that allocation decisions support both healthy fish stocks and equitable access for the recreational fishing community.
photo credit @jessie.mina0914
