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NOAA issued a series of commercial fishing regulations and proposals this week, spanning closures, quota transfers, and catch-limit updates from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Atlantic and Gulf fisheries

  • Closed the Atlantic bluefin tuna harpoon fishery for the remainder of 2026, applying to fish 73 inches or longer. The move stops this type of bluefin fishing for the season.
  • Updated summer flounder commercial limits in the Northeast, with North Carolina transferring part of its 2026 catch allotment to Massachusetts.
  • Proposed changes to Spanish mackerel catch limits in the Gulf of Mexico, aligning annual limits with recent scientific data on the fish population.

Alaska and North Pacific closures

  • Prohibited American Fisheries Act trawl catcher/processor vessels from targeting Pacific cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.
  • Banned directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska.
  • Banned directed fishing for dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska.

Pacific halibut and groundfish management

  • Opened a three-day non-Tribal commercial halibut fishing period in regulatory Area 2A from July 21–23, 2026, to manage the quota before it is reached.
  • Issued a final rule changing how limited entry fixed gear permits work in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery, reducing paperwork and adding flexibility for holders.
  • Proposed updating West Coast rockfish management to reflect that some stocks are no longer in recovery mode, changing how they are tracked.

Hawaii deepwater fisheries

  • Proposed harvest limits for deepwater shrimp and precious coral in Hawaii for 2026–2028, to keep those populations from being overharvested.

Marine mammal research permits

  • Issued regulations allowing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to conduct fisheries research in Texas coastal bays without violating federal marine mammal protections.

This weekly agency digest is generated from federal records (the Federal Register and Congress.gov) and summarized in plain English. It may simplify or omit detail — follow the linked official sources before relying on any item. Part of The Boring Parts.

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