Rhode Island Hands North Carolina 100,000 Pounds of 2026 Commercial Bluefish Quota

NOAA Fisheries has approved a transfer of 100,000 pounds of Rhode Island's 2026 commercial Atlantic bluefish quota to North Carolina, according to a temporary rule published in the Federal Register on Oct. 30.

The two states agreed to the move so North Carolina would not exceed its 2026 state quota. The change took effect Oct. 29 and runs through Dec. 31, 2026.

After the transfer, North Carolina's 2026 commercial bluefish quota is 2,043,521 pounds and Rhode Island's is 310,612 pounds. The agency said the transfer meets the plan's tests: it won't keep the coastwide quota from being harvested, it addresses an unforeseen situation, and it's consistent with the bluefish management plan.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Federal Register: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer From Rhode Island to North Carolina (Oct. 30, 2026).