NOAA Fisheries has released updated compliance guides for recreational fishing of highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean. These guides include detailed anatomical figures, identification charts, and species-specific bag limits, landing information, and reporting requirements. The guides also include information on permitting, gear restrictions, sale restrictions, chartering, and tournaments. We recommend fishers keep copies of this guide on hand (either printed out or on their phones) when they’re out fishing. This way, you can ensure that you’re following all the necessary regulations to ensure that billfish and other highly migratory species are around for generations to come. A summary of all species regulations is below.
Billfish:
- Authorized Species: Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Roundscale Spearfish, Sailfish
- Prohibited Species: Longbill Spearfish
- Permits: HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General Category*, Swordfish General Commercial*
- Gear: Rod and Reel
- Size Limits:
- blue marlin – 99″ LJFL
- sailfish – 63″ LJFL
- white marlin – 66″ LJFL
- roundscale spearfish – 66″ LJFL
- Landing Limit*: 250 combined blue marlin, white marlin, and roundscale spearfish
- NOAA Fisheries strongly encourages safe, live releases*
- Reporting requirements: all recreational billfish landings must be recorded*
- Restricted Areas: Tortugas Marine Reserve, Madison Swanson and Steamboat Lumps, Edges 40 Fathom Contour*
Swordfish:
- Permits: HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General Category*
- Gear: Handline, Rod and Reel
- Size Limit: 47″ LJFL, 25″ CK
- Bag Limit:
- HMS Angling, Atlantic Tunas General Category – 1/person, 4/vessel/trip
- Charter – 1/paying passenger, 6/vessel/trip
- Headboat – 1/paying passenger, 15/vessel/trip
- Please see full guides below for landing restrictions
- Reporting Requirements: all recreational swordfish landings must be reported*
- Restricted Areas: Tortugas Marine Reserve, Madison Swanson and Steamboat Lumps*, Edges 40 Fathom Contour*, South of 5°N latitude*
Sharks:
- For full list of authorized and prohibited species, please see full guides below
- Permits: Shark endorsement on HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General Category*, Swordfish General Commercial*
- Gear: Handline, Rod and Reel
- Must use non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks unless fishing with flies or artificial bait
- Size Limit:
- Hammerheads – 78″ FL
- Shortfin Mako – Males 71″ FL, Females 83″ FL
- Atlantic Sharpnose, Bonnethead, Smoothhound – No limit
- Other: 54″ FL
- Bag Limit
- Atlantic Sharpnose, Bonnethead – 1/person
- Smoothhound – No limit
- Other: 1/vessel
- Please see full guides below for landing restrictions and state-by-state reporting requirements
- Restricted Areas: Tortugas Marine Reserve, Madison Swanson and Steamboat Lumps*, Edges 40 Fathom Contour*
Tunas:
- Authorized Species: Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, Skipjack, Bluefin
- Permits by Gear:
- Bandit – HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General*
- Handline, Rod and Reel – HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General*, Swordfish General Commercial*
- Greenstick – HMS Charter/Headboat, Atlantic Tunas General*
- Speargun (excludes bluefin) – HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat
- Size and Bag Limit:
- Albacore – None, None
- Bigeye – 27″, None
- Skipjack – None, None
- Yellowfin – 27″, 3/person/day
- Bluefin – 27″ – 73″, change throughout season*; 73″ or more, 1/vessel/year
- Please see full guides below for landing restrictions
- Reporting Requirements: Vessel owners/operators must report all recreational bluefin landings and dead discards*
- Restricted Areas: Gulf of Mexico*, Tortugas Marine Reserve, Madison Swanson and Steamboat Lumps*, Edges 40 Fathom Contour*
*see report for more detailed information
To stay up-to-date on all things billfish and recreational sportfishing, be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter, become a member, and follow us on social media, @TheBillfishFoundation.
In English:
En Español:
