Federal Regulation Summary

Below are the general federal fishing regulations for the HMS Angling Permit. The basic regulations are similar for the HMS Charter/Headboat Permit used by charter boats, although modifications during the season could vary. These regulations are often modified generally or for specific areas during the season, so it is necessary to check the National Marine Fisheries Service website regularly. The regulations describe a season open all year, but modifications can be made to that. All species may be fished using only Rod and Reel, optionally with downriggers (not outriggers), on the HMS Angling Permit.

Swordfish

The Swordfish is the only species in this group.

Swordfish

  • Size: 47" Lower Jaw Fork Length or 29" Cleithrum to Caudal Keel.
  • Bag Limit: 1 per person, up to 4 per vessel per trip.
  • Reporting: 24 hours.
  • May be headed and gutted, subject to alternative measurement.

Billfish

NMFS strongly encourages releasing all billfish alive.

Blue Marlin

  • Size: 99" Lower Jaw Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: 250 total annual blue and white marlin combined limit.
  • Reporting: 24 hours.

White Marlin

  • Size: 66" Lower Jaw Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: 250 total annual blue and white marlin combined limit.
  • Reporting: 24 hours.

Sailfish

  • Size: 63" Lower Jaw Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: No Limit.
  • Reporting: 24 hours.

Tuna

Albacore Tuna

  • Size: No Limit.
  • Bag Limit: No Limit.

Bigeye Tuna

  • Size: 27" Curved Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: No Limit.

Bluefin Tuna

  • Size: 27" Curved Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit 27-<73": 1 per vessel per trip per day.
  • Bag Limit >73" 1 per vessel per year.

Skipjack Tuna

  • Size: No Limit.
  • Bag Limit: No Limit.

Yellowfin Tuna

  • Size: 27" Curved Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: 3 per person per day.

Shark

Atlantic Sharpnose

  • Size: No Limit.
  • Bag Limit: 1 per person per trip.

Bonnethead

  • Size: No Limit.
  • Bag Limit: 1 per person per trip.

Other Authorized Species

  • Size: 54" Fork Length.
  • Bag Limit: 1 authorized species per vessel per trip.
  • Large Coastal Sharks: blacktip, bull great hammerhead, lemon nurse, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner, tiger.
  • Small Coastal Sharks: blacknose, finetooth.
  • Pelagic Sharks: blue, oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, shortfin mako, thresher.

Prohibited Shark Species

The following species must be released: atlantic angel, basking, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean sharpnose, Caribbean reef, dusky, Galapagos, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, sandbar, sandtiger, bigeye sandtiger, sevengill, silky, sixgill, bigeye sixgill, smalltail, whale, white.