NOAA Fisheries

Office of Sustainable Fisheries

The following information is a short summary of the recreational fishing regulations found in 50 CFR part 635. Additional regulations may apply and regulations are continually subject to change.

For a comprehensive list of updated HMS regulations, please refer to the ELECTRONIC CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/). If there is a discrepancy between this summary and the regulations in 50 CFR part 635, the regulations will take precedence.

For updates on tuna quota monitoring and tuna retention limit adjustments, anglers may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9305, or visit www.nmfspermits.com. For further information on tunas, contact the HMS Management Division located in Gloucester, Massachusetts at (978) 281-9260.

For further information on swordfish, billfish, or sharks, anglers may call the HMS Information Line at (800) 894-5528 or the HMS Management Division located in Silver Spring, Maryland at (301) 713-2347.

Recreational vessel owners fishing for Atlantic HMS must hold a valid Atlantic HMS Angling category permit for their vessel. To apply for this permit please call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or visit www.nmfspermits.com. A recreational angler aboard a charter or headboat vessel is covered under the Atlantic HMS Charter/headboat permit issued to the vessel operator.

RECREATIONAL REPORTING

Within 24 hours of landing (killing and bringing to shore) any bluefin tuna, blue marlin, white marlin, swordfish, or sailfish that were caught in federal waters, recreational vessel owners must report the landing to NOAA Fisheries. Call 1-800-894-5528 to report landings of billfish (blue and white marlin and sailfish) and swordfish, and 1-888-872-8862 to report bluefin tuna landings. Individual anglers participating in registered tournaments do not need to phone in billfish and swordfish landings if the tournament operator is already reporting to NOAA Fisheries.

RECREATIONAL BAG LIMITS

Atlantic tunas
• Bluefin tuna: These are variable throughout the season and depend on the size category. Refer to www.nmfspermits.com or call 888-872-8862 for updated information.
• Skipjack tuna: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• Albacore tuna: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• Bigeye tuna: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• Yellowfin tuna: 3 yellowfin tuna per person per trip. Regardless of the length of the trip, no more than 3 yellowfin tuna per person may be possessed on board a vessel.

Atlantic swordfish
• North Atlantic swordfish:
Charter Vessels - 1 swordfish per paying passenger, up to 6 swordfish per vessel, per trip.
Headboat Vessels - 1 swordfish per paying passenger, up to 15 swordfish per vessel, per trip.
Angling Category Vessels - 1 swordfish per person, up to 4 swordfish per vessel, per trip.
• South Atlantic swordfish: Recreational fishermen from the United States may not fish for or possess any swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean south of 5 degrees North latitude.

Atlantic billfish
• Blue marlin: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• White marlin: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• Sailfish: There is no recreational bag limit for this species.
• Spearfish: There is no retention permitted for this species. (i.e., The recreational bag limit is zero.)

Atlantic sharks
• Allowed species other than Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: 1 fish per vessel per trip. For a list of prohibited shark species, please see the table below.
• 1 Atlantic sharpnose shark per person per trip (no minimum size) plus 1 bonnethead shark per person per trip (no minimum size).
• Prohibited species: There is no retention permitted for these species. (i.e., The recreational bag limit is zero.) For a list of prohibited shark species, please see the table below.

RECREATIONAL MINIMUM SIZE LIMITS

Atlantic tunas
• Bluefin tuna: 27 inches (69 cm) curved fork length.
• Skipjack tuna: no minimum size limit for this species.
• Albacore tuna: no minimum size size limit for this species.
• Bigeye tuna: 27 inches (69 cm) curved fork length.
• Yellowfin tuna: 27 inches (69 cm) curved fork length.

Atlantic swordfish
• North Atlantic swordfish: 47 inches (119 cm) lower jaw-fork length.
• South Atlantic swordfish: Recreational fishermen from the United States may not fish for or possess any swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean south of 5 degrees North latitude.

Atlantic billfish
• Blue marlin: 99 inches (251 cm) lower jaw-fork length.
• White marlin: 66 inches (168 cm) lower jaw-fork length.
• Sailfish: 63 inches (160 cm) lower jaw-fork length.
• Spearfish: There is no retention permitted for this species.

Atlantic sharks
• Allowed species other than Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: 54 inches (137 cm) fork length. For a list of prohibited shark species, please see the table below.
• Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: no minimum size.
• Prohibited species: There is no retention permitted for these species. For a list of prohibited shark species, please see the table below.

PROHIBITED SHARK SPECIES

The following sharks cannot be possessed or retained. If you catch a shark on this list, you must release it immediately into the water with minimal injury and in a manner that maximizes the survival of the shark. Recreational anglers may fish for white sharks using rod and reel but must release white sharks to the sea in a manner that minimizes injury to the shark.

Atlantic angel	Squatina dumerili
Basking	Cetorhinus maximus
Bigeye sand tiger	Odontaspis noronhai
Bigeye	sixgill Hexanchus vitulus
Bigeye thresher	Alopias superciliosus
Bignose	Carcharhinus altimus
Caribbean reef	Carcharhinus perezi
Caribbean sharpnose	Rhizoprionodon porosus
Dusky	Carcharhinus obscurus
Galapagos	Carcharhinus galapagensis
Longfin mako	Isurus paucus
Narrowtooth	Carcharhinus brachyurus
Night	Carcharhinus signatus
Sand tiger	Odontaspis taurus
Sevengill	Heptranchias perlo
Sixgill	Hexanchus griseus
Smalltail	Carcharhinus porosus
Whale	Rhincodon typus
White	Carcharodon carcharias

Caribbean Reef Shark picture found at Fishbase website.