Species guide

Marlin Fishing

Keeping a marlin means a minimum size of 99 inches for blue marlin or 66 inches for white marlin (lower jaw fork length), 1 billfish per person in Florida state waters, and a U.S. limit of 250 blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish landed a year combined.

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Marlin

Every charter here names marlin on its own website, checked on the captain's own site

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Seasons and limits are set state by state. The ones on this page are Florida's, copied from FWC and NOAA Fisheries in Sep 2026 and listed with their source at the foot of the page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the rule for the water you will fish with your captain or with that state's wildlife agency.

Where to fish for marlin

255 charters name marlin on their own website, across 74 towns in 1 state.

Marlin species, one page each

Each has its own size, limit and permit rules.

About the fish

SizeBlue marlin up to 16 feet and 1,400 pounds
Where it livesBlue marlin: offshore waters
What it eatsBlue marlin: mostly fish and squid, feeding during the day

FWC calls the blue marlin the largest Atlantic marlin species.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • In Florida state waters FWC does not require a federal HMS permit for billfish. In federal waters the vessel needs a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit; tournament vessels may instead use an Atlantic Tunas General category or Swordfish General Commercial permit.
  • On a boat that holds an HMS permit, federal rules apply even in state waters, unless the state rule is stricter.
  • U.S. total landings of blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish combined are limited to 250 a year.
  • Land one and it must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours, at 800-894-5528 or hmspermits.noaa.gov.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Blue marlin, Florida state waters

Florida state waters.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
99 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
1 billfish per personDaily limit. FWC: no federal HMS permit is needed in state waters. On a boat that holds an HMS permit, federal rules apply unless the state rule is stricter.

Blue marlin, federal waters

Federal waters, under NOAA Fisheries Atlantic billfish rules.

  • Anglers on a permitted vesselOpenNOAA Fisheries.
99 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
No set bag limitDaily limit. U.S. total landings of blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish combined are limited to 250 a year. Billfish cannot be kept if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is already on board or has been offloaded from the vessel.

White marlin, Florida state waters

Florida state waters.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
66 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
1 billfish per personDaily limit. FWC: no federal HMS permit is needed in state waters. On a boat that holds an HMS permit, federal rules apply unless the state rule is stricter.

White marlin, federal waters

Federal waters, under NOAA Fisheries Atlantic billfish rules.

  • Anglers on a permitted vesselOpenNOAA Fisheries.
66 inches, lower jaw to forkSize limit
No set bag limitDaily limit. U.S. total landings of blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish combined are limited to 250 a year. Billfish cannot be kept if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is already on board or has been offloaded from the vessel.

Questions about marlin

How big does a blue marlin have to be to keep?

99 inches, measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.

And a white marlin?

66 inches, lower jaw to fork.

Do we need a permit?

Not in Florida state waters, per FWC. In federal waters the vessel needs a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit (tournament vessels may use an Atlantic Tunas General category or Swordfish General Commercial permit). A boat that holds an HMS permit follows federal rules in state waters unless the state rule is more restrictive.

Does a landed marlin have to be reported?

Yes. FWC says all landed billfish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours, at 800-894-5528 or hmspermits.noaa.gov.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from NOAA Fisheries, recreational Atlantic billfish and NOAA Fisheries, HMS reporting and FWC, blue marlin profile and FWC, billfish, tuna and swordfish regulations in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.