Species guide

Tuna Fishing

FWC lists its own limits for blackfin tuna, and no federal HMS angling permit is needed for blackfin in state or federal waters. Anglers targeting bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin and skipjack tuna need a federal HMS angling permit, which is issued to the vessel.

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Tuna

Every charter here names tuna 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 tuna

602 charters name tuna on their own website, across 156 towns in 2 states.

State records for tuna

The heaviest tuna each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Delaware 873 lb — 2005 Dan Dillonsource

Each from that state's own records page, linked on every row. A location links to its town only where the agency named that town — a record logged to "Gulf of Mexico" or an offshore block belongs to no city. Weights are printed as the agency prints them. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

Tuna species, one page each

Each has its own size, limit and permit rules.

About the fish

SizeBlackfin common to 28 inches
Where it livesCoastal to offshore waters
What it eatsSmall fish, invertebrates and plankton

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • Blackfin needs no federal HMS angling permit in state or federal waters, and the daily bag limit is 2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater.
  • For yellowfin, bigeye, albacore, skipjack and bluefin, FWC says a federal HMS angling permit is required in state and federal waters. NOAA says a vessel fishing for bigeye, albacore, yellowfin or skipjack must have a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charterboat/Headboat permit.
  • NOAA says the vessel's permit covers everyone fishing on that vessel.
  • FWC says bluefin tuna caught in state or federal waters must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours. See the bluefin page for its limits.
  • Ask whether the boat holds an HMS permit. FWC says that in state waters on a vessel with an HMS permit, you must follow federal HMS regulations, unless state regulations are more restrictive.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Seasons and limits are set state by state, and these are Florida's. Tuna is caught by charters in 2 states on this page; ask your captain which rules apply where you are fishing.

Blackfin, both coasts

FWC rule. FWC says to check federal regulations before targeting these species in federal waters.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
No minimum sizeSize limit
2 per person per dayDaily limit. Or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater. FWC: a federal HMS angling permit is not required in state or federal waters.

Yellowfin and bigeye

Federal and state waters, under federal rules.

  • Vessels with an HMS permitOpenNOAA lists these fisheries as open. The vessel needs an HMS Angling or Charterboat/Headboat permit.
27 inches curved fork lengthSize limit
Yellowfin: 3 per person per day or trip. Bigeye: no limit.Daily limit. Per day or per trip. That is the yellowfin limit; NOAA lists no limit for bigeye. No tuna may be kept if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is on board or has been offloaded.

Questions about tuna

Do I need a federal permit for tuna?

Not for blackfin: FWC says no federal HMS angling permit is required in state or federal waters. For yellowfin, bigeye, albacore, skipjack and bluefin, FWC says the federal HMS angling permit is required in both.

How many yellowfin can I keep?

3 per person per day or trip, minimum 27 inches curved fork length, on a vessel with an HMS permit. None may be kept if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is on board or has been offloaded.

Is there a size limit on blackfin?

No. FWC lists no minimum size, with a daily bag limit of 2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater.

Does the charter's permit cover me?

Yes. NOAA says the vessel's HMS permit covers everyone fishing on that vessel.

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