Saltwater Creel & Size Limits

New regulations appear in red text.

Unless otherwise established, there are no size limits on species not listed and unless otherwise noted, possession limits for saltwater fish are the same as the daily bag limit.

Images by Duane Raver

¹Red Drum (Redfish) and Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout)

Recreational saltwater anglers may possess a two days’ bag limit on land; however, no person shall be in possession of fish over the daily bag limit in any one day or while fishing or while on the water, unless that recreational saltwater angler is aboard a trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period of longer than 25 hours. Take or possession of red drum in federal waters is prohibited.

The possession limit for red drum and spotted seatrout taken south of U.S. Hwy 90 shall be three times the daily take limit when the angler holds and is in possession of a valid recreational fishing license and can show a landing receipt from a public boat launch located south of U.S. Hwy 90 that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the angler has been actively on the water or at a remote camp that can be accessed only by water for two days or more. The fish shall be kept whole or whole gutted in separate bags for each species of fish. The bags shall be marked with the date the fish were taken, the species, the number of fish contained in the bag, and the name and license number of the person taking the fish. The fish shall only be in the possession of the person who took the fish. However, no angler shall be actively fishing or engaged in fishing while in possession of more than the daily take limit.

²Off-water Bag Limit

Two days’ bag limit allowed in possession off of the water, not while fishing or in a boat EXCEPT as mentioned above in relation to south of U.S. Hwy 90.

³Charter Vessels & Headboats

Two-day limit allowed in possession only on charter vessels and headboats on multi day trips, if the vessels have two licensed operators, as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and if each angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

Three day possession limits of red drum and spotted seatrout are allowed when an angler can provide a receipt from a licensed charter guide service showing payment and dates of the multi-day charter trip. The angler must also demonstrate that the angler has been on a multi-day charter fishing trip and has been actively on the water at a remote camp that can only be accessed by water for two days or more. Fish kept under the provisions of this rule must be kept whole or whole gutted and are for transportation purposes only, and no angler shall be actively fishing or engaged in fishing while in possession of more than the daily bag limit. Possession of captain and crew limits is prohibited (their creel limit/bag limit is zero).

⁴Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout) and Red Drum (Redfish)

No harvest of spotted seatrout or red drum is allowed for the captain and crew of a vessel under charter (their creel limit/bag limit is zero). Captain and crew may engage in fishing to demonstrate fishing for clients, but may not harvest any spotted seatrout or red drum.

⁵Highly Migratory Species

A Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Permit is required for all owners/operator of vessels in the Gulf of America recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated HMS (tunas, sharks, swordfish, and billfish) in or from the EEZ. The Atlantic HMS Permits will be valid from the date of issuance through Dec. 31 of the same year. The permit fee is $24 NOTE: This permit requires reporting all recreationally caught swordfish, billfish, and bluefin tuna within 24 hours of landing, please see NMFS HMS Catch Reporting for more details.

An Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat Permit is required for all charter or headboat fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic HMS in federal waters of the Gulf of America. The HMS Charter/Headboat Permit will be valid from the date of issuance through Dec. 31 of the same year. The permit fee is $24.

For more information, contact the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Permitting Office at (888) 872-8862 or (727) 824-5399 or visit the NMFS Permit Shop. For complete HMS regulations, contact the HMS Management Division at (301) 713-2347, or

⁶Sharks

Other seasons and rules may be currently in place in Federal waters off Louisiana, please check those rules at www.fisheries.noaa.gov/rules-and-regulations.

Small Coastal Sharks

Atlantic sharpnose shark; bonnethead shark; blacknose shark; finetooth shark

Large Coastal Sharks

Blacktip shark; nurse shark; smooth hammerhead; bull shark; sandbar shark*; spinner shark; great hammerhead; scalloped hammerhead; tiger shark; lemon shark; silky shark*

*NOTE: Recreational harvest of sandbar and silky sharks (ridgeback sharks) is not allowed.

Pelagic Sharks

Blue shark; porbeagle shark; thresher shark; oceanic whitetip shark

NOTE: A person subject to a bag limit shall not possess at any time, regardless of the number of trips or the duration of a trip, any shark in excess of the bag limits listed under Highly Migratory Species on Saltwater Creel and Size Limits chart above. The practice of “finning,” that is, removing only the fins and returning the remainder of the shark to the sea, is prohibited within and without Louisiana waters. Notwithstanding other provisions of this part, a person may fish for, but not retain, white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) with rod and reel only under a catch-and-release program, provided the person releases and returns such fish to the sea immediately with a minimum of injury (For tips on safely releasing fish, visit the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries best fishing practices page).

Prohibited Sharks

The following is a list of shark species that are prohibited: Atlantic angel shark, sand tiger shark, dusky shark, bigeye sand tiger shark, sixgill shark, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher shark, smalltooth sawfish, shortfin mako, narrowtooth shark, Caribbean reef shark, white shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, basking shark, sevengill shark, Galapagos shark, bigeye sixgill shark, smalltail shark, longfin mako, bignose shark, whale shark and night shark. No sandbar or silky sharks may be retained under a recreational bag limit.

⁷Swordfish

Recreational fishing vessels shall not possess more than one per person with a limit of four swordfish per vessel per trip. Swordfish taken under a recreational bag limit shall not be sold, purchased, exchanged, bartered, or attempted to be sold, purchased, exchanged or bartered. No person aboard any vessel shall transfer or cause the transfer of swordfish between vessels on state or federal waters. All recreationally harvested swordfish must be reported; see NMFS HMS Catch Reporting or call (800) 894-5528.

⁸Tuna

Anglers fishing for tunas within or outside Louisiana state waters are subject to both state and federal laws, rules and regulations. Federal regulations regarding the recreational harvest of tunas change often, especially for bluefin tuna. Prior to angling for or harvest of tuna, be aware of the most current federal regulations for fishing or harvest, including sizes, bag limits and closed seasons. For updates on tuna quota monitoring and tuna retention limit adjustments, anglers may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862. The Atlantic Tunas Regulations Brochure is available in the NMFS HMS Permit Library, and announcements of regulatory changes may be accessed through NOAA Fisheries Rules and Announcements.

Permanent Louisiana regulations on tuna harvest may be superseded by seasonal changes within the federal regulatory system.

For current federal regulations, see NOAA Fisheries — Atlantic Tunas and NOAA Fisheries Rules and Announcements. State requirements regarding tuna regulations may also change; for the most current information, refer to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries saltwater seasons and limits page and the LDWF regulations page.

Bluefin Tuna

All bluefin tuna must be reported within 24 hours of landing to NMFS by calling 888-872-8862 or visiting NMFS Permit Shop. For additional information about angling category permits, contact the NMFS HMS Division at (888) 872-8862 or (301) 713-2347. Federal quotas and regulations for bluefin tuna can change frequently; anglers should stay informed by checking the most current bluefin tuna regulations and federal seasons on the NMFS Permit Shop.

⁹Grouper

There is a closed season for the recreational harvest of gag from Jan. 1 through August 31 of each year. There is also a closed season for the recreational harvest of black, red, yellowfin and yellowmouth groupers as well as scamp has also been established from Feb. 1 - March 31 of each year sea-ward of the 20 fathom (120 feet) curve. For current information on grouper seasons in Louisiana state waters, check the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Seasons and rules in federal waters off Louisiana may change frequently; anglers should also review current regulations from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

¹⁰Charter Captain & Crew

No harvest of red snapper, greater amberjack or grouper of any species is allowed for the captain and crew of vessel under charter (their creel limit/bag limit is zero).

¹¹Red Snapper

Regulations for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Louisiana state waters may change frequently. For current red snapper seasons, bag limits, and possession information, check the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recreational fishing page.

¹²Gray Triggerfish

There is a closed season for the recreational harvest of gray triggerfish from Jan. 1 through the end of February and from June 1 - July 31 annually.

¹³Amberjack

The recreational greater amberjack season is open Sept. 1 through Oct. 31 each year, or until the quota is met or projected to be met. There is a fixed closed season from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 and Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 each year. For more information, visit the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recreational saltwater finfish page or review federal regulations from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

¹⁴Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP)

Recreational anglers who are 18 years of age or older and charter captains are required to obtain this no-fee permit to possess tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, hinds, snappers, dolphinfish, wahoo, cobia and gray triggerfish. Anglers wishing to obtain or renew a permit must register or log in at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries ROLP portal. More details on this program are also available on this site. Anglers going on a charter trip are not required to have a ROLP; instead, it is required that the charter captain have a valid Charter Recreational Offshore Landing Permit in his/her possession. A Charter ROLP covers all paying anglers on a charter trip. A Charter ROLP is also valid for the captain on any private recreational trips taken without clients. Charter captains should only register for a Charter ROLP if they take clients on trips for ROLP covered species. Charter captains who only go on private trips (trips on which they are not acting as a captain/guide) for ROLP covered species should register for a Private ROLP using their recreational fishing license. No person should have both a private recreational and Charter ROLP at the same time.