Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Last Updated: June 25, 2026
Regulations listed below are subject to change during the 2026 season. For the most up-to-date rules, visit the Massachusetts saltwater fishing regulations page to review current requirements, seasons, and legal limits.
|
Species |
Size Limit |
Season |
Possession Limit |
|
American eel (1) |
Min: 9" |
Year Round |
25 fish |
|
American Shad (Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
3 fish |
|
American Shad (Other Waters) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
Prohibited. Catch and release only. |
|
Atlantic Bonito and False Albacore |
Min: 16" (both species) |
Year Round |
5 fish (both species combined) |
|
Black Sea Bass (2,6) |
Min: 16" |
May 16 - Aug 31 |
4 fish |
|
Sept 1 - Oct 14 |
2 fish |
||
|
Bluefish |
No Limit |
Year Round |
5 fish |
|
Bluefish |
No Limit |
Year Round |
7 fish |
|
Cod* (3,4) (Western Gulf of Maine) |
Min: 23" |
Sept 1 - Oct 31 |
1 fish |
|
Cod* (3,4) (Southern New England) |
N/A |
N/A |
Prohibited |
|
Dab (plaice) (3,4) |
Min: 14" |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Grey Sole (3,4) |
Min: 14" |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Haddock* (3,4) (Gulf of Maine) |
Min: 17" |
Apr 1 - Feb 28 |
15 fish |
|
Haddock (3) (Southern New England) |
Min: 18" |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Halibut (3,4) |
Min: 41" |
Year Round |
1 fish |
|
Mackerel (5) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
25 fish |
|
Mackerel (5) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
50 fish |
|
Monkfish (3,4) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Ocean Pout (3,4) |
No Limit |
Closed |
Prohibited |
|
Pollock (3,4) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Redfish (3,4) |
No Limit |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
River Herring |
No Limit |
Closed |
Prohibited |
|
Scup (6) (Private Vessel) |
Min: 11" |
May 1 - Dec 31 |
30 fish (150 fish/vessel maximum) |
|
Scup (6) (Shore Based) |
Min: 9.5" |
May 1 - Dec 31 |
30 fish |
|
Scup (6) (For-hire Vessel) |
Min: 11" |
May 1 - Jun 30 |
40 fish |
|
Jul 1 - Dec 31 |
30 fish |
||
|
Smelt |
No Limit |
Jan 1 - Mar 14 |
50 fish |
|
Jun 16 - Dec 31 |
50 fish |
||
|
Summer Flounder (Fluke) (Shore) |
Min: 16.5" |
May 24 - Sep 23 |
5 fish |
|
Summer Flounder (Fluke) (Private and For-hire Vessel) |
Min: 17.5" |
May 24 - Sep 23 |
5 fish |
|
Spiny Dogfish |
No Limit |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Striped Bass (7) |
28" to less than 31" |
Year Round |
1 fish |
|
Tautog (8) |
Min: 16" Only one fish may exceed 21" |
Apr 1 - May 31 |
3 fish |
|
Jun 1 - Jul 31 |
1 fish |
||
|
Aug 1 - Oct 14 |
3 fish |
||
|
Oct 15 - Dec 31 |
5 fish |
||
|
Weakfish |
Min: 16" |
Year Round |
1 fish |
|
White Perch |
Min: 8" |
Year Round |
25 fish |
|
Windowpane Flounder |
No Limit |
Closed |
Prohibited |
|
Winter Flounder (Gulf of Maine) |
Min: 12" |
Year Round |
8 fish |
|
Winter Flounder (Southern New England) |
Min: 12" |
Mar 1 - Dec 31 |
2 fish |
|
Wolffish |
No Limit |
Closed |
Prohibited |
|
Yellowtail Flounder |
Min: 13" |
Year Round |
No Limit |
|
Possession prohibited outside of date ranges listed above. |
|||
|
NOTES: * Regulatory limits may be subject to change for May 1, 2026 Gulf of Maine refers to all waters north of Cape Cod, including Cape Cod Bay, and those waters east of Cape Cod that are north of 42°00’N latitude. Southern New England refers to all waters south and west of Cape Cod, including Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay and Mount Hope Bay, and all waters east of Cape Cod that are south of 42°00’N latitude including Nauset Harbor and Pleasant Bay. Tunas, billfish, and swordfish are managed by NOAA’s Highly Migratory Species Office. Please consult NOAA Fisheries for permitting requirements and regulations. 1) Subject to regulation by the Division and the municipality. Please consult municipal regulations. 2) Black sea bass are measured from the tip of the snout or jaw (mouth closed) to the farthest extremity of the tail, not including the tail filament. 3) Federal rules apply beyond state waters. Consult NOAA Fisheries for regulations. 4) It is unlawful to fish with hook and line gear in the Winter Cod Conservation Closure from November 15 through January 31. It is unlawful to take cod from the Spring Cod Conservation Closure from April 16 through July 21. See maps in 322 CMR 8.07 for more details. 5) The mackerel limit applies as a daily per angler harvest limit and a per angler possession limit while fishing. It does not apply to holding mackerel in a freezer, fish car, holding car, or shore-based bait well. 6) Black sea bass and scup may be filleted but not skinned while at-sea. No more than two fillets per allowed fish may be possessed. 7) Recreational anglers are required to use inline circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with whole or cut natural baits, except if the natural bait is attached to an artificial lure (e.g., tube and worm). Striped bass caught in an unapproved manner must be immediately released. When removing fish from the water, anglers are prohibited from gaffing striped bass or using any technique that may cause invasive damage. If a striped bass is retained, recreational anglers may not high-grade, nor may they fillet striped bass while at sea (except if for immediate consumption). Filleting may only occur once on land and fishing has ceased and all gear is stowed. For-hire captains may fillet striped bass for their customers while at sea provided the racks are retained. No more than two fillets per fish with a minimum two square inches of skin intact may be in possession by any person. 8) When the tautog fishery is open, private anglers are subject to 10-fish maximum tautog limit for the vessel. The most restrictive limit of the per angler bag limit or per vessel maximum limit applies. During any open season an angler may retain, possess, and land one trophy fish exceeding the 21” maximum size per calendar day. |
|||
