Spanish mackerel size and bag limits by state
The East Coast spanish mackerel rulebook, north to south. Managed under the South Atlantic Council and NOAA Fisheries plan, with ASMFC state measures. Core fishery: Florida to North Carolina, running north to the mid-Atlantic in summer. Rules on file here for 9 states, New York to Florida.
- NYNew York
- Size
- 14" minimum total length
- Bag
- 15 fish (possession limit)
- Season
- Open year-round
- NJNew Jersey
- Size
- 14" minimum total length
- Bag
- 10 fish per person
- Season
- No closed season listed
- DEDelaware
- Size
- 14" minimum
- Bag
- 15 fish per angler per day
- Season
- Open year-round
- MDMaryland
- Size
- 14" minimum
- Bag
- 15 fish per angler per day
- Season
- Open year-round
- VAVirginia
- Size
- 14" minimum total length
- Bag
- 15 fish per person
- Season
- No closed season listed
- NCNorth Carolina
- Size
- 12" minimum fork length
- Bag
- 15 fish per person per day
- Season
- No closed season listed
- SCSouth Carolina
- Size
- 12" minimum fork length
- Bag
- 15 fish per person per day
- Season
- No closed season listed
- GAGeorgia
- Size
- 12" minimum fork length
- Bag
- 15 fish per person per day
- Season
- Open year-round
- FLFlorida (Atlantic)
- Size
- 12" minimum fork length
- Bag
- 15 fish per person per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Status is derived from each row's season dates on Oct 13, 2026. Rules change in season, and the agency page controls. A state missing from this list is one we have not verified yet. It may still have a rule.
The trap on this fish
From North Carolina south, the state rule matches federal waters: 15 fish at 12 inches fork length. North of that, Virginia through New York use a 14-inch minimum, and New Jersey cuts the bag to 10. Fork length and total length are different measurements on the same fish.
Federal waters
Spanish mackerel are managed in federal waters by NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council under the Coastal Migratory Pelagics plan, with ASMFC coordinating state-water rules. The Council lists the federal recreational limit as 15 fish per person per day at 12 inches fork length. SAFMC · Spanish mackerel ↗
From the news desk
Other species
Striped bassSummer flounderBlack sea bassBluefishRed drumTautogScupSpotted seatroutWeakfishBlack drumSheepsheadCobia