Virgin Islands Activities: Recreational Fishing Regulations

The information provided below is not comprehensive and is subject to changes and updates. For current and comprehensive regulations contact the Division of Environmental Enforcement in St. Croix at (340) 773-5774 and St. Thomas (340) 774-3320 ext. 5106. For regulations in federal waters contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at (727) 570-5325 or toll free at (866) 570-5301.

License

General recreational fishing permits are presently not required for recreational fishers. This includes persons who engage in fishing for the sole purpose of providing food for themselves or their families and those who catch and release fish. Sale of catch by recreational fishers is not allowed. Recreational fishers can not use the following fishing gear: pots, traps, set-nets and haul seines.

However, recreational fishers are required to have permits to fish in three special locations: 1. A recreational shrimp fishing permit is required for the harvesting of shrimp from Altona Lagoon and Great Pond on St. Croix. 2. A permit is required to collect baitfish with a cast net or fish with a hook and line in the Great St. James Reserve. All other fishing and harvest of other animals and plants is prohibited in this area. 3. A permit is required to collect baitfish using only a cast net in the Cas Cay Mangrove Lagoon Marine Reserve off of St. Thomas. All other fishing and harvest of other animals and plants is prohibited in this area. Permits can be purchased at the Division of Environmental Enforcement.

Commercial fishers are required to have a commercial fishing permit.

Note: The British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have their own laws and regulations pertaining to fishing. For example, licenses are required for recreational fishing within the British Virgin Islands.

Regulations:

It is illegal to take, kill, molest, harass or remove turtles or turtle eggs. All species are protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.
It is illegal to remove, injure, break or destroy any living coral.
It is illegal to spear fish for lobsters in all Territorial waters.
It is illegal to to possess or harvest Goliath Grouper, also called Jewfish.
It is illegal to possess or harvest Nassau Grouper.
It is illegal to possess or harvest Foureye, Banded, Longsnout Butterflyfishes in Federal waters.
It is illegal to possess or harvest seahorses in Federal waters.
In National Park waters; fishing is allowed outside of swim areas, but not in Trunk Bay and Jumbie Bay on St. John. It is illegal to use or possess spear fishing equipment anywhere within National Park boundaries. Fishing is prohibited at the following locations/times: A. Between 8am and 5pm at NPS Red Hook Dock and NPS Cruz Bay Finger Pier and bulkhead. B. Within all designated boat exclusion areas.

Species	Size & Landing Restrictions	Territorial Waters	Federal Waters	National Park	Closed Season
Whelk	shell must be greater than 2-7/16" in diameter. Must land whole in shell.			1 gal. per fisher per day	April 1-September 30
Conch	Minimum size 9" shell length from spire to distal end, or 3/8" lip thickness. Must land whole in shell.	6 per day per fisher, not to exceed 24 per boat per day.	3 per day per fisher, not to exceed 12 per boat. No use of hookah gear.	2 per fisher per day	July 1 - Sept. 30
Spiny Lobster	3.5 carapace. Must land whole. No harvest of females with eggs. No spear fishing, hooks or gigs.			2 per fisher per day
Yellowtail Snapper	12" total length.
Blue Marlin	99" Lower Jaw Fork Length. Rod and reel only.	No Commercial Harvest; no sale.
White Marlin	66" Lower Jaw Fork Length. Rod and reel only.	No Commercial Harvest, no sale.
Sailfish	63" Lower Jaw Fork Length. Rod and reel only.	No Commercial Harvest, no sale.

Territorial Waters extend from shore to 3 miles offshore.
Federal Waters extend from 3-200 nautical miles offshore.

Additional Remarks

Lobster is to be captured only by hand, snare or trap.
There is no sale of undersized conch or conch shells.
No person is permitted to retain, remove, possess, or injure any conch that is less than nine inches in length or less than 3/8 inch lip thickness, in any location.
All conch landed in the Regulatory Area or coastal waters must be alive and intact (in shell) when brought to island on which conch is first sold or consumed (taking conch to off shore cays and islands for purpose of removing from shell is prohibited). No disposal of shell at sea before landing.
There are various Marine Reserves around the Virgin Islands in which fishing is prohibited. Contact the Division of Environmental Enforcement for an up-to-date list.

A major effort has recently been formed toward tag and release. Don' t take more fish than you can use. Respect and appreciate the ocean.

Follow USVI Fishing Regulations and Good Fishing!

Note: Information for this section was gathered from the U.S. Virgin Islands Commercial & Recreational Fishers' Information Booklet published by the Division of Fish and Wildlife DPNR and the Division of Environmental Enforcement, dated July 2003.