Quick guide to some seasonal closure and prohibited species in Puerto Rico.
Recreational Fishing in Puerto Rico:
As of with any sport, and fishing is no exemption, you have to be familiar with and follow certain rules and regulations. Here are a few:
- Recreational fishing licenses are not currently required in Puerto Rico.
- Whenever possible, practice catch and release and use circle hooks.
- Respect the slot limits for the species that have then, and keep only what you are going to eat of fish of legal size.
- You are not allowed to sale your catch. Only commercial fisherman are allowed to do so.
- Retention of some species prohibited, and length limits, seasonal closure and quotas apply for others. You must know the regulations for the type of fishing you do.
- If you need help with information about fishing regulations, you should contact the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Recreational and Sport Fishing Division. 787-999-2200 ext. 2469, 2488 or 22865.
For the complete guide to Puerto Rico’s Fishing Regulations, please visit the following link.
Puerto Rico fishing regulations are available online (in Spanish) at: https://311prkb.respondcrm.com/respondweb/DRNA-734%20Documentos%20Adicionales/NPVS-D002%20Reglamento%20de%20Pesca%20de%20Puerto%20Rico.pdf
Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Permit
Vessel owners/operators who recreationally fish for or retain regulated Atlantic tunas (bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye, albacore, and skipjack), sharks, swordfish, and billfish in Atlantic Federal waters, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, must obtain an HMS Angling category permit or a HMS Charter/Headboat permit.
To obtain your HMS Permit, please visit the following link: