Can you keep that fish? Massachusetts saltwater rules made practical
Start with the fish in front of you—not a giant regulation book. Check species, legal length, today’s season, possession limit, fishing mode and location before the fish enters your cooler.
Nantucket now has an emergency shore-based shark gear restriction
Massachusetts DMF filed an emergency action on July 31, 2026 expanding its shore-based white-shark fishing restrictions to the Town of Nantucket for a 90-day emergency period, unless superseded or extended.
Because this is an emergency rule, re-check the 2026 DMF advisory page if fishing Nantucket later in fall 2026.
Popular Massachusetts saltwater keeper rules right now
Striped bass
28–<31″1 fish.
Black sea bass
4 fish16″ minimum through August 31.
Summer flounder
5 fishShore 16.5″ / vessel 17.5″.
Scup
30 fishShore 9.5″ / private vessel 11″.
Tautog
3 fish16″ minimum; only one may exceed 21″.
Bluefish
5 fishPrivate/shore. No minimum.
Atlantic mackerel
25Private angler; no minimum.
GOM haddock
17″15 fish.
Western GOM cod
Sep. 123″ / 1 fish when season opens.
SNE cod
ReleaseSouthern New England stock area.
Before the fish enters your cooler
Identify the exact fish. Similar-looking fish can carry completely different rules.
Total length is common, but bonito/false albacore use curved fork length.
Sea bass, tautog, fluke, cod and smelt use date-sensitive rules.
Count fish already retained and check vessel caps.
Shore, private boat and for-hire rules can differ.
GOM vs SNE and Massachusetts vs federal waters can change the answer.
What changes next?
Black sea bass
Bag drops from 4 to 2 fish.
Western GOM cod
Opens with 23″ minimum / 1 fish.
Fluke
Last listed day of the 2026 recreational season.
Black sea bass
Last listed day of the recreational season.
Tautog
Bag rises from 3 to 5 fish.
2026 Massachusetts recreational saltwater size, season & bag limits
| Species / mode | Size | Season | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| American eel | 9″ | Year-round | 25 |
| American shad — Merrimack / Connecticut River fisheries | No listed minimum | Year-round | 3 |
| American shad — other waters | — | Catch-and-release | 0 |
| Atlantic bonito + false albacore | 16″ curved fork length | Year-round | 5 combined |
| Black sea bass | 16″ | May 16–Oct. 14 |
4 through Aug. 31 2 Sep. 1–Oct. 14 |
| Bluefish — private/shore | No minimum | Year-round | 5 |
| Bluefish — qualifying for-hire | No minimum | Year-round | 7 |
| Atlantic mackerel — private | No minimum | Year-round | 25 |
| Atlantic mackerel — qualifying for-hire with customers | No minimum | Year-round | 50/person |
| Cod — Western Gulf of Maine | 23″ | Sep. 1–Oct. 31 | 1 |
| Cod — Southern New England | — | Closed to retention | 0 |
| American plaice / dab | 14″ | Year-round | No MA state-water possession limit listed |
| Grey sole / witch flounder | 14″ | Year-round | No MA state-water possession limit listed |
| Gulf of Maine haddock | 17″ | Apr. 1–Feb. 28/29 | 15 |
| Southern New England haddock | 18″ | Year-round | No MA state-water possession limit listed |
| Rainbow smelt | No listed minimum |
Jan. 1–Mar. 14 Jun. 16–Dec. 31 |
50 |
| Scup — shore | 9.5″ | May 1–Dec. 31 | 30 |
| Scup — private vessel | 11″ | May 1–Dec. 31 | 30/person; 150-vessel cap with 5+ anglers |
| Scup — for-hire | 11″ | May 1–Dec. 31 |
40 May–June 30 July–December |
| Summer flounder — shore | 16.5″ | May 24–Sep. 23 | 5 |
| Summer flounder — vessel | 17.5″ | May 24–Sep. 23 | 5 |
| Spiny dogfish | No MA recreational minimum listed | Year-round | No MA recreational state-water limit listed |
| Striped bass | 28″ to less than 31″ | Year-round | 1 |
| Tautog | 16″; only 1/person/day may exceed 21″ | Apr. 1–Dec. 31 |
3 Apr.–May 1 Jun.–Jul. 3 Aug. 1–Oct. 14 5 Oct. 15–Dec. 31 |
| Weakfish | 16″ | Year-round | 1 |
| White perch | 8″ | Year-round | 25 |
| Winter flounder — Gulf of Maine | 12″ | Year-round | 8 |
| Winter flounder — Southern New England | 12″ | Mar. 1–Dec. 31 | 2 |
| Yellowtail flounder | 13″ | Year-round | No MA state-water possession limit listed |
A half-inch mistake can turn a keeper into an illegal fish
Use the measurement stated in the species rule, normally total length.
Measure the fish straight from the forward tip of the closed jaw/snout to the farthest end of the squeezed tail.
Measure mouth closed to the farthest tail extremity, excluding the elongated tail filament.
The Massachusetts 16-inch minimum uses curved fork length.
31 inches is already too large
Massachusetts allows one striped bass per angler per day measuring at least 28 inches but less than 31 inches.
Rules the striped bass ruler does not show
- No high-grading: do not retain a legal bass and later discard it simply to replace it with another fish.
- Retained recreational striped bass may not be kept alive on a stringer, in a livewell or in another holding device.
- Whole or cut natural bait used while targeting striped bass generally requires an inline circle hook.
- Keep striped bass whole except for allowed gutting, bleeding or scaling until ashore and fishing gear is stowed.
- Recreational striped bass fishing and retention are prohibited in federal waters.
Shore vs vessel differences you should memorize
Summer flounder
Five fish in either mode.
Scup
Ordinary private bag: 30.
Bluefish
No recreational minimum size.
The tautog bag changes four times, and the vessel has its own cap
September changes the bag, not the minimum size
“Massachusetts cod limit” is not one rule
First determine whether you are fishing in the Gulf of Maine or Southern New England management area.
Northern side
- GOM haddock: 17″, 15 fish.
- Western GOM cod: 23″, 1 fish, Sep. 1–Oct. 31.
- Winter flounder: 12″, 8 fish.
Southern New England
- Cod retention: prohibited.
- Haddock: 18-inch minimum in Massachusetts state waters.
- Winter flounder: 12″, 2 fish, Mar. 1–Dec. 31.
An open cod date does not open every location
Winter Cod Conservation Closure
Nov. 15–Jan. 31Spring Cod Conservation Closure
Apr. 16–Jul. 21Can you cross the Southern New England cod area with legally caught cod?
Federal rules allow qualifying transit with cod lawfully taken in an open Eastern/Western Gulf of Maine or Georges Bank area, but the closed-area transit conditions matter.
Cod must satisfy the applicable open-area season, minimum size and possession limit.
Remove bait and hooks from the fishing rods before transiting the closed Southern New England stock area.
The cod on board must be gutted and stored during the qualifying transit.
A Massachusetts state-water keeper may face another rule offshore
This graphic explains the concept only. Use actual navigation/GPS boundaries for your trip.
Start with the Massachusetts DMF size, possession and season rule. Shore/vessel and management-area rules can still apply.
NOAA minimum sizes, federal permits, reporting, vessel limits and closed species may apply.
Federal rules that add something important to the Massachusetts table
| Species | Current federal recreational rule | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Pollock | 19″ minimum; unlimited possession | “No Massachusetts state minimum listed” is not the final offshore answer. |
| Redfish / ocean perch | 9″ minimum; unlimited possession | Federal minimum exists. |
| Monkfish | 17″ whole fish or 11″ tail; no recreational possession cap | Skin must remain on fish/parts as required for legal measurement. |
| Atlantic halibut | 41″ minimum; 1 fish per vessel per trip | Vessel limit—not one fish for every angler. |
| GOM haddock | 17″; 15 fish/person | Fillets require skin and must be consistent with legal-size fish. |
| Striped bass | Recreational fishing/retention prohibited | MA keeper slot does not authorize offshore harvest. |
| Atlantic mackerel | 25 private; 50/person on qualifying permitted for-hire vessel carrying customers | Federal for-hire vessel permit and electronic trip reporting can apply. |
| Bluefish | 5 private; 7 qualifying for-hire; no minimum size | Current 2026 state/federal bag numbers align. |
| Golden tilefish | 8/person; federal recreational tilefish permit/reporting requirement north of VA/NC border | Do not treat this as ordinary state-permit-only fishing. |
| Blueline tilefish | May 15–Nov. 14; 3 private / 5 uninspected for-hire / 7 USCG-inspected for-hire | Tilefish federal permit/reporting requirements also apply. |
Use newer species-specific rules when an older summary has not caught up
Can you fillet it before landing?
Striped bass
Generally keep whole except for gutting, bleeding and scaling until ashore and fishing gear is stowed.
Black sea bass
May be filleted at sea but not skinned. No more than two fillets for each legally retained fish.
Scup
May be filleted at sea but not skinned. Keep no more than two fillets for each allowed fish.
Federal groundfish
When federal filleting is allowed, fillets generally must retain enough skin and size evidence to demonstrate compliance.
Five combined means five total
Shark rules require species identification + location + gear check
General minimum applies only to qualifying harvestable shark species.
Larger recreational minimum applies.
A prohibited species remains prohibited regardless of length.
Shore-based shark fishing: extra gear checks
- Existing Massachusetts rules restrict certain heavy hook-and-metal-leader combinations in the designated Cape Cod Bay/eastern Cape Cod shoreline zone.
- The July 31, 2026 emergency action temporarily extends the heavy-gear restriction to shore fishing in Nantucket.
- Shore-based chumming is restricted during the applicable sunrise-to-sunset period.
- Drones, remote-controlled boats and other mechanized/propulsion systems may not be used to deploy baited hooks from shore.
Do not put these common protected Northeast species in the cooler
River herring
Ocean pout
Windowpane flounder
Atlantic wolffish
Atlantic / shortnose sturgeon
Do you need a recreational saltwater fishing permit?
Ordinary Massachusetts recreational saltwater permit not required.
Permit generally required unless another valid exemption applies.
Permit is free, but you still obtain the permit.
Massachusetts provides a saltwater permit exemption for persons meeting the state’s legal definition of a disabled person.
Paying anglers aboard an appropriately permitted MA for-hire vessel do not need a separate individual permit for that covered trip.
Current online purchase cost
Can you keep the permit on your phone?
Yes. Massachusetts permits anglers to carry a digital copy on a mobile device. Save the proof before going somewhere with poor cellular coverage.
Neighboring-state reciprocity
Massachusetts recognizes qualifying recreational saltwater permits held by nonresidents from Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Reciprocity concerns permit recognition—not fish limits. Massachusetts fish rules apply while fishing Massachusetts waters.
When another federal fishing permit may be required
Tuna / billfish / swordfish
NOAA Highly Migratory Species permitting and current retention-status rules can apply.
Sharks
Massachusetts advises anglers targeting sharks to check the NOAA Atlantic HMS permit requirement in addition to state rules.
Tilefish
Federal recreational tilefish permit and trip reporting apply to qualifying tilefish activity north of the Virginia/North Carolina border.
For-hire coverage changes the paperwork—but not all fishing limits
| Species | Private angler | Qualifying for-hire |
|---|---|---|
| Bluefish | 5/person | 7/person |
| Atlantic mackerel | 25/person | 50/person when qualifying federally permitted vessel is carrying customers |
| Scup | 30/person | 40 May–June; 30 July–December |
Save this Massachusetts compliance checklist
- Saltwater permit: save the digital copy to your phone.
- Target fish: write down size, bag and season.
- Fishing mode: shore, private vessel or for-hire?
- Groundfish: identify Gulf of Maine vs Southern New England.
- Offshore trip: determine whether federal regulations apply.
- Measuring tool: carry one long enough for striped bass and groundfish.
- Hook rule: use an inline circle hook when required for striped bass bait fishing.
- Processing rule: know whether the species must stay whole or skin-on.
- Shark fishing: check current location-specific shore restrictions, including the 2026 Nantucket emergency action.
- Future date: re-check DMF advisories if the trip occurs after a season-change date.
Massachusetts saltwater mistakes that look harmless but change legality
Legal slot ends below 31″.
Shore is 16.5″; vessel is 17.5″.
Shore 9.5″; vessel 11″.
Bag becomes 2 on September 1.
Retention starts September 1.
No retention.
Individual bag multiplication can exceed the legal vessel maximum.
Retain then swap is prohibited.
Whole-fish rule applies until proper shore conditions are met.
At-sea fillets must retain required skin.
Pollock and redfish prove otherwise.
Prefer the newer species-specific August 2026 page.
Tuna, billfish, swordfish and shark fishing can require NOAA HMS permitting.
July 31, 2026 emergency gear restriction is currently relevant.
Reciprocal permit recognition does not replace Massachusetts fish rules.
Continue only if your next task is broader regulations or licensing
Ask a question enforcement can actually answer
Massachusetts marine-fishery regulation questions.
Environmental enforcement / active violation issues.
“I’m fishing [exact area] on [date], from [shore/private boat/charter], for [species]. Can you confirm the current size, possession limit, season, measurement and whether a federal or special-area rule applies?”
Use these links for today’s final verification—not to replace the explanations above
Fast answers before you keep the fish
What size striped bass can I keep in Massachusetts in 2026?
One fish per angler per day may be retained if it measures at least 28 inches but less than 31 inches. A striped bass measuring exactly 31 inches is outside the legal slot.
What is the Massachusetts black sea bass limit today?
On August 15, 2026, the minimum size is 16 inches and the recreational bag is four fish. The bag drops to two fish on September 1 and the season runs through October 14.
What is the Massachusetts fluke size limit?
Shore anglers use a 16.5-inch minimum. Vessel anglers use a 17.5-inch minimum. The 2026 possession limit is five fish and the season runs May 24 through September 23.
What is the Massachusetts scup size limit?
Shore anglers use a 9.5-inch minimum. Private-vessel anglers use an 11-inch minimum. The ordinary private bag is 30 fish.
What is the Massachusetts tautog limit today?
On August 15, 2026, the bag is three fish. The minimum is 16 inches and only one retained tautog per person per day may exceed 21 inches. The recreational vessel aggregate is capped at 10 fish.
Can I keep Massachusetts cod today?
Western Gulf of Maine cod retention has not yet opened on August 15. The 2026 season runs September 1 through October 31 with a 23-inch minimum and one-fish limit. Southern New England cod retention is prohibited.
Can I transit Southern New England waters with legally caught cod?
Federal rules allow qualifying transit with cod legally taken in an open northern stock area when the cod meets the applicable rules, bait and hooks have been removed from fishing rods, and the cod is gutted and stored. This does not allow cod fishing in the closed Southern New England area.
How many Atlantic mackerel can I keep in 2026?
Current NOAA rules allow 25 Atlantic mackerel per person per trip for private recreational anglers. A qualifying federally permitted for-hire vessel carrying customers may possess 50 per person per trip.
Can I fillet black sea bass or scup on my boat?
Massachusetts allows black sea bass and scup to be filleted at sea, but the fish may not be skinned. No more than two fillets per legally retained fish may be possessed.
Can I fillet a striped bass before returning to shore?
Massachusetts generally requires a recreational striped bass to remain whole except for gutting, bleeding and scaling until you are ashore and fishing gear is stowed.
Do I need a Massachusetts recreational saltwater fishing permit?
Anglers age 16 through 59 generally need the $10 permit unless a valid exemption or reciprocity provision applies. Anglers age 60 and older still obtain a permit, but the permit fee is free.
Can I show my Massachusetts saltwater permit on my phone?
Yes. Massachusetts allows anglers to carry a digital copy of the recreational saltwater permit on a mobile device.
Does Massachusetts recognize a Rhode Island saltwater permit?
Massachusetts recognizes qualifying recreational saltwater permits from Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire for eligible nonresidents. Massachusetts fish size, season and possession rules still apply while fishing Massachusetts waters.
Can I keep striped bass in federal waters off Massachusetts?
No. Recreational striped bass fishing and retention are prohibited in federal waters.
What changed for shore-based shark fishing on Nantucket in 2026?
On July 31, 2026, Massachusetts DMF filed emergency regulations temporarily restricting the use from Nantucket’s shoreline of metal or wire leaders 18 inches or longer when combined with hooks having a gap greater than 5/8 inch. The emergency action was established for 90 days unless changed, extended or replaced.
Species → size → date → bag → fishing mode → location
If all six answers are legal, then you have a keeper. If one answer is uncertain, resolve it before the fish goes into possession.
Regulation review completed . Massachusetts DMF and NOAA can change fisheries through emergency regulations, annual specifications and in-season actions.