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Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries announces a final rule that establishes new management measures for dolphinfish and wahoo in federal waters around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands including minimum size limits for all fishing (commercial and recreational) and recreational bag limits.
When Rule Will Take Effect:
- The final rule becomes effective on July 25, 2025.
What This Means:
The final rule will establish:
- a 24-inch fork length minimum size limit for dolphinfish for all fishing (commercial and recreational) in U.S. Caribbean federal waters;
- a 32-inch fork length minimum size limit for wahoo for all fishing (commercial and recreational) in U.S. Caribbean federal waters;
- a recreational bag limit of 5 dolphinfish per person per day, not to exceed 15 dolphinfish per vessel per day, whichever is less in federal waters around Puerto Rico;
- a recreational bag limit of 5 wahoo per person per day, not to exceed 10 wahoo per vessel per day, whichever is less in federal waters around Puerto Rico;
- a recreational bag limit of 10 dolphinfish per person per day, not to exceed 32 dolphinfish per vessel per day, whichever is less in federal waters around St. Croix and St. Thomas and St. John; and
- a recreational bag limit of 2 wahoo per person per day, not to exceed 10 wahoo per vessel per day, whichever is less in federal waters around St. Croix and St. Thomas and St. John.
Formal Federal Register Name/Number: 90 FR 26934, published June 25, 2025
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is NOAA Fisheries announcing today?
- NOAA Fisheries is announcing the publication of a final rule to establish minimum size limits and recreational bag limits for dolphinfish and wahoo in U.S. Caribbean federal waters.
Why is NOAA Fisheries implementing this action?
- Dolphinfish and wahoo came under federal fisheries management in 2022 under the Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas and St. John Fishery Management Plans. The final rule implementing the three fishery management plans established annual catch limits, annual catch targets, and accountability measures for dolphinfish and wahoo, but did not establish other management measures often used to limit harvest or effort such as minimum size limits or recreational bag limits.
- NOAA Fisheries is implementing this action to ensure dolphin and wahoo have adequate time to mature and reproduce and to protect against overfishing for species with limited management structure.
How do I measure the fork length of dolphin and wahoo to ensure I comply with the regulations?
- A fork length measurement is the length of the fish from the tip of its snout to the fork of the tail (see image below).
Where can I find more information on Amendment 3?
- Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
By Mail: Sarah Stephenson
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
- Amendment 3 may be found online at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Web site at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-3-puerto-rico-st-croix-and-st-thomas-and-st-john-fishery-management-plans.
Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures
NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message. Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.
Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:
- Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
- Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
- South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
- South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
- Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH
Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.
Other contacts:
Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202
