Blackfin TunaorYellowfin Tuna

Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.

Studio photograph of a Blackfin Tuna (Thunnus atlanticus), side view, on a white background — **Blackfin Tuna***Thunnus atlanticus*

Studio photograph of a Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares), side view, on a white background — **Yellowfin Tuna***Thunnus albacares*

Rules for both fish from 19 state rulebooks, checked Oct 29, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

How to tell them apart

Blackfin Tuna

Football tuna with dusky-black fins and a bronze-gold side wash; rarely over 30 lb.

Blackfin tuna, next to yellowfin tuna: smaller, dusky fins, bronze lateral wash.

Yellowfin Tuna

Long yellow second dorsal and anal fins that grow with age; yellow lateral stripe.

Yellowfin tuna, next to blackfin tuna: bright yellow fins, grows far larger.

Side by side

	Blackfin Tuna	Yellowfin Tuna
Scientific name	Thunnus atlanticus	Thunnus albacares
Also called	—	Ahi
Waters	Offshore	Offshore
Heaviest state record	45.5 lb · Florida (1996)	290 lb · New Jersey (1980)
On the table	Very good — best fresh, bled and iced.	Excellent raw or seared rare.
Rules of its own in	2 states	19 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 19 of 19 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), blackfin tuna is No size limit, 2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater and yellowfin tuna is 27 in curved fork length min, 3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

State	Blackfin Tuna: size · bag · season	Yellowfin Tuna: size · bag · season
Alabama	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length minimum3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
Connecticut	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Delaware	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Florida (Atlantic)	No size limit2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greaterOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Florida (Gulf)	No size limit2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greaterOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Georgia	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Louisiana	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length3 per personOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked 2026-10-05
Maine	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Maryland	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Massachusetts	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Mississippi	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length minimum3 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
New Hampshire	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
New Jersey	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
New York	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
North Carolina	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27" curved FL min3 per person per dayYear-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
Rhode Island	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
South Carolina	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length3/dayOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
Texas	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28
Virginia	Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies.	27 in curved fork length min3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip lengthOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-10-28

Questions anglers ask

How do you tell blackfin tuna from yellowfin tuna?

Blackfin Tuna: Football tuna with dusky-black fins and a bronze-gold side wash; rarely over 30 lb. Yellowfin Tuna: Long yellow second dorsal and anal fins that grow with age; yellow lateral stripe. Yellowfin tuna, next to blackfin tuna: bright yellow fins, grows far larger. Blackfin tuna, next to yellowfin tuna: smaller, dusky fins, bronze lateral wash.

Which gets bigger, blackfin tuna or yellowfin tuna?

Yellowfin Tuna. The heaviest state record we hold is 290 lb in New Jersey; the heaviest blackfin tuna record is 45.5 lb in Florida.

Which is better to eat, blackfin tuna or yellowfin tuna?

Blackfin Tuna: Very good — best fresh, bled and iced. Yellowfin Tuna: Excellent raw or seared rare.

Do blackfin tuna and yellowfin tuna have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 19 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): blackfin tuna No size limit, 2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater, yellowfin tuna 27 in curved fork length min, 3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length; Florida (Gulf): blackfin tuna No size limit, 2 per person or 10 per vessel, whichever is greater, yellowfin tuna 27 in curved fork length min, 3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length; Alabama: blackfin tuna no rule of its own, yellowfin tuna 27 in curved fork length minimum, 3 per person; Connecticut: blackfin tuna no rule of its own, yellowfin tuna 27 in curved fork length min, 3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length; Delaware: blackfin tuna no rule of its own, yellowfin tuna 27 in curved fork length min, 3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length; and more in the table on this page.