Delaware
saltwater rules
Delaware DNREC sets the rules inside Delaware’s state waters, out to 3 nautical miles from shore. Beyond that, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council writes the federal rules.
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Albacore
Longfin, Longfin tuna Thunnus alalunga
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
No recreational limits, unlike yellowfin's 3-fish/27-inch rule — but the boat still needs an HMS Angling permit.
NOAA HMS 2025 · checked
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Alewife
River herring, Buckie Alosa pseudoharengus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- Closed - no harvest permitted
Put it back
River herring (alewife and blueback) fisheries are closed to harvest.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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American Eel
Yellow eel, Silver eel Anguilla rostrata
- Size
- 9 in min
- Bag
- 25 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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American Shad
Alosa sapidissima
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 2 per day
- Season
- Open year-round except Nanticoke River and tributaries (closed)
Open
Harvest closed in the Nanticoke River and its tributaries.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · likely
-
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Thunnus thynnus
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 27" curved FL min; keepable slot 27–<73"
- Bag
- Private vessels: 2 per vessel per day (only 1 of 47–<73"); trophy 73"+ closed for 2026
- Season
- Open under in-season limits
Open
HMS Angling permit required. Retention limits are adjusted in-season by NOAA — verify the current limit before keeping a fish.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked
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Atlantic Butterfish
Dollarfish Peprilus triacanthus
Federal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open all year
Open
Federally managed but no recreational size or possession limits.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked
-
Atlantic Croaker
Hardhead Micropogonias undulatus
- Size
- 8 in min
- Bag
- 50 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · likely
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Atlantic Mackerel
Boston mackerel, Tinker (small) Scomber scombrus
Federal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 25 per person per trip (private); 50 per person per trip (for-hire)
- Season
- All year
Open
Mode-specific limits raised from 20 fish in 2026 under MSB Framework Adjustment 17 (NOAA species page updated Aug 2026).
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked
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Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 1 additional per angler beyond shark aggregate
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Each angler may keep 1 Atlantic sharpnose in addition to the one-shark aggregate.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Atlantic Sturgeon
Acipenser oxyrinchus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Endangered species - no harvest permitted.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Black Drum
Drum Pogonias cromis
- Size
- 16 in min
- Bag
- 3 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Black Sea Bass
Sea bass Centropristis striata
- Size
- 12.5 in min
- Bag
- 15 per day
- Season
- May 1 - Dec 31
Open
2026-27 rules cut minimum from 13 to 12.5 in, opened May 1, and dropped the October in-season closure; same rules apply in adjacent federal waters.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Blacknose Shark
Carcharhinus acronotus
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
No minimum size; counts toward the one-shark aggregate.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Blacktip Shark
Carcharhinus limbatus
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
Non-offset corrodible circle hooks required when bait fishing for sharks.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Blue Marlin
Makaira nigricans
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 99" LJFL min
- Bag
- No federal bag limit; annual US 250-marlin landings cap (blue + white combined)
- Season
- Year-round
Open
HMS permit required.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked
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Blue Shark
Blue dog Prionace glauca
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Blueback Herring
River herring Alosa aestivalis
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- Closed - no harvest permitted
Put it back
River herring (alewife and blueback) fisheries are closed to harvest.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Bluefish
Chopper, Snapper blue Pomatomus saltatrix
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 5 per day (7 from charter/headboat)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
3-fish note does not apply in DE; shore/private-vessel anglers get 5, for-hire anglers 7.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Blueline Tilefish
Caulolatilus microps
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 3 per day private vessel (5 uninspected for-hire, 7 inspected for-hire)
- Season
- May 1 - Oct 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Sixgill shark, Cow shark Hexanchus griseus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Federally prohibited shark (bluntnose sixgill) — release in the water with minimal injury.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Bonnethead
Sphyrna tiburo
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 1 additional per angler beyond shark aggregate
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Each angler may keep 1 bonnethead in addition to the one-shark aggregate.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Caribbean Reef Shark
Carcharhinus perezii
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Clearnose Skate
Brier skate Rostroraja eglanteria
Federal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open all year
Open
Clearnose, little, rosette, and winter skates open with no limits; barndoor, smooth, and thorny skates are prohibited.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked · likely
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Cobia
Ling, Lemonfish Rachycentron canadum
- Size
- 43 in min
- Bag
- 2 per day (max 2 per vessel)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
2 per angler per day or trip, whichever is longer; vessel limit 2.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Common Thresher
Thresher, Whiptail Alopias vulpinus
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Dusky Shark
Carcharhinus obscurus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Finetooth Shark
Carcharhinus isodon
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
No minimum size; counts toward the one-shark aggregate.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Galapagos Shark
Carcharhinus galapagensis
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Federally prohibited shark (Galapagos) — release in the water with minimal injury.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Golden Tilefish
Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 8 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Great Hammerhead
Sphyrna mokarran
- Size
- 78 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Great White Shark
White shark Carcharodon carcharias
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Hickory Shad
Alosa mediocris
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 10 per day
- Season
- Open year-round except Nanticoke River and tributaries (closed)
Open
Harvest closed in the Nanticoke River and its tributaries.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · likely
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Lemon Shark
Negaprion brevirostris
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Monkfish
Goosefish, Anglerfish Lophius americanus
Federal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 17 in whole (11 in tail)
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open all year
Open
Minimum size 17 inches whole or 11 inches for tails; skin must remain attached for sizing.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked
-
Nurse Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Federally prohibited shark (oceanic whitetip) — release in the water with minimal injury. Listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Porbeagle
Lamna nasus
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Red Drum
Redfish, Puppy drum, Channel bass, Spottail bass Sciaenops ocellatus
- Size
- 20-27 in slot
- Bag
- 5 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Only fish 20-27 in may be retained.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Sailfish
Istiophorus platypterus
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 63" LJFL min
- Bag
- No federal bag limit
- Season
- Year-round
Open
HMS permit required.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked
-
Sand Tiger
Carcharias taurus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Sandbar Shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
- Size
- 78 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Scup
Stenotomus chrysops
- Size
- 9 in min
- Bag
- 30 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Shortfin Mako
Isurus oxyrinchus
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Prohibited species - must be released immediately to maximize survival.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Silky Shark
Ridgeback shark Carcharhinus falciformis
- Size
- Harvest prohibited
- Bag
- 0
- Season
- No harvest permitted
Put it back
Federally prohibited shark (silky) — release in the water with minimal injury.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Skipjack Tuna
Skippy, Oceanic bonito Katsuwonus pelamis
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
The boat needs an HMS Angling permit to fish for Atlantic tunas.
NOAA HMS 2025 · checked
-
Smooth Dogfish
Mustelus canis
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Smoothhound sharks are exempt from the one-shark aggregate; circle hook rule applies when bait fishing for sharks.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Smooth Hammerhead
Sphyrna zygaena
- Size
- 78 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Spanish Mackerel
Spanish Scomberomorus maculatus
- Size
- 14 in min
- Bag
- 15 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Spinner Shark
Carcharhinus brevipinna
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Spiny Dogfish
Squalus acanthias
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Exempt from the one-shark aggregate.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
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Spot
Leiostomus xanthurus
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- 50 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
50-fish daily possession limit set by 2025 Secretary's Order under ASMFC Addendum III.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Spotted Seatrout
Speck, Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus
- Size
- 12 in min
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Striped Bass
Striper, Rockfish Morone saxatilis
- Size
- 28-31 in slot (20-24 in slot Jul 1-Aug 31 in DE Bay, River & tributaries)
- Bag
- 1 per day
- Season
- Open year-round; catch-and-release only on spawning grounds Apr 1-May 31
Open
Summer slot 20-24 in applies only in Delaware Bay/River and tributaries Jul 1-Aug 31; spawning grounds are catch-and-release only Apr 1-May 31; non-offset circle hooks required when bait fishing.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Summer Flounder
Fluke Paralichthys dentatus
- Size
- 17.5 in min (16 in Jan 1-May 31)
- Bag
- 4 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
Minimum size is 16 in Jan 1-May 31 and 17.5 in Jun 1-Dec 31.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Swordfish
Xiphias gladius
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 47" LJFL min
- Bag
- 1 per person, up to 4 per vessel per trip (private); higher for-hire vessel caps
- Season
- Year-round
Open
May not be retained if a hammerhead or oceanic whitetip shark is aboard.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked
-
Tautog
Tautoga onitis
- Size
- 16 in min
- Bag
- 4 per day
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 15 and Jul 1 - Dec 31
Open
Closed May 16 - Jun 30.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
- Size
- 54 in FL min
- Bag
- 1 shark aggregate per vessel (shore: per angler)
- Season
- Jan 1 - May 14 and Jul 16 - Dec 31
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Weakfish
Gray trout, Squeteague Cynoscion regalis
- Size
- 13 in min
- Bag
- 1 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
White Marlin
Kajikia albida
Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- 66" LJFL min
- Bag
- No federal bag limit; annual US 250-marlin landings cap (blue + white combined)
- Season
- Year-round
Open
HMS permit required.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked
-
White Perch
Perch Morone americana
- Size
- 8" min
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- Year-round
Open
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Winter Flounder
Blackback, Lemon sole (big ones) Pseudopleuronectes americanus
- Size
- 12 in min
- Bag
- 2 per day
- Season
- Feb 11 - Apr 10
Closed
DE DNREC 2026 · checked
-
Winter Skate
Leucoraja ocellata
Federal rule (Mid-Atlantic federal waters). Delaware lists none of its own.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No bag limit
- Season
- Open all year
Open
Open with no limits; barndoor, smooth, and thorny skates are prohibited.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked · likely
Nothing matches. Try another name the fish goes by, or the scientific name, or pick All above. Species with no Delaware rule on file fall under the default below.
Every other species
Delaware sets size/creel limits only for species listed in its tidal finfish regulations; the 2026 guide states no default rule for unlisted species — no state limits apply, but license and federal HMS rules may.
- Size
- No size limit
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- Open year-round
DE DNREC 2026 · checked 2026-09-16
Report to NOAA within 24 hours
HMS Angling and Charter/Headboat permit holders must report every bluefin tuna landing or dead discard, and every swordfish, marlin, or sailfish landing, within 24 hours of returning — online at hmspermits.noaa.gov, in the Catch Reporting app, or by phone.
Species: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Swordfish, Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish.
How to report · NOAA HMS · checked 2026-09-04
Licences and the fine print
- One annual Delaware fishing license covers freshwater, saltwater, crabbing and clamming. Anglers 16 and older need it unless exempt.
- Every angler 16 and older — exempt or not — needs a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number each year. It is free and comes automatically with a license; exempt anglers get one through Digital DNREC.
Questions anglers ask about Delaware
Do I need a license to fish saltwater in Delaware?
One annual Delaware fishing license covers freshwater, saltwater, crabbing and clamming. Anglers 16 and older need it unless exempt.
How far out do Delaware state waters go?
3 nautical miles from shore. Inside that line Delaware DNREC sets the rules on this page. Beyond it, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council sets the federal rules, and where Delaware has no rule of its own this page shows the federal one, labelled.
What if a fish is not listed for Delaware?
Delaware sets no specific rule for it. Size: No size limit. Bag: No daily limit. Season: Open year-round. Delaware sets size/creel limits only for species listed in its tidal finfish regulations; the 2026 guide states no default rule for unlisted species — no state limits apply, but license and federal HMS rules may.
Which federal catches must be reported to NOAA?
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Swordfish, Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish. HMS Angling and Charter/Headboat permit holders must report every bluefin tuna landing or dead discard, and every swordfish, marlin, or sailfish landing, within 24 hours of returning — online at hmspermits.noaa.gov, in the Catch Reporting app, or by phone.
How current are these Delaware rules?
Every row shows its source and the day it was last checked; the latest is Sep 16, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency pages nightly and the date advances when they are unchanged. Rules change mid-season by proclamation, so the official rulebook is the final word.
Checked against 6 official pages
- dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/fishing/regulations/
- news.delaware.gov/2024/06/13/dnrec-revises-recreational-striped-bass-summer-slot-season-li
- news.delaware.gov/2025/10/07/dnrec-sets-new-recreational-possession-limit-for-spot-fish/
- news.delaware.gov/2026/04/20/dnrec-revises-2026-2027-black-sea-bass-recreational-fishing-r
- eregulations.com/delaware/fishing/tidal-fishing-regulations
- eregulations.com/delaware/fishing/tidal-seasons-size-creel-limits