Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · Massachusetts lists none of its own
No recreational limits, unlike yellowfin's 3-fish/27-inch rule — but the boat still needs an HMS Angling permit.
NOAA HMS 2025 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Bigeye tunaStockier with a bigger eye; pectorals never reach that far. Tell them apartNot listed by Massachusetts: the default applies (No limit, no bag limit).
Yellowfin tunaYellow finlets and shorter pectorals. Tell them apartNot listed by Massachusetts: the default applies (No limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Massachusetts state record
MA DMF Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-09-04
How to tell it
Pectoral fins absurdly long, sweeping back past the anal fin; deep-blue back, chalk belly. More on the albacore page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for albacore in Massachusetts?
No size limit.
How many albacore can you keep in Massachusetts?
No bag limit.
When is albacore season in Massachusetts?
Open year-round.
What is the Massachusetts record albacore?
65 lb 6 oz, Edgartown (2020).
How current is this Massachusetts albacore rule?
Source: NOAA HMS 2025, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at an albacore in Massachusetts and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the app