New Hampshire state waters, out to 3 miles
Limit raised from 20 in mid-2026 per current online digest.
NH F&G 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Atlantic chub mackerelDusky spots below the midline, bigger eye. Tell them apartNot listed by New Hampshire: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Spanish mackerelGold spots, southern. Tell them apartNot listed by New Hampshire: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
New Hampshire state record
NH Fish & Game Verified Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Bold black wavy bars over a metallic blue-green back with a CLEAN silver belly; finlets to the tail. More on the Atlantic mackerel page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Atlantic mackerel in other states8 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for Atlantic mackerel in New Hampshire?
No size limit.
How many Atlantic mackerel can you keep in New Hampshire?
25 fish/day (50 on for-hire vessels).
When is Atlantic mackerel season in New Hampshire?
Open year-round.
What is the New Hampshire record Atlantic mackerel?
3 lb, Gulf of Maine, Hampton (1988).
How current is this New Hampshire Atlantic mackerel rule?
Source: NH F&G 2026, last checked Sep 10, 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 Atlantic mackerel in New Hampshire and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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