Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · South Carolina 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 apart
Yellowfin tunaYellow finlets and shorter pectorals. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
South Carolina state record
SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23
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 South Carolina?
No size limit.
How many albacore can you keep in South Carolina?
No bag limit.
When is albacore season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
What is the South Carolina record albacore?
37 lb 4 oz, Charleston (1976).
How current is this South Carolina 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 South Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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