What is the size limit for bigeye tuna in Virginia?

27 in curved fork length min. Measured as curved fork length: snout to the fork of the tail, along the curve of the body.

What gear is required for bigeye tuna in Virginia?

HMS Angling permit required for the vessel in federal waters. Bluefin tuna landings and dead discards must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours.

How current is this Virginia bigeye tuna rule?

Source: NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025, last checked Sep 22, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.

Bigeye tuna in Virginia: size, bag and season limits (2026)

Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · Virginia lists none of its own

Size27 in curved fork length minCurved fork length: snout to the fork of the tail, along the curve of the body

BagNo bag limit

SeasonOpen year-roundOpen today

Federal rule in all Atlantic and Gulf waters; the boat needs an HMS Angling permit. Head off: at least 27 in from the forward edge of the cut to the fork.

NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-09-22 · the official rulebook is the final word

Gear required HMS tunas

PermitHMS Angling permit required for the vessel in federal waters

GearBluefin tuna landings and dead discards must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours

NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025 · checked 2026-09-22

Often mistaken for

Yellowfin tunaBrighter yellow fins, slimmer profile. Tell them apart

Size27 in curved fork length min

Bag3 per person per day; no more than 3 per person on board regardless of trip length

SeasonOpen year-round

Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.

Virginia state record

311 lbNorfolk Canyon, 2013

VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04

How to tell it
Stockier than yellowfin, oversized eye, duskier fins; honest answer — hard to call, measure and check. More on the bigeye tuna page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Bigeye tuna in other states19 rulebooks
Alabama Connecticut Delaware Florida (Atlantic)Florida (Gulf)Georgia Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Mississippi New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Every state
Questions anglers ask6
What is the size limit for bigeye tuna in Virginia?
27 in curved fork length min. Measured as curved fork length: snout to the fork of the tail, along the curve of the body.
How many bigeye tuna can you keep in Virginia?
No bag limit.
When is bigeye tuna season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
What gear is required for bigeye tuna in Virginia?
HMS Angling permit required for the vessel in federal waters. Bluefin tuna landings and dead discards must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours.
What is the Virginia record bigeye tuna?
311 lb, Norfolk Canyon (2013).
How current is this Virginia bigeye tuna rule?
Source: NOAA HMS Recreational Compliance Guide 2025, last checked Sep 22, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.

Bigeye tunain Virginia