Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · Virginia lists none of its own
The boat needs an HMS Angling permit to fish for Atlantic tunas.
NOAA HMS 2025 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
False albacoreWavy marks on the back, spots under the pectoral. Tell them apartNot listed by Virginia: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Atlantic bonitoStripes on the back, slimmer. Tell them apartNot listed by Virginia: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Virginia state record
VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04
How to tell it
Dark horizontal stripes on the BELLY — not the back; stout purple-backed football. More on the skipjack tuna page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for skipjack tuna in Virginia?
No size limit.
How many skipjack tuna can you keep in Virginia?
No bag limit.
When is skipjack tuna season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
What is the Virginia record skipjack tuna?
22 lb 11 oz, The Cigar (1995).
How current is this Virginia skipjack tuna 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.
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