Federal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) · Virginia lists none of its own
HMS permit required.
NOAA HMS 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Virginia state record
VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04
How to tell it
Rounded dorsal and pectoral tips, lighter build than a blue. More on the white marlin page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for white marlin in Virginia?
66" LJFL min. Measured as lower-jaw fork length: tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.
How many white marlin can you keep in Virginia?
No federal bag limit; annual US 250-marlin landings cap (blue + white combined).
When is white marlin season in Virginia?
Year-round.
What is the Virginia record white marlin?
131 lb 10 oz, Off Virginia Beach (1978).
How current is this Virginia white marlin rule?
Source: NOAA HMS 2026, 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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