Check a catch

Spanish Mackerel regulations in New Jersey

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Spanish Mackerel
Is it a keeper? A spanish mackerel is a keeper today if it measures at least 14 inches, with a daily limit of 10.

Spanish Mackerel size limit, season and daily limit

WhereSeasonSize limitDaily limit
NJ marine watersOpen year-round14 inch minimum10 per person per day

Exact NJDEP Fish & Wildlife wording

Season
Open year-round
Size
14"
Limit
10
statewide — as printed
“SPANISH MACKEREL | No Closed Season | 14" | 10”

Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).

Check your spanish mackerel in seconds

Say it, snap a photo, or type the length. SlotGauge answers KEEP or RELEASE using today's New Jersey rules.

Open SlotGauge for Spanish Mackerel

More

American EelBlack DrumBlack Sea BassBluefishCobiaAtlantic CodHaddockPollock

About the spanish mackerel

Atlantic Spanish mackerel

Species of fish

The Atlantic Spanish mackerel is a migratory species of mackerel that swims to the northern Gulf of Mexico in spring, and returns to southern Florida in the eastern Gulf, and to Mexico in the western Gulf in the fall.

Read more about Atlantic Spanish mackerel on Wikipedia →

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.

All 62 New Jersey species A–Z →

Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Spanish Mackerel in New Jersey?

14 inch minimum in New Jersey state waters.

How many Spanish Mackerel can you keep per day in New Jersey?

10 per person per day.

When is Spanish Mackerel season in New Jersey?

Open year-round.

Is my Spanish Mackerel a keeper today?

A spanish mackerel is a keeper today if it measures at least 14 inches, with a daily limit of 10.