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Puerto Rico · PR
Puerto Rico
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA)
Rules change by area and can change mid-season. We explain what the rules mean and always link you to the official source — we never copy a limit table and call it current.
Licences — what you need
- • A recreational fishing licence from the DRNA is required for salt and fresh water; licences are sold online and through authorized agents around the island.
- • Federal (US) rules layer on top offshore: highly migratory species such as marlin, tuna and sharks need the federal HMS permit for the vessel, separate from the island licence.
How the rules are organized
- • Territory rules govern inshore waters (the San Juan lagoons' famous tarpon fishery included); Caribbean Fishery Management Council rules govern federal waters beyond the territorial sea.
- • Several marine reserves (La Parguera, Culebra and others) are no-take or gear-restricted zones inside otherwise fishable coastline.
Good to know — common mistakes
- • Tarpon in the San Juan lagoon system are fished catch-and-release by universal local practice.
- • Freshwater fishing in the island reservoirs (largemouth and peacock bass, tilapia) uses the same DRNA licence as the coast.
Official links
Fishing locations covered in this guide
This page is a plain-language summary, not the law. Regulations change — including in-season by official notice — and if anything here disagrees with the official source, the official source governs.
AnglerPlan is an information service, not a regulator. If anything here disagrees with an official source, the official source wins — and please tell us so we can fix it.