Spanish Mackerel (also known as Spanish Mackerel, Spanish, Spanish Mack) in North Carolina. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the NCDMF guide, 2026.
In North Carolina, the minimum legal size for Spanish Mackerel is 12 in and the daily bag limit is 15 per person. There is no closed season in NC.
No closed season
Measured fork length. Recreational size/bag identical in state and federal waters; species = US Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), Atlantic migratory group. STATE coastal + joint waters (0-3 mi): 12in FL, 15/day. The same recreational size/bag applies in the federal EEZ under the SAFMC/Coastal Migratory Pelagics plan (Atlantic migratory group of Scomberomorus maculatus). For any in-season federal actions see the latest Mackerel proclamation / SAFMC.
These limits are pulled from the NCDMF recreational size and bag limits. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
North Carolina requires a Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL) for anyone aged 16 or older fishing coastal or joint waters — there is no general shoreline exemption. NC fishing licences.
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