Black Marlin (also known as Marlin) in Northern Territory. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the NT Fisheries guide, 2026.
In Northern Territory, Black Marlin has no minimum legal size and the possession limit is 1 per person (combined limit for marlin AND sailfish together), with a possession limit of 1 per person (combined marlin-and-sailfish limit). There is no closed season in NT.
No closed season
NT black marlin has no minimum size and a possession limit of 1, combined with sailfish and the other marlins (black, blue and striped). Predominantly a catch-and-release sportfish. A General Personal Possession Limit of 15 fish applies overall.
These limits are pulled from the NT Fisheries recreational fishing possession and size limits. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Northern Territory Government — NT Fisheries (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
The Northern Territory does not require a recreational fishing licence or a recreational boat licence — but you must follow recreational boat laws. A General Personal Possession Limit of 15 fish applies on top of the per-species limits. NT recreational fishing rules.
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.
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