# Fishing on a charter yacht in the Balearics: boat licence, limits and marine reserves

> Balearic Islands boat fishing licence: €47.21 (up to 6 m) or €77.80, 3 years, covers people aboard. 5 kg per angler, 25 kg per boat, reserves. Sourced.

URL: https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/balearics/
Last updated: 2026-10-28
Author: Catamaran Index editorial team

Yes: fishing from a boat in the Balearics needs a boat fishing licence from the Balearic government (€47.21 for boats up to 6 m, €77.80 over 6 m, valid 3 years), and that licence covers the people aboard, so ask the charter company whether the yacht's licence is current. Each angler may keep up to 5 kg a day, up to 25 kg per boat plus one extra piece, and big-game fishing for tuna, albacore and marlin needs a separate state authorisation.

*Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 4 official sources and 2 secondary sources ([sources](#sources)). Anything we could not confirm is labelled ([how to read the labels](#labels)). Rules change: check with the authority or your charter company before you fish.*

## Do I need a fishing licence on a charter in the Balearics?

- **Licence needed:** Yes, a boat licence covers the people aboard.
- **Issued by:** Dirección General de Pesca, Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB) ([Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB)](https://www.caib.es/seucaib/es/tramites/tramite/98088/)).
- **Cost:** Boat licence: €47.21 up to 6 m; €77.80 over 6 m. Individual (shore): €26.21. Spearfishing: €28.92. Online renewals €10 less (individual) or €15 less (boat).
- **Valid for:** Individual and boat licences: 3 years; spearfishing: 1 year

- Five licence types.
- The boat licence covers boats on list 6ª/7ª or with an EU flag.
- A 'Chárter' licence lets operators take people fishing commercially.
- **[Not confirmed in the official text]** A first boat licence must be issued in person; only renewals can be done online (search summary).
- Big-game fishing (tunas, albacore, marlins etc.) needs a special state authorisation on board.
- Source document: Cuaderno de Pesca Recreativa, Dec 2025 edition (filename '2026').
- Catches are reported via Spain's national app (EU RecFishing framework).

This is a fishing licence. To skipper the yacht yourself you need a sailing licence or résumé, which is a different document: [sailing licence requirements in the Balearics](https://catamaranindex.com/balearics/#licence).

## What can I catch in the Balearics?

| Species | Scientific name | How it is caught | Best months | IUCN status | Endemic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic bluefin tuna | *Thunnus thynnus* | big game — state authorisation | Jun–Oct (peak Aug–Sep) ([guide](https://easyboat.life/blog/fishing-ibiza-boat-charter/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Thunnus-thynnus.html) | No |
| Albacore | *Thunnus alalunga* | trolling — authorisation | May–Aug (S of Mallorca) ([guide](https://easyboat.life/blog/fishing-ibiza-boat-charter/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Thunnus-alalunga.html) | No |
| Dolphinfish (llampuga) | *Coryphaena hippurus* | trolling | Jul–Sep peak ([guide](https://easyboat.life/blog/fishing-ibiza-boat-charter/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Coryphaena-hippurus.html) | No |
| Greater amberjack (círvia) | *Seriola dumerili* | jigging, live bait | Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov ([guide](https://mallorcaguide.com/en/mallorca-guides/fishing-mallorca-top-spots-when-to-go/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Seriola-dumerili.html) | No |
| Common dentex (déntol) | *Dentex dentex* | live bait, jigging | Oct–Apr ([guide](https://easyboat.life/blog/fishing-ibiza-boat-charter/)) | [Vulnerable (VU)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Dentex-dentex.html) | No |
| Pearly razorfish (raor) | *Xyrichtys novacula* | light bottom fishing | Not verified | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Xyrichtys-novacula.html) | No |
| Dusky grouper (anfós) | *Epinephelus marginatus* | bottom/spear (restricted) | Not verified | Not verified ([FishBase](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-marginatus.html)) | No |

Notes on these species (local rules and FishBase):

- **Pearly razorfish (raor):** Closed season in Balearics not verified.

Threatened on the IUCN Red List (global): Common dentex (déntol) (VU). Best months are from fishing guides (secondary sources); IUCN status from FishBase ([how to read the labels](#labels)).

## Catch limits and fishing rules

- Boat: up to 5 kg per angler, max 25 kg per boat per day (5+ anglers), plus one extra piece
- Shore: 5 kg plus one piece per licence per day
- No taking coral, worms, limpets, bivalves or crustaceans (lobsters, crabs, etc.), even for bait
- **[Secondary source]** Recreational dolphinfish (llampuga) season 15 Aug–31 Dec (secondary source; not checked in the cuaderno)
- Marine reserves: special minimum sizes and daily quotas (see the cuaderno tables, e.g. grouper 50 cm and sea bass 43 cm in reserves); spearfishing generally banned in reserves except Palma Bay and Migjorn (with authorisation)

## Where to fish from a charter yacht

- **South of Mallorca / Cabrera channel:** albacore and tuna in summer. *Source: secondary: easyboat.life.*
- **Freus of Ibiza and Formentera (outside reserve zones):** pelagics. *Source: secondary.*
- **North Menorca (outside reserve):** albacore late Jul–Aug. *Source: secondary.*

Spots are suggestions from fishing guides and operators unless an official text is named. Check protected areas before you anchor to fish.

## Protected areas and no-take zones

- Reserva Marina de la Bahía de Palma
- Reserva Marina del Migjorn de Mallorca (Cabo Salinas)
- Reserva Marina del Freu de sa Dragonera (Zona de Alta Protección dels Calafats)
- Reserva Marina del Norte de Menorca
- Reserva Marina de la Illa de l'Aire (Menorca)
- Reserva Marina dels Freus d'Eivissa i Formentera
- Reserva Marina de Llevant de Mallorca and others shown on the cuaderno map
- **[Not verified]** Cabrera National Park (not detailed)

## Spearfishing rules

- Spearfishing: €28.92.
- Spearfishing needs a federation licence or a medical certificate plus insurance; a speargun needs the federation licence.
- Spearfishing in the Palma Bay and Migjorn reserves needs an annual permit.
- Marine reserves: special minimum sizes and daily quotas (see the cuaderno tables, e.g. grouper 50 cm and sea bass 43 cm in reserves); spearfishing generally banned in reserves except Palma Bay and Migjorn (with authorisation)

## On a charter yacht: what guests need to know

The boat needs a boat licence (list 6ª/7ª or EU flag), which covers the people aboard within the per-boat limits. Ask the charter company whether the yacht's licence is current. Big-game fishing needs the state authorisation.

Planning the trip around the fish? See the [best time to charter in the Balearics](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/balearics/), month by month, and the [Balearic Islands charter overview](https://catamaranindex.com/balearics/).

## See boats in the Balearics

**[See catamarans for rent in Mallorca on SamBoat](https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=balearics&pos=fishing)**

Fishing rules apply whoever you book with; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you ([disclosure](https://catamaranindex.com/affiliate-disclosure/)).

## What we could not verify

- Cabrera National Park (not detailed)
- Best months for Pearly razorfish (raor), Dusky grouper (anfós)

## How to read the labels

- **[Secondary source]**: From a non-government source (guide, club, operator or news); not official.
- **[Not confirmed in the official text]**: An official rule we could only read in a search summary, because we could not open the official text.
- **[Not verified]**: We could not confirm it.
- No label: Read in an official source (government, statutory body or the legal text).

Best months come from fishing guides and charter operators (secondary sources), not from regulators: treat them as a guide. IUCN status is the species' global Red List category as FishBase shows it (Red List 2025-2), not a local fishing rule. "Endemic" means FishBase gives a range limited to one sea; "No" means FishBase shows a wide distribution.

## Sources

- [Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB): CAIB Cuaderno de Pesca Recreativa (Dec 2025)](https://www.caib.es/webgoib/documents/81190/1416499/Cuaderno_Pesca+recreativa_2026_es.pdf/f43b0f82-e0b4-54dc-ee5f-4f633807fa88?t=1767968957779) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB): CAIB trámite licencia](https://www.caib.es/seucaib/es/tramites/tramite/98088/) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Govern de les Illes Balears (CAIB): CAIB trámite (licencia embarcación)](https://www.caib.es/seucaib/es/200/persones/tramites/tramite/4209946/) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Spanish Government (administracion.gob.es): administracion.gob.es – big-game authorisation](https://administracion.gob.es/pagFront/buscadortramites/detalleTramite.htm?idT=12746) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Easyboat (boat rental): Easyboat Ibiza fishing](https://easyboat.life/blog/fishing-ibiza-boat-charter/) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- [Mallorca Guide: Page cited for best months by species](https://mallorcaguide.com/en/mallorca-guides/fishing-mallorca-top-spots-when-to-go/) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- FishBase species summaries (reference database, IUCN status as shown, Red List 2025-2), checked 28 Oct 2026: [Thunnus thynnus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Thunnus-thynnus.html), [Thunnus alalunga](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Thunnus-alalunga.html), [Coryphaena hippurus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Coryphaena-hippurus.html), [Seriola dumerili](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Seriola-dumerili.html), [Dentex dentex](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Dentex-dentex.html), [Xyrichtys novacula](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Xyrichtys-novacula.html), [Epinephelus marginatus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-marginatus.html).

Method: [methodology](https://catamaranindex.com/methodology/#fishing). Data: [JSON](https://catamaranindex.com/api/fishing/balearics.json).

## More on fishing and the Balearics

- [Fishing on a yacht charter: every destination compared](https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/)
- [Best time to charter in the Balearics](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/balearics/)
- [Balearic Islands yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence](https://catamaranindex.com/balearics/)

## FAQ

### Do I need a fishing licence on a charter yacht in the Balearics?

Yes: fishing from a boat in the Balearics needs a boat fishing licence from the Balearic government (€47.21 for boats up to 6 m, €77.80 over 6 m, valid 3 years), and that licence covers the people aboard, so ask the charter company whether the yacht's licence is current. Each angler may keep up to 5 kg a day, up to 25 kg per boat plus one extra piece, and big-game fishing for tuna, albacore and marlin needs a separate state authorisation.

### How much does a fishing licence cost in the Balearics?

€47.21 (boat up to 6 m) or €77.80 (over 6 m), 3 years.

### What fish can you catch in the Balearics?

Common targets include Atlantic bluefin tuna, albacore, dolphinfish, greater amberjack, common dentex. Local rules: Pearly razorfish: closed season in Balearics not verified.

### Can you spearfish in the Balearics?

Spearfishing: €28.92. Spearfishing needs a federation licence or a medical certificate plus insurance; a speargun needs the federation licence.

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