# BVI fishing licence for charter guests: how to apply, fees, limits and what you can catch > BVI fishing licence for charter guests: Form 20A, US$10 application fee, valid 1 month. No billfish, 30 lb per boat, closed seasons. Sourced, 2026. URL: https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/bvi/ Last updated: 2026-10-28 Author: Catamaran Index editorial team Yes: anyone who is not a BVIslander needs a recreational fishing licence from the Conservation & Fisheries Department to take any marine life in the British Virgin Islands; you apply on Form 20A (US$10 application fee; we could not confirm the licence fee itself) and the licence is valid for 1 month, so apply before you arrive. All billfish must be released, and a boat may keep no more than 30 lb of fish. *Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 4 official sources and 3 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 BVI? - **Licence needed:** Yes, for visitors (recreational licence). - **Issued by:** Conservation & Fisheries Department, Road Town, Tortola ([Government of the Virgin Islands](https://www.bvi.gov.vg/content/how-do-i-obtain-fishing-licence)). - **Cost:** **[Not verified]** Application fee USD 10 (gov.vg). The licence fee itself is not verified (an earlier note said about USD 45, unconfirmed). - **Valid for:** Pleasure/recreational licence valid 1 month (BVI Tourism) - Non-BVIslanders need a recreational permit to remove any marine organism. - Apply on Form 20A with a passport copy and the vessel registration. - **[Not confirmed in the official text]** Processing may take about 10 business days (search summary), so apply before arrival. 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 BVI](https://catamaranindex.com/bvi/#licence). ## What can I catch in the BVI? | Species | Scientific name | How it is caught | Best months | IUCN status | Endemic | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Blue marlin | *Makaira nigricans* | offshore trolling — release mandatory | Jun–Oct (peak Aug) ([guide](https://bvivoyager.com/fishing-in-british-virgin-islands/)) | [Vulnerable (VU)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Makaira-nigricans.html) | No | | Wahoo | *Acanthocybium solandri* | trolling | Nov–May ([guide](https://bvivoyager.com/fishing-in-british-virgin-islands/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Acanthocybium-solandri.html) | No | | Mahi-mahi | *Coryphaena hippurus* | trolling | Nov–May ([guide](https://bvivoyager.com/fishing-in-british-virgin-islands/)) | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Coryphaena-hippurus.html) | No | | Bonefish | *Albula vulpes* | fly/light tackle on the flats | Nov–Feb, late Mar–Sep ([guide](https://bvivoyager.com/fishing-in-british-virgin-islands/)) | [Near Threatened (NT)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Albula-vulpes.html) | No | | Tarpon | *Megalops atlanticus* | flats/fly | Mar–Oct ([guide](https://andbeyondyachtcharters.com/blog/in-the-news/bvi-fishing-guide-permits-best-spots-seasons-what-you-can-catch/)) | [Vulnerable (VU)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Megalops-atlanticus.html) | No | | Red hind | *Epinephelus guttatus* | bottom fishing | Not verified | [Least Concern (LC)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-guttatus.html) | No | | Nassau grouper | *Epinephelus striatus* | bottom fishing | Not verified | [Critically Endangered (CR)](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-striatus.html) | No | Notes on these species (local rules and FishBase): - **Blue marlin:** BVI: possession illegal. - **Red hind:** BVI closed 1 Jan–31 Mar. - **Nassau grouper:** BVI closed 1 Mar–31 May. Threatened on the IUCN Red List (global): Blue marlin (VU), Tarpon (VU), Nassau grouper (CR). Best months are from fishing guides (secondary sources); IUCN status from FishBase ([how to read the labels](#labels)). ## Catch limits and fishing rules - No possession of billfish (blue and white marlin, sailfish, swordfish) - Max 30 lb of fish per boat - Closed seasons (no catch, sale or purchase): margate and red hind 1 Jan–31 Mar; Nassau grouper 1 Mar–31 May; turtles 1 Apr–30 Nov; lobster 31 Jul–31 Oct; conch and whelk 15 Aug–31 Oct ## Where to fish from a charter yacht - **North Drop:** blue marlin, wahoo, mahi. *Source: secondary: bvivoyager.com, inthebite.com.* - **Anegada flats:** bonefish, tarpon. *Source: secondary: caribbeanfishingwithbigjoe.com, moorings.com.* 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 - **[Not verified]** BVI National Parks Trust marine parks (e.g. Wreck of the Rhone) — list not verified ## Spearfishing rules We could not confirm spearfishing rules for the BVI. ## On a charter yacht: what guests need to know Guests need a recreational licence from Conservation & Fisheries before fishing. Release all billfish. Keep no more than 30 lb of fish per boat. Planning the trip around the fish? See the [best time to charter in the BVI](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/bvi/), month by month, and the [British Virgin Islands charter overview](https://catamaranindex.com/bvi/). ## See boats in the BVI **[See catamarans for rent in the British Virgin Islands on SamBoat](https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=bvi&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 - Application fee USD 10 (gov.vg). The licence fee itself is not verified (an earlier note said about USD 45, unconfirmed). - Spearfishing and scuba rules: not verified - BVI National Parks Trust marine parks (e.g. Wreck of the Rhone) — list not verified - Best months for Red hind, Nassau grouper ## 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 - [Government of the Virgin Islands: Gov VI – How do I obtain a fishing licence](https://www.bvi.gov.vg/content/how-do-i-obtain-fishing-licence) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [Government of the Virgin Islands: Gov VI – Recreational Fishing brochure](https://bvi.gov.vg/sites/default/files/resources/guide_to_recreational_fishing.pdf) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [Government of the Virgin Islands: Form 20A](https://bvi.gov.vg/sites/default/files/forms/application_for_pleasure_temporary_fishing_licence_-_form_20a.pdf) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [BVI Tourist Board: BVI Tourism – Resources (permits, closed seasons)](https://www.bvitourism.com/resources) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [BVI Voyager (travel guide): BVI Voyager](https://bvivoyager.com/fishing-in-british-virgin-islands/) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [The Moorings (charter company): The Moorings BVI fishing](https://www.moorings.com/blog/bvi-fishing-vacation-top-10-things-to-know) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - [And Beyond Yacht Charters: Page cited for best months by species](https://andbeyondyachtcharters.com/blog/in-the-news/bvi-fishing-guide-permits-best-spots-seasons-what-you-can-catch/) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026. - FishBase species summaries (reference database, IUCN status as shown, Red List 2025-2), checked 28 Oct 2026: [Makaira nigricans](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Makaira-nigricans.html), [Acanthocybium solandri](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Acanthocybium-solandri.html), [Coryphaena hippurus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Coryphaena-hippurus.html), [Albula vulpes](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Albula-vulpes.html), [Megalops atlanticus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Megalops-atlanticus.html), [Epinephelus guttatus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-guttatus.html), [Epinephelus striatus](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-striatus.html). Method: [methodology](https://catamaranindex.com/methodology/#fishing). Data: [JSON](https://catamaranindex.com/api/fishing/bvi.json). ## More on fishing and the BVI - [Fishing on a yacht charter: every destination compared](https://catamaranindex.com/fishing/) - [Best time to charter in the BVI](https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/bvi/) - [British Virgin Islands yacht and catamaran charter: prices, season and licence](https://catamaranindex.com/bvi/) ## FAQ ### Do I need a fishing licence on a charter yacht in the BVI? Yes: anyone who is not a BVIslander needs a recreational fishing licence from the Conservation & Fisheries Department to take any marine life in the British Virgin Islands; you apply on Form 20A (US$10 application fee; we could not confirm the licence fee itself) and the licence is valid for 1 month, so apply before you arrive. All billfish must be released, and a boat may keep no more than 30 lb of fish. ### How much does a fishing licence cost in the BVI? US$10 application fee; licence fee not verified. ### What fish can you catch in the BVI? Common targets include blue marlin, wahoo, mahi-mahi, bonefish, tarpon. Local rules: Blue marlin: bVI: possession illegal; Red hind: bVI closed 1 Jan–31 Mar; Nassau grouper: bVI closed 1 Mar–31 May. ### Can you spearfish in the BVI? We could not confirm spearfishing rules for the BVI. --- Affiliate disclosure: some links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See /affiliate-disclosure/.