Fishing guides › Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago
FISHING GUIDE · BARBADOS
Barbados Fishing Guide
Barbados offshore boats troll for blue and white marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahi, and the main game fish season runs January to April. Flying fish are the island's biggest fishery, making up more than half of all fish landed. Folkestone (the Barbados Marine Reserve) and Carlisle Bay are no-fishing parks, and turtles and egg-bearing lobsters are fully protected.
📍 Barbados, the easternmost Caribbean island. Charters leave from Bridgetown, and the Barbados International Fishing Tournament is based at Port St. Charles Marina in St. Peter. Folkestone Marine Reserve is on the west coast in St. James; Carlisle Bay Marine Park is in St. Michael.
Map: spots, ramps and marinas
★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)
Open the full Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago map →
Quick facts
- The flying fish is a national symbol of Barbados; it is on the dollar coin and in the national dish, cou-cou and flying fish.
- About 94% of the flying fish catch is landed from December to June, with peaks in December-January and May-June.
- The Barbados Game Fishing Association was founded in 1961 and runs the five-day Barbados International Fishing Tournament each April at Port St. Charles.
- The Barbados Marine Reserve regulations date from 1981 and ban taking fish with spearguns, hooks and other devices in the reserve.
- Fishing is prohibited in Folkestone and Carlisle Bay marine parks.
What you can catch
- Blue marlin
Released in the Barbados International Fishing Tournament. - White marlin
Released in the tournament. - Sailfish
Released in the tournament. - Yellowfin tuna
Main catch off the west and south coasts; trophy fish weighed in the tournament. - Wahoo
Common offshore catch. - Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Common offshore catch; called dolphin locally. - Kingfish
Main catch off the west and south coasts. - Barracuda
Common; the tournament has a national barracuda record category.
Month by month
| January | Game fish season (Jan-Apr). Flying fish peak. |
|---|---|
| February | Game fish season; flying fish in season. |
| March | Game fish season; flying fish in season. |
| April | Barbados International Fishing Tournament (five days, Port St. Charles). End of main game fish season. |
| May | Flying fish second peak. |
| June | Flying fish second peak; season ends. Hurricane season begins. |
| July | Off season for flying fish; hurricane season. |
| August | Hurricane season; fish on good weather days. |
| September | Hurricane season; fish on good weather days. |
| October | Hurricane season; fish on good weather days. |
| November | Flying fish boats start working. |
| December | Flying fish season starts and peaks. |
Tips
- Do not fish in Folkestone Marine Reserve (St. James) or Carlisle Bay Marine Park, and do not take shells or coral.
- Never take, buy or disturb sea turtles, their eggs or nests.
- Release any lobster carrying eggs.
- Sea eggs (white sea urchins) have been under a harvest ban since 2005; only take them if the season is officially opened.
- Many Barbados captains still teach traditional hand-lining; ask for it if you want to try.
Rules and license
Fisheries Division, Barbados (Ministry responsible for Fisheries); National Conservation Commission / Parks and Beaches (Barbados Marine Reserve) · Official rules page ↗
- Visitor sport fishing licence: not confirmed; check current rules (charter boats handle their own licensing).
- Barbados Marine Reserve (Folkestone): no taking fish with spearguns, hooks or similar devices; no removing shellfish or starfish.
- Folkestone and Carlisle Bay marine parks: no fishing.
- West and south coast marine managed areas (approved 2021) include fishery replenishment zones where fishing is prohibited.
- Turtles: no fishing for, possessing, buying or selling turtles or turtle eggs.
- Lobster: no possessing, selling or buying lobster carrying eggs.
- Sea eggs: closed unless the season is opened by Cabinet; check current rules.
- Bag and size limits for game fish: check current rules.
Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.
Boat ramps and marinas
The map above shows 1 boat ramps and 3 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.
- Boat ramp near Carlisle Bay
- Port St. Charles
- Shallow Draft
- The Careenage
Sources
- https://www.visitbarbados.org/marine-parks
- https://www.visitbarbados.org/fishing
- https://www.visitbarbados.org/sport-fishing-bajan-fishing
- https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/03/29/more-prize-money-for-sir-charles-williams-international-fishing-tournament/amp/
- https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/?p=523718
- https://leap.unep.org/en/countries/bb/national-legislation/marine-areas-preservation-and-enhancement-barbados-marine-reserve
- https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bar18057.pdf
- https://cbc.bb/news/local-news/sea-egg-season-still-closed
- https://barbadospocketguide.com/our-island-barbados/animals/marine-life/flying-fish.html
- https://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/Docs/Flying-Fish-Book/FF_ch_01.pdf
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.