Fishing guides › Anguilla & St. Martin
FISHING GUIDE · ST. MAARTEN & ANGUILLA
St. Maarten / St. Martin & Anguilla Fishing Guide
Charters around St. Maarten troll for wahoo, mahi, tuna and marlin, with wahoo best in October and billfish best in summer. Anguilla boats bring back wahoo, mahi and barracuda, and local fishermen catch blue marlin. All three areas have no-fishing marine parks, and Anguilla needs a sport fishing licence.
📍 St. Maarten (Dutch side) and St. Martin (French side) share one island in the northeastern Caribbean; Anguilla is the British territory just to the north. Man of War Shoal Marine Park lies off the south coast of Dutch St. Maarten; the French side's nature reserve covers waters on the northeast side out to Tintamarre.
Map: spots, ramps and marinas
★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)
Open the full Anguilla & St. Martin map →
Quick facts
- Man of War Shoal Marine Park was approved on December 30, 2010, and is managed by the St. Maarten Nature Foundation; no fishing is allowed in it.
- Since 2011 it has been illegal to hunt or harm sharks in St. Maarten waters, and in 2016 the territorial waters were declared a shark sanctuary.
- The St. Martin Billfish Tournament held its 19th edition in 2016; the fleet released 21 blue marlin, 5 white marlin and a spearfish.
- The French Natural Reserve of Saint-Martin was created by decree on September 3, 1998, and bans angling, netting and spearfishing in its marine area.
- Anguilla has eight marine parks, and visitors may not fish inside any of them.
What you can catch
- Blue marlin
Main billfish; most released in the St. Martin Billfish Tournament. Also caught by Anguilla fishermen. - White marlin
Released in the St. Martin Billfish Tournament. - Wahoo
Most common around St. Maarten in October; common Anguilla charter catch. - Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Best from spring through summer. - Sailfish
Caught year-round, best in summer. - Barracuda
Common Anguilla charter catch. - Hinds
Reef fish caught around Anguilla. - Spearfish
Occasional release in the billfish tournament.
Month by month
| January | Offshore trolling; ask captains what is biting. |
|---|---|
| February | Offshore trolling. |
| March | Mahi season starts (spring). |
| April | Mahi. |
| May | Mahi; marlin picking up. |
| June | Summer marlin and sailfish; mahi. Hurricane season begins. |
| July | Best marlin and sailfish months; mahi. |
| August | Marlin and sailfish; hurricane season. |
| September | Hurricane season; fish on good weather days. |
| October | Peak wahoo month around St. Maarten. |
| November | Offshore trolling. |
| December | Offshore trolling. |
Tips
- Stay out of Man of War Shoal Marine Park with fishing gear in the water; the Nature Foundation and Coast Guard patrol it.
- Do not target or harm sharks anywhere in St. Maarten waters.
- On the French side, no angling, netting or spearfishing inside the nature reserve (Rocher Creole and the northeast coast out to Tintamarre).
- In Anguilla, get a sport fishing licence from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources (264-497-2871) before you fish.
- Anguilla marine park moorings are day-use only (6 am - 7 pm), and there is no anchoring at all in Little Bay or Shoal Bay East.
Rules and license
Nature Foundation St. Maarten (Man of War Shoal Marine Park); Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin (French side); Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Anguilla · Official rules page ↗
- Man of War Shoal Marine Park (St. Maarten): no fishing.
- St. Maarten: sharks may not be hunted or harmed; territorial waters are a shark sanctuary.
- St. Maarten (Dutch side) recreational licence requirement: not confirmed; check current rules.
- French St. Martin nature reserve: angling, netting, hoop nets, spearfishing and collecting animals are prohibited in the marine area.
- Anguilla: a sport fishing licence is required; the department's temporary 7-day licence (rod or handline only) is listed at XCD$150 / US$56, check current fee.
- Anguilla marine parks (Little Bay, Rendezvous Bay, Dog Island, Prickly Pear, Sandy Island, Shoal Bay-Island Harbour, Junks Hole, Sombrero): no fishing for visitors, no removing any plant, animal or artifact.
- Anguilla marine park fines go up to EC$5,000 and/or 6 months in prison.
- Saba Bank: rules not confirmed for this guide; check current rules.
Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.
Boat ramps and marinas
The map above shows 8 boat ramps and 13 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.
- Any Way Marine
- Boat ramp near Anse Petit Galet
- Boat ramp near Anse à Corossol
- Boat ramp near Baie de Marigot
- Boat ramp near Baie de la Potence
- Boat ramp near Simpsonbaai
- Bobby's Marina
- Captain Oliver's Marina
- Gateway Marina
- Groot Baai Marina
- Marina Fort Louis
- NICA Marina
- Palapa Marina
- Port de Lonvilliers
- Portofino Marina
- Princess Yacht Club/Port de Plaisance
- Simpson Bay Marina
- Yacht Club at Isle del Sol
Sources
- https://stmaartennews.com/marine/nature-foundation-intercepts-poachers-marine-park-seized-fish-donated-white-yellow-cross-foundation/
- https://thedailyherald.sx/islands/poaching-recorded-in-man-of-war-shoal-park
- https://icriforum.org/st-maartens-man-of-war-shoal-marine-park-established/
- https://reservenaturelle-saint-martin.com/sites/default/files/telechargements/decret_reserve_naturelle_anglais.pdf
- https://www.marlinmag.com/?p=41104
- https://www.vacationstmaarten.com/things-to-do/on-the-water/fishing/
- https://naturalresources.gov.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NEW-MPA-Brochure.pdf
- https://naturalresources.gov.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Temporary-Sport-Fishing-Licence-Template-011-012.pdf
- https://naturalresources.gov.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/application-for-sport-fishing-and-vessel-licence.pdf
- https://naturalresources.gov.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Sport-fishing-licence-form.pdf
- https://anguilla-beaches.com/anguilla-charters-and-fishing.html
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.