Fishing in Virgin Islands National Park

Virgin Islands National Park covers much of the water and sea floor surrounding St. John, in the U. S. Virgin Islands.

That means a significant portion of the fishing around the island happens inside park boundaries — reef structure, shallow bays, rocky headlands, and the waters between cays.

The adjacent Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument adds another layer of protected water to the east. Understanding where you are on the water matters here more than in most places.

The park's inshore fishing runs across coral reef, rocky cay edges, and shallow flats. Bottom fishing over reef structure produces snapper, parrotfish, rock hind, and grunts.

Trolling around rocky cays and jutting headlands brings in Spanish mackerel, kingfish, barracuda, and amberjack. The shallow lagoons and flats hold bonefish, tarpon, jacks, and small sharks — accessible by wading or from a small boat.

Tarpon and bonefish are catch-and-release only within the park. Caribbean spiny lobster, conch, and whelk can be taken if you find them, subject to current DPNR regulations.

Cabritte Horn has designated yellow fishing moorings — the only park moorings where fishing is permitted. Permits for those moorings are issued through the National Park Service office in Cruz Bay.

Fishing from all other park moorings is prohibited, as is fishing within boat exclusion areas and mooring fields. No fishing is allowed at the NPS Redhook dock, Cruz Bay finger pier, or bulkhead between 8 a. m. and 5 p. m.

Commercial fishing and day charters are prohibited in park waters. Spearfishing is prohibited throughout the park, and spearfishing equipment must be broken down when transiting NPS or Monument waters. Nassau grouper and goliath grouper cannot be taken.

Fish traps must follow traditional West Indian design with a biodegradable door, and be tagged and registered with DPNR.

In the Coral Reef National Monument, fishing and take of any kind is prohibited except by NPS-issued permit for use on designated fishing moorings only. A recreational fishing license through GoOutdoorsUSVI is required.

Check current DPNR requirements before you go — exemptions exist, but the rules have layers here, and the park adds its own on top of territorial regulations.

One thing worth knowing before you wet a line: barracuda and amberjack in these waters carry a real ciguatera risk. Larger fish of those species are more likely to carry the toxin. Ask local fishermen before keeping anything you're unsure about.