What does X fish per day mean regarding regulations?

[The Bill TM]

How do fishing regulations work for multiday fishing trips, is a fish limit per day dictated by a 24 hour span, does it reset at midnight or does it mean from the time you leave the dock to the time you return?

Also is it different for state vs. federal regulations?

[chrislars]

pretty sure all the regs are written X amount of fish per day. i would assume that is within a 24 hour period. now, how you prove you have been at sea multiple days with a boat load of fish if the F&G guys stop you is another story, haha.

[CatchEmUp]

I've always understood it to mean a 24-hour day (from 12:01am to midnight), having nothing to do with when you leave and return from the dock. The following day, you've got a new limit.

[jerseyhunter]

Goes by the day. Friday, Saturday, Sunday , Monday etc. If you catch your limit in the am that's it till the next day. Possession and limit are 2 different things depending on what your doing.

[tautog]

I believe it varies by species. I know in the Gulf of Maine over 15 hours with 2 licensed captain and you can start keeping your second cod limit. But I have been told that the sea bass limit is a trip limit, i.e. a 25 hr trip doesn't entitle you to two limits. That is why they run 18 hr trips, not 25 hr trips. Other wise you could run a 7 hr longer trip, charge 50% more and people could keep double the fish.

[frugalfisherman]

Possession, possesssion, possession. It all depends on how many you have when you get checked. 4:01 friday afternoon and you got 6 fluke it's a fine no matter when you caught them. Might as well have 8 because it's $136 1 over or 3.

[Fishguts]

Possession, possesssion, possession. It all depends on how many you have when you get checked. 4:01 friday afternoon and you got 6 fluke it's a fine no matter when you caught them. Might as well have 8 because it's $136 1 over or 3.

Really ??????
I believe the ops post was a bit more general of a question. May want to have a look into what management complex the fish is coming from before blanket statements are posted. The real answer is more along the lines of what fish do you plan on landing ,is it in state or federal waters ,and what state do you plan on landing the fish in. Is the targeted fish part of the NE ,MA ,SE ,Gulf or west coast plans. It can be a complex answer including possession is twice daily bag limits , boat limits, for hire bag limits, capt crew bag limits , on water check or transport check. Just an example of how complex the question could get is the Multiple day New England trips targeting ground fish pelagic and seabass. Some of the fish will be trip limit, some will be boat limit and some will be multi day limit. A suggestion to the op is call the for hire capt and get a good understanding of your limits prior to booking .