port antonio — portland (west harbour)
Port city in northeast Jamaica, home of the Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament. Trolling for blue marlin, mahi-mahi and wahoo.
Port Antonio, capital of Portland parish in northeast Jamaica, has two natural harbors and Navy Island at the entrance to West Harbour, home to the Errol Flynn marina. It is the city of the Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament, run by the Sir Henry Morgan Angling Association, which reached its 47th edition in 2010. The same week a canoe tournament for fishermen from Portland and neighboring parishes takes place. The main target is blue marlin, trolled; boats also go after mahi-mahi, wahoo and tuna, such as yellowfin and skipjack. Near the coast there are reefs for bottom fishing. In the tournament, marlin under the minimum weight are released alive.
best season
Offshore fishing all year, depending on the sea. The Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament is usually held between late September and October; hurricanes from June to November.
Local rules: Under the Fisheries Act 2018, anglers need an individual license from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), and boats need a recreational fishing license; only simple line fishing from a river bank or beach is exempt. Licenses are obtained through the NFA's IrieFins platform. A fishing tournament requires NFA permission (art. 48). East Portland Fish Sanctuary, at Turtle Crawl east of town, is a sanctuary: fishing there is an offense (art. 94). Lobster closed season April 1 to June 30. Check local rules.
- getting there
- From Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, the drive goes through the hills or along the east coast. Ian Fleming Airport in Boscobel (St. Mary) is closer, to the west.
- facilities
- Errol Flynn Marina on West Harbour, charter boats, hotels and guesthouses in town and on the east coast. Portland was damaged by Hurricane Melissa (2025): check boats and lodging before you go.
- country
- Portland, Jamaica
tip
Use a circle hook, keep the fight short and release the marlin in the water, without hoisting it aboard. Head out early, before the wind kicks up the sea.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Jamaica
Under the Fisheries Act, 2018, anyone fishing in Jamaican waters needs a license from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), and the boat used in recreational fishing needs a recreational fishing vessel licence, valid for up to 12 months. Only those who fish solely with one line from the beach or a river bank, and those who fish in a lake within a single private property, are exempt from the license. Tournaments need NFA permission. The consulted rules don't give amounts or a separate license for tourists: on a charter boat, confirm with the operator that the boat and angler licenses are in order.
- Lobster: closed season from April 1 to June 30 each year. Catching egg-bearing lobster or lobster with a carapace under 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) is prohibited all year.
- In fish sanctuaries (Special Fishery Conservation Areas), such as Bogue Island Lagoon and Montego Point (Montego Bay), Bluefields Bay, Orange Bay, Discovery Bay, Oracabessa Bay, Galleon Harbour and Three Bays, fishing is prohibited.
- Fishing without the required license, or outside its conditions, is an offense under the Fisheries Act, 2018 (art. 25).
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official The Fisheries Act, 2018 (Jamaica) — texto publicado pela National Fisheries AuthorityArt. 25: fishing license, with exemption (Second Schedule) for line fishing from a river bank or beach; Part VII: recreational fishing boat license; art. 48: tournaments by permission only; art. 94: fishing banned in the sanctuary
- official National Fisheries Authority — 5,615 Fishing Licences Processed Through NFA IrieFins Online Platform (13 de fevereiro de 2025)License required for the angler and the boat, requested through the IrieFins platform; exemption for simple line on the beach or bank; lobster closed season April 1 to June 30 per the website notice
- official Overarching Policy for Jamaica's Protected Areas System (abril de 2026), publicada pela National Fisheries AuthorityAppendix V: East Portland Fish Sanctuary, at Turtle Crawl, declared July 15, 2016, 538 ha, managed by the Alligator Head Foundation
- official JIS — International Marlin Tournament Underway In Portland (11 de outubro de 2010)47th edition, organized by the Sir Henry Morgan Angling Association; midweek canoe tournament; marlin below a certain weight are released