What special fishing regulations apply at Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)?

Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Mississippi's statewide 2026 rules, covering Red drum (redfish) and Spotted seatrout (speckled trout). One of them reads: "Federal National Park Service Gulf Islands National Seashore; barrier-island offshore fishery — bull redfish + cobia + spanish mackerel + king mackerel + sharks; MDMR saltwater licence required; NPS rules apply on island shoreline + dunes." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)'s special rules replace Mississippi's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Mississippi's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Gulf Islands seashore by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

2026 regulation year

Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) 2026 — Mississippi Fishing Regulations

Mississippi statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 9, 2026

Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Mississippi's 2026 fishing rules — covering Red drum (redfish), Spotted seatrout (speckled trout). Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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Watch Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) (MS) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

Federal National Park Service Gulf Islands National Seashore; barrier-island offshore fishery — bull redfish + cobia + spanish mackerel + king mackerel + sharks; MDMR saltwater licence required; NPS rules apply on island shoreline + dunes
Source: Mississippi special-water list

Per-species rules on Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)

Red drum (redfish) regulations →
18 – 30 in slot, 3 / day; bull reds above 30 in C&R only; NPS shoreline rules apply
Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) regulations →
15 in min, 15 / day; barrier-island deep-cut trophy pattern

Official source

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks publishes the authoritative 2026 Mississippi fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Mississippi fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Mississippi trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Mississippi

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)?: Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Mississippi's statewide 2026 rules, covering Red drum (redfish) and Spotted seatrout (speckled trout). One of them reads: "Federal National Park Service Gulf Islands National Seashore; barrier-island offshore fishery — bull redfish + cobia + spanish mackerel + king mackerel + sharks; MDMR saltwater licence required; NPS rules apply on island shoreline + dunes." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)?: Yes. Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore) is in Mississippi, so a valid Mississippi fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Gulf Islands seashore; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Mississippi rules.
Do Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore)'s special rules replace Mississippi's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Mississippi's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Gulf Islands seashore by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Gulf Islands seashore?: Red drum (redfish) and Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) have a water-body-specific rule on Cat Island + Ship Island + Horn Island + Petit Bois Island (Gulf Islands National Seashore), each linking to its full Mississippi regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Mississippi limits.

← Back to Mississippi regulations overview