Big Game Fishing in Mauritius: Marlin Season, Costs and Rules
Marlin, tuna and wahoo: when to go, where boats leave from, what a day at sea costs and what the law says for recreational anglers.
You can catch marlin off Mauritius all year, but the main season runs from October or November to April, with the best action between November and March according to fishing guides. Most trips head out from Black River on the west coast, where the sea floor drops away quickly. As a rough guide, a boat for four people from Black River costs Rs 13,000 for half a day and Rs 18,000 for a full day.
When is the best time for marlin?
Blue, black and striped marlin are caught throughout the year. Booking guides put the best window between November and March, while some operators say the season starts in October and finishes in April. The sources disagree on the opening month, so treat November to March as the period they all cover.
One of the guides also rates June highly for sailfish, tuna, mahi-mahi and wahoo. Local operators say a full summer day can bring several big-game species (marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dorado, bonito), but marlin is never guaranteed.
Where do the boats leave from?
Le Morne Brabant, at the south-western tip, puts deep water close to shore. Black River is the main departure point on the west coast: many charters board there, and one guide says the billfish competition starts from Black River in late January. In the north, Grand Baie is the base for trips to the nearby islets, where anglers find marlin, mahi-mahi and tuna. The Soudan Banks, offshore reefs roughly 100 miles out, are mentioned for large trevally, marlin, sailfish and tuna.
On 7 November 2025, the first trip of the season, a 1,072 lb blue marlin (about 486 kg) was weighed at the Le Morne Anglers Club in Black River Bay. It was hooked about two miles off Le Morne mountain and took roughly two and a half hours to land. That is an exceptional fish rather than an average one, but it shows the scale of what swims off the south-west.
How much does a day at sea cost?
Charters are priced per boat, not per person. An operator listed by a villa-rental platform charges Rs 13,000 for half a day and Rs 18,000 for a full day from Black River, for a group of four. The same platform lists deep-sea fishing from Flic en Flac from Rs 10,000, and gives a general range of about 230 to 500 euros for a private boat.
These are operators’ asking prices, not official rates, and the page is undated. Ask for a current quote and check what it covers: duration, number of passengers, tackle, meals and drinks.
What does the law say for recreational anglers?
The Fisheries Act 2023 (Act No. 15 of 2023) treats recreational and commercial fishing differently. Section 120 exempts anyone who fishes for sport or recreation from the registration required of artisanal and bank fishers. A booking guide adds that you do not need a licence on a charter boat.
The rules tighten once the fish are sold. Under section 116, a pleasure craft registered under the Tourism Authority Act that fishes for sport but sells or barters its catch counts as a fishing vessel and needs a licence. Section 119 also requires a fishmonger licence to sell fish. Keeping your own catch is therefore not treated like reselling it.
Keep the fish or release it?
On a charter the fish normally belong to the boat, and you can ask the captain whether you may keep one or two for dinner. The rules of the 2024 La Pirogue Marlin World Cup, held from 10 to 14 December 2024, show the other approach: any marlin estimated at 400 lb or less must be released, as must all sailfish, spearfish and sharks, with non-offset circle hooks for bait and 130 lb line. The tournament follows IGFA rules. Those are competition rules, not the law.
It is worth asking the captain before you book whether the boat releases marlin, and on what kind of hook.
The state of the blue marlin stock in the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) 2025 assessment finds that Indian Ocean blue marlin is overfished and subject to overfishing, with a probability of 97.4% in the chosen model. The 2024 catch was about 10,420 tonnes, above the estimated maximum sustainable yield of 8,351 tonnes. Over 2020 to 2024, line fishing accounted for 46% of catches, longline 30.6% and gillnet 18.2% across the whole ocean, and the summary does not break out sport fishing.
That may be a reason to choose a captain who practises release.
Living near the fishing ports
If you want to get out on the water regularly, look at Black River, Le Morne or Flic en Flac. Westimmo lists property in Black River and Tamarin, two bases on the west coast, and our article on property in Le Morne and La Gaulette covers the south-western tip; living in Flic en Flac describes daily life further north. For other trips at sea, see swimming with dolphins in Tamarin, scuba diving and sports and leisure on the island. If the sea worries you, read our article on sharks.
Sources and verifications
- FishingBooker: guide to fishing in Mauritius (seasons, ports, licences)
- Marlin Magazine: 1,072 lb blue marlin weighed at the Le Morne Anglers Club (7 November 2025)
- Villanovo: indicative prices for big-game fishing trips
- La Pirogue Marlin World Cup: 2024 rules
- Fisheries Act 2023 (full text, FAOLEX): sections 116, 119 and 120
- Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC): blue marlin stock status, 2025
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