Register   |   Login  

2008 NJ Saltwater Fishing Regulations



2008 NJ Minimum Size
Possesion Limits & Seasons


Measure Fish  from tip of snout to tip of tail (except Black Sea Bass). Cleaning or filleting at sea of fish with a minimum size limit is prohibited.


Changes for this year 2008 are Red ink
Species                
Open Season
Min. Total 
Length (inches)
Possession Limit 
(per person/per day)
Summer Flounder
(Fluke)
May 24 to Sept. 7
18"
See also Fed Regs
8
See also Fed Regs
Winter Flounder
March 23 - May 21 &
12"
10
Bluefish
No Closed Season 
No Minimum
15
Weakfish
No Closed Season
13"
6
Black Sea Bass Jan. 1 - Dec. 31
12"
(Excluding Tail Filaments)

25

Black Drum
16"

3
Red Drum
No Closed Season
18"-27"
1
Tautog
Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 4 fish
May 1 - Jul. 15 - CLOSED -
Jul. 16 - Nov. 15 1 fish
Nov 16 - Dec 31 6 fish
14"
Spanish Mackerel
No Closed Season
14"
10
King Mackerel
No Closed Season
23"
3
Porgy (Scup) Jan. 1 - Feb. 28
July 1 - Dec. 31
9"
50
Striped Bass or hybrid striped bass

Del.River & tributarites (Trenton Falls to Salem River & Tributaries) March 1 - March 31 & 
June 1 - Dec. 31
Del.River & tributarites (upstream of Trenton Falls) March 1 - Dec. 31
Atlantic Ocean (0-3miles from shore) No Closed Season
All other marine waters March 1 - Dec. 31

 		 2 fish at equal to 28" or greater
2
Plus 1 striped bass at 28" or greater with Striped Bass Bonus Program Card- but only for those who have won cards as part of this years lottery system (mail in deadline May 31, 2007).
Permits can now be ordered online via the state's website:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bonusbas.htm
No species of fish with a minimum size limit listed above may be filleted or cleaned at sea (except striped bass if fillet is at least 28" long). (Party boats licensed to carry 15 or more passengers may apply for a permit to fillet the above species, except striped bass, at sea.)
Blue crab - license required plus 1998 Requirements
No Closed Season*
Min. Total Length -see crab types below:
1 bushel
 
peeler or shedder
3"
soft
3 1/2"
hard
4 1/2"

 

 * Unless using 
commercial style crab
pots. See Section on crab
pots in saltwater regulations booklet
Hard Clam - license required
No Closed Season
No Harvest On Sunday
License Required
1 1/2"
150 Clams
2008 NJ Minimum Size
Possesion Limits & Seasons


Measure Fish  from tip of snout to tip of tail (except Black Sea Bass). Cleaning or filleting at sea of fish with a minimum size limit is prohibited.


Changes for this year 2008 are Red ink
Species                
Open Season
Min. Total 
Length (inches)
Possession Limit 
(per person/per day)
Atlantic Sturgeon,Shortnose Sturgeon
No Open Season
  
0
American Eel

 
6"
50
Cod
No Closed Season
21"
No limit
Pollock
No Closed Season
19"
No limit
Haddock
No Closed Season
21"
No limit
Cobia
No Closed Season
37"
2
Shad
No Closed Season
No minimum
6
Sharks PROHIBITED: 
Bigeye Sand Tiger, Sand Tiger, Basking, Whale & White Sharks **It is illegal to take, possess or land any or these species**  
SHARK ID CHARTS AVAIL. AT THE STORE
No Closed Season
 48" Nose to tip of tail OR
23 inches from front of dorsal to front of tail fin
2/boat/day

See below for shark permit information
AS of 2003, outside 3 Miles in the EEZ (Federal Waters) a permit is required in order to take sharks! http://www.nmfspermits.com/
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/rec_info.htm
It is not required for sharks taken in the bay, ie: brown sharks.
No species of fish with a minimum size limit listed above may be filleted or cleaned at sea (except striped bass if fillet is at least 28" long). (Party boats licensed to carry 15 or more passengers may apply for a permit to fillet the above species, except striped bass, at sea.)
Lobster--carapace length
No Closed Season
3 3/8" - 5 1/4"
6
Tuna------See Federal Regulations

 

»