Fed. Saltwater Fish Regs
2012 Federal Saltwater Fishing Regulations
The following is a summary
of recreational regulations on selected species applicable to federal waters (3 to 200 miles) off the New Jersey coastline as of this printing (February '12). This information should be used only as a guide, since regulations are constantly being modified.
PLEASE! If you find an error or something changes later in the season, please email me with website information showing the correct data! Thanks, MizMo
For additional information, specific questions, please contact:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), NE regions, 1 Blackburn
Pl., Gloucester, MA 01930-2298.
Federal Regulations (legal database e-CFR):
PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/
Federal updates on permit holder regulations at:
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/doc/nr.htm
Obtain Fisheries Regulation Sheets:
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/info.html
Federal Regulations - HMS only:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/rec_info.htm
Get the Latest Compliance Guides (For Commercial Fishing and for (Recreational - Billfish,Tuna,Shark)
For possession limits call 978-281-9260.
For federal permit applications: 978-281-9370.
Permits Online: http://www.nmfspermits.com/
Local NMFS Enforcement Office 609-528-3315 or 609-390-8303
Tuna quota updates (in season only) 301-713-1279.
Brochures: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/brochures/HMS_Brochures.htm
(Info on Swordfish, Sharks, more detailed regulations info.
Have not completed updating this section yet, as not all of the regs have been posted with 2012 dates in the Federal sites. NOTE: EEZ and NJ are NOT always the same, but if landing/docking your boat in NJ, you must comply with NJ regulations. In some cases, I have Fed/NJ regs matching deliberately because of this. - 3/8/12 MizMo
Table (partially) updated for 2012With some exceptions (see marked dates)Sizes are 2012 as per NOAA NE Multispecies Info Sheet dated January 5, 2012 Or by e-CFR dated February 27, 2012 If not marked "updated" with a date from this year, info may not be current. Info may also be subject to change at any time. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Species |
|
(Number Per Angler Per Day unless otherwise specified) |
|
Unchanged for 2012
Lobster |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Area 3 Info |
|
| 3 3/8 to 5 1/4 inches-carapace length (NJ regs 2012) |
|
|
|
Unchanged for 2012
Striped Bass |
******************* Illegal to fish for or possess in federal waters ******************* |
|
|
UPDATED 5/18/12 as per
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/nr/nrdoc/12/12SFSBSB2012RecSpecsPHL.pdf
Black Sea Bass |
May 19 to Oct. 14 Nov 1 to Dec. 31 |
|
(Excluding Tail Filaments) |
|
|
|
UPDATED 5/18/12 as per
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/nr/nrdoc/12/12SFSBSB2012RecSpecsPHL.pdf
Summer Flounder (Fluke) |
May 5 to Sept. 28 (NJ) | |
| 17.5 inches (NJ) | 5 fish (NJ) | |
|
UPDATED 2/27/12 as per NOAA
Winter Flounder |
March 23 to May 21 Sizes are 2011 as per e-CFR |
|
| 12 inches total length | 2 (NJ Limit) | |
|
Unchanged for 2012
Bluefish |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) | |
| No Minimum |
|
|
|
UPDATED 5/18/12 as per
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/nr/nrdoc/12/12SFSBSB2012RecSpecsPHL.pdf
Scup (Porgy) |
June 6 through September 27 (NJ) | |
| 9 inches (NJ) |
|
|
|
UPDATED 2/27/12 as per NOAA
Cod |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON Off NJ waters) |
|
| 22 inches total length | 10 | |
|
UPDATED 2/27/12 as per NOAA
Haddock |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) |
|
| 18 inches total length | Unlimited | |
|
UPDATED 2/27/12 as per NOAA
Pollock |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) |
|
| 19 inches total length | Unlimited | |
| Spanish Mackerel | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) | |
| 14 inches fork length |
|
|
| King Mackerel | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) | |
| 23 inches fork length |
|
|
| Cobia | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) | |
| 37 inches fork length |
|
|
| Blue Marlin | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes are 2010 as per NMFS HMS Compliance Guide |
Permit Required http://www.nmfspermits.com/ |
| 99 inches, lower jaw - fork length (LJFL) | ||
| White Marlin | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes are 2010 as per NMFS HMS Compliance Guide |
|
| 66 inches, lower jaw - fork length (LJFL) | ||
| Sailfish | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes are 2010 as per NMFS HMS Compliance Guide |
|
| 63 inches, lower jaw - fork length (LJFL) | ||
|
Unchanged for 2012
Spearfish |
******************* Illegal to fish for or possess in federal waters ******************* |
|
| North Altantic Swordfish | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes are 2010 as per NMFS HMS Compliance Guide |
|
| 47 inches, lower jaw - fork length (LJFL) Whole Fish |
Up to 4 per vessel Permit Required http://www.nmfspermits.com/ | |
| South Atlantic Swordfish |
******************* Illegal to fish for or possess in northern federal waters Recreational fishermen from the USA may not fish for or possess any swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean south of 5 degrees North Latitude ******************* |
|
| Shark, Atlantic sharpnose | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) 2010 as per NOAA |
|
| No Minimum Size |
| |
| Sharks (includes all species except dogfish and atlantic sharpnose) |
Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes are 2010 as per NOAA |
|
| 54 inches fork length see Allowable/Prohibited Species! |
NMFS Shark Quick Reference Sheet Permit Required http://www.nmfspermits.com/ NOTE: HMS Permit holders for sharking MUST follow the federal regulations in all waters, including state. |
|
| Sharks - Allowable Species
Large Coastal: Blacktip, Spinner, Tiger, Silky, Nurse, Lemon, Bull, Great Hammerhead, Smooth Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead. Small Coastal: Atlantic Sharpnose, Finetooth, Blacknose, Bonnethead. Pelagic Sharks: Shortfin Mako, Common Thresher, Porbeagle, Oceanic Whitetip, Blue |
Sharks - PROHIBITED Species MUST Be Released Atlantic Angel, Basking, Bigeye Sand Tiger, Sand Tiger, Bigeye Thresher, Bigeye sixgill, Bignose, Carribean Reef, Carribean sharpnose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin mako, Narrowtooth, Night, Sandbar (Brown Shark), Sevengill, Silky, Sixgill, Smalltail, Whale & White Sharks |
|
| Tuna | Season: (NO CLOSED SEASON) Sizes below are 2011 as per NOAA NMFS HMS Tuna Compliance Sheet See also our Tuna ID Page |
|
| Tuna -Big Eye, Yellowfin* |
Minimum 27 inch total curve fork length |
for permit application, possession limits and season updates on TUNA see NMFS Permit Shop |
|
Tuna -Skipjack, Albacore |
No sizelimit | |
| Tuna -Bluefin* |
27 to less than 73 inches curve fork length
report catch to 1-888-872-8862 additional info: http://www.nmfspermits.com/ |
|
|
Species Key:
|
*Permit Required to Possess. | |
| **Possession Limit of 6 per person applies aboard party, charter or dive boats | ||