Skip to Main Content Skip to Main Navigation

Federal Size and Possession Limits

Facebook

Twitter Email More Print

Brought to you by:

Red text in regulations indicates a change for this year.

Green text denotes proposed regulation changes anticipated to be in effect later in 2012.

Purple text indicates an important note.

See Fish Measurement. See State Recreational Minimum Size, Possession Limits and Seasons for state waters listings of species not included in these federal waters regulations (from 3–200nm). For federal regulation questions, please contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at (978) 281-9260, or go to www.nmfs.noaa.gov.

Species	Season	Minimum Size	Possession Limit (number per angler per day unless otherwise specified)	Notes
Cod	Year round	22″	10 per person per day	For more information go to www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/
Striped Bass	NA	28″ total length	2, plus bonus fish with card, no possession allowed in EEZ	Possession prohibited in federal waters (3–200 nm). See Striped Bass and State Size and Possession Limits for NJ waters.
Dolphin (Mahi mahi)	Year round	None	10 per day, not to exceed 60 per vessel, which ever is less — except on a charter or headboat, then 10 per paying passenger.	For current federal waters regulations (3–200nm), refer to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or call (727) 824-5399.
Marlin, White	Year round	66″ lower jaw– fork length	None	Billfish require Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit when fishing in federal waters (3–200 nm). For permits refer to www.hmspermits.gov or call (888) 872-8862. During any sanctioned billfish tournaments offering prize money, non-offset circle hooks are required for lures with natural bait or natural/artificial bait combos. All non-tournament billfish landings must be reported to NMFS within 24 hours, either online at www.hmspermits.gov or by calling (800) 894-5528. For current regulations refer to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or call (727) 824-5399.
Marlin, Blue	Year round	99″ lower jaw– fork length	None
Roundscale Spearfish	Year round	66″ lower jaw– fork length	None
Sailfish	Year round	63″ lower jaw– fork length	None
Spearfish, Longbill	None	None	Prohibited
Golden Tilefish	Year round	None	None	For current federal waters regulations (3–200nm), refer to www.safmc.net or call toll free (866) SAFMC-10.
Swordfish	Year round	47″ lower jaw– fork length if the head is naturally attached or 29″ cleithrum to caudal keel if the head has been removed.	For anglers: 1 per person, no more than 4 per vessel per trip. For charter vessels: 1 per paying passenger, no more than 6 per vessel per trip. For headboat vessels: 1 per paying passenger, no more than 15 per vessel per trip.	Swordfish, tuna and sharks require an HMS permit when fishing in federal waters (3–200 nm). For permits, refer to www.hmspermits.gov or call (888) 872-8862. All non-tournament swordfish landings must be reported to NMFS within 24 hours either online at www.hmspermits.gov or by calling (800) 894-5528. †Bluefin tuna are managed in two regions; Northern, extending north from the Great Egg Inlet and Southern extending south from Great Egg Inlet. Fishing for bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico is prohibited. Bluefin tuna retention limits may change throughout the season. Visit www.hmspermits.gov or call (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9260 for current information. All recreational bluefin tuna landings must be reported to NMFS within 24 hours either online at www.hmspermits.gov or by calling (888) 872-8862. For current federal waters regulations (3–200nm), refer to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or call (301) 713-2347 for swordfish/sharks or (978) 281-9260 for tunas.
Tuna, Albacore (Longfin)	Year round	None	None
Tuna, Bigeye	Year round	27″ curved fork length	None
Tuna, Bluefin†	January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 or until season is closed.	<27" curved fork length	Prohibited
Tuna, Bluefin†		>27“ to <73" curved fork length	BFT limits can change during the season. Charter/headboat regs changed in April 2012. Prior to departure, check www.hmspermits.gov or 888-USA-TUNA for up-to-date limits.
Tuna, Skipjack	Year round	None	None
Tuna, Yellowfin	Year round	27″ curved fork length	3 per person per trip
Sharks*, other than spiny or smooth dogfish	Year round	54″ fork length for authorized species* except no minimum size for Atlantic sharpnose or bonnethead sharks	1 authorized* shark/vessel/trip plus 1 Atlantic sharpnose and 1 bonnethead shark/person/trip	See below for list of shark groups which MAY be kept or MUST be released. Swordfish, tuna and sharks require an HMS permit when fishing in federal waters (3–200 nm). For permits, refer to www.hmspermits.gov or call (888) 872-8862. Recreational fishermen (those that do not have a limited access commercial shark permit) can not sell, barter or trade any Atlantic shark or shark pieces.
Wahoo	Year round	None	2 per person per day	For more information, contact the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council at (727) 824-5326.
Wreckfish	None	None	Prohibited
*Shark Species That May Be Kept (Authorized Species): Large Coastal Shark—blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, tiger, spinner, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, great hammerhead; Small Coastal Shark—Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, blacknose, finetooth; Pelagic Shark—Shortfin mako, blue, porbeagle, oceanic whitetip and common thresher. Shark Species That MUST Be Released (Prohibited Species): Atlantic angel, basking, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, dusky, Galapagos, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, sandbar, sand tiger, sevengill, silky, sixgill, smalltail, whale and white. Regulations concerning highly migratory species (HMS) such as tuna, swordfish, shark and billfish, are subject to change. Refer to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ for a list of complete federal regulations for highly migratory species. For questions/clarification of the federal highly migratory species regulations, contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at (301) 713-2347 or go to www.nmfs.noaa.gov.

Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

Google Analytics Popular Posts Alert :
Please check/recheck/enter your Google Analytics Profile ID.

Brought to you by:

Conservation Partner Advertisements: The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife allows appropriate advertising in its annual regulation guides in print and online, in order to defray or eliminate expenses to the state, and support enhanced communications with New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Constituents. Through a unique partnership with J.F.Griffin Publishing, LLC & eRegulations.com, ‘Conservation Partners’ have been established that pay for advertising in support of the regulations both in print and online. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife neither endorses products or services listed or claims made; nor accepts any liability arising from the use of products or services listed. Advertisers interested in the Conservation Partners program should contact J.F.Griffin/eRegulations.com directly at 413-884-1001,

This is not the full law. Consult theNew Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife for further details. All persons are reminded that the statutes, code and regulations are the legal authorities.

J.F. Griffin Media reaches 9,000,000 sportsmen every year through our print and digital publications. We produce 30 hunting and fishing regulation guides for 15 state agencies. For advertising information, please visit: www.jfgriffin.com