New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
New Jersey
Saltwater Fishing
State of New Jersey
Philip D. Murphy, Governor
Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor
Department of Environmental Protection
Catherine R. McCabe, Commissioner
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Dave Golden, Director
Paulette Nelson, Assistant Director
Lisa Barno, Acting Assistant Director
Joe Cimino, Administrator, Marine Fisheries Administration
Jeff Brust, Chief, Marine Fisheries
Russ Babb, Chief, Shellfisheries
Al Ivany, Chief, Information and Education
Sean Cianciulli, Acting Chief, Law Enforcement
Lisa Barno, Chief, Freshwater Fisheries
Jason Hearon, Chief, Land Management
Carole Stanko, Chief, Wildlife Management
John Heilferty, Chief, Endangered and Nongame Species
Cindy Kuenstner, Editor
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is a professional, environmental organization dedicated to the protection, management and wise use of the state’s fish and wildlife resources.
The Digest is available at coastal license agents, bait and tackle shops and Fish and Wildlife offices. Information may be reprinted with permission. Subscriptions are not available.
This Digest is designed and produced by J.F. Griffin Publishing, LLC; www.jfgriffin.com.
Partial funding for the Digest is provided by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program.
Cover photo: Tug brings a caisson door to the reef location. Photo: Paul Bechtel/NJ Fish and Wildlife.
New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Councils
Marine Fisheries Council
Richard N. Herb, Acting Chair
Dr. Eleanor Ann Bochenek
Warren Hollinger
John J. Maxwell
Sergio Radossi
Joe Rizzo
Robert R. Rush, Jr.
Atlantic Coast Shellfish Council
John J. Maxwell, Chair
Walter L. Johnson, III, Vice Chair
Delaware Bay Shellfish Council
Warren Hollinger, Chair
Stephen J. Fleetwood, Vice Chair
Richard Malinowski
Where to Write Us
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife
MC 501-03 • P.O. Box 420 • Trenton, NJ 08625-0420 • NJFishandWildlife.com
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
Our Mission
To protect and manage the state’s fish and wildlife to maximize their long-term biological, recreational and economic value for all New Jerseyans.
Our Goals
• To maintain New Jersey’s rich variety of fish and wildlife species at stable, healthy levels and to protect and enhance the many habitats on which they depend.
• To educate New Jerseyans on the values and needs of our fish and wildlife and to foster a positive human/wildlife co-existence.
• To maximize the recreational and commercial use of New Jersey’s fish and wildlife for both present and future generations.
Hotlines
New Jersey Fish and Wildlife
Report Marine, Shellfish and Finfish Violations
(609) 748-2050 or call the 24-hour DEP Hotline: 877-WARNDEP
Violators of the Marine Fisheries laws are subject to a $30 per fish or $300 to $3,000 fine.
Federal Marine Fisheries Contacts
NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline
24-hour non-emergency tipline (800) 853-1964
NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement — Northeast Enforcement Division HQ
(978) 281-9249
Federal Fisheries Law Enforcement Field Offices
Wall: (732) 280-6490
Northfield: (609) 415-2941
DEP Action Line,
24 Hrs.
The Department has a toll-free telephone hotline number you can use to report environmental incidents, abuses, and complaints in New Jersey or impacting it.
(877) WARN-DEP
(877) 927-6337
Law Enforcement and Regulation Information
Contact a New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife Law Enforcement office that serves the county where you hunt or fish.
- Northern Region — (908) 735-8240
(Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties) - Central Region — (609) 259-2120
(Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties) - Southern Region — (856) 629-0555
(Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties) - Marine Region — (609) 748-2050
(coastal and bay areas) - To report violations anonymously
call Operation Game Thief —
(855) OGT-TIPS
Operation Game Thief
Report Abuse of our Outdoor Heritage!
1-855-OGT-TIPS
24 Hours a Day, Seven Days a Week
The person who poaches, pollutes habitat and abuses public land tarnishes the image of sportsmen and robs us of our fish and wildlife
as well as tax and license dollars. You can make a difference.
Call OGT to report:
- Negligent use of firearms
- Over the limits for game and fish
- Commercial exploitation of fish and wildlife
- Pollution of habitat, dumping on state land
- Destruction of signs and state property
- Illegal killing, taking or possession of any wildlife
It’s Free. It’s Confidential.
You May Be Eligible for a Reward.
Funded by the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs.
Designed to encourage sportsmen to report poaching and wildlife crimes.