New Hampshire

Saltwater Fishing

New Hampshire › Saltwater Fishing › Commercial Saltwater Fishing — Finfish

Commercial Saltwater Fishing — Finfish

New Hampshire has an active commercial marine fishing industry. Commercial finfish harvesting occurs almost exclusively in federal waters. State licenses may be required to harvest, transport, sell, or possess.

Reporting Requirements: Any person holding a permit to net or harvest from coastal waters must submit a monthly report of fishing activities. Forms are available from the Fish and Game Marine Division. Fishermen must also participate in the National Marine Fisheries Service Vessel Trip Report program, if they have a federal permit for specific species.

Groundfish: See tables below for specific information and Definitions for a list of groundfish species.

No mobile gear may be used to take finfish or crustaceans in state waters.
Minimum mesh size for gillnets and mobile gear is 6.5 inches to take, transport or possess groundfish.
All federally permitted vessels must abide by current federal trip limits for groundfish.

New Hampshire Commercial Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Species	Min. Length (total length)	Limit	Closed Season/Day	Special Rules
American Eel	9 inches	No limit	Fishway closures: October 2 – June 14	See Coastal Harvest Harvest Permit required if taken by any method other than angling
American Plaice*	12 inches	No limit	April 1 – June 30
American Shad	No min. length	No limit	No closed season	All shad taken in State waters must be immediately released Commercial landing cannot exceed 5% of the total landing by weight per trip
Atlantic Cod*	19 inches	See Special Rules	April 1 – June 30	Non-federally permitted vessels fishing in state waters with a commercial saltwater license are restricted to current daily trip limits for common pool vessels pursuant to 50CFR648.86 If federally permitted, current federal regulations and trip limits apply See Gulf of Maine Cod Spawning Protection Area map on Cod Spawning Protection Area
Atlantic Halibut*	41 inches	1 fish per trip/vessel	April 1 – June 30	Head and tail intact
Atlantic Menhaden	No min. length	6,000 lbs./day once state quota harvested	No closed season	Only non-directed or small scale gears permitted in state waters (call 868-1095 for list of allowable gears) See gill net/small-scale purse seine restrictions (Coastal Harvest) No transfer of catch at sea Daily electronic reporting requirement for menhaden dealers
Atlantic Sea Herring	No min. length	No limit	September 23 – November 3 Contact Marine Fisheries for prohibited landing days	Fish and Game Director may revise closure dates Max. incidental catch = 2,000 lbs./day during specific area closures Permit required to possess herring (see License Fees & Requirements) May be possessed without a permit for use as bait when tending lobster and crab pots and recreational fishing
Atlantic Wolffish	No min. length	No limit	Closed	Taking and possession prohibited
Black Sea Bass	11 inches	No limit	No closed season	Length does not include filament/tail extension If harvest with pots or traps call Marine Fisheries (603) 868-1095 for gear specifications
Bluefin Tuna	73 inches CFL**	Variable; see website	No closed season	Under federal management; contact NMFS — 1-888-USA-TUNA or hmspermits.noaa.gov; Commercial saltwater license required for sale
Bluefish	No min. length	No limit	October 1 – June 30 (by any method)
Dogfish, Spiny	No min. length	Contact Marine Division for current trip limits: (603) 868-1095	May 1 – June 30	Subject to additional closures Finning prohibited
Haddock*	16 inches	No limit	April 1 – June 30	Head and tail intact, unless fillet is 10 inches minimum
Monkfish	17 inches	No limit	No closed season	Tails: minimum 11 inches; measured from the anterior portion of the fourth cephalic dorsal spine to the end of the caudal fin Livers: shall not exceed 25% of the total weight of monkfish tails or 10% of the total weight of whole monkfish on any trip
Ocean Pout*		No limit	April 1 – June 30
Pollock*	19 inches	No limit	Gill net: April 1 – June 30
Rainbow Smelt (saltwater)	No min. length	4 liquid quarts/day	Net or Weirs: March 1 – December 15 Inland of Memorial Bridge (Portsmouth)	Head and tail intact Bow nets and dip nets held in hand may be used in: Oyster, Squamscott, Bellamy, and Lamprey Rivers Harvest Permit required for nets (see Coastal Harvest) Commercial saltwater license required to sell
Redfish*	7 inches	No limit	Gill net: April 1 – June 30
River Herring (Alewife/ Blueback Herring)	No min. length	No limit	Closed to all harvest in NH waters
Sharks — Blue, Porbeagle, Shortfin Mako and Thresher	No min. length	No limit	No closed season	Porbeagle — no commercial take in state waters All sharks — head, fins and tail must remain attached through landing Additional federal regulations apply in federal waters (call 1-978-281-9315)
Striped Bass	No min. length	No limit	Closed	Take by netting prohibited; sale prohibited
Sturgeon	No min. length	No limit	Closed	Take and possession prohibited
Summer Flounder*	No min. length	No limit	Closed	Take prohibited
White Hake*	No min. length	No limit	April 1 – June 30
White Perch	No min. length	No limit	Closed	Sale is prohibited
Windowpane Flounder*	No min. length	No limit	April 1 – June 30
Winter Flounder *	12 inches	No limit	April 1 – June 30	If not federally permitted for groundfish, may possess up to 500 lbs./vessel
Witch Flounder*	13 inches	No limit	April 1 – June 30
Yellowtail Flounder*	12 inches	No limit	April 1 – June 30
All groundfish species that are filleted and skinned must retain at least 2 square inches of contiguous skin intact for identification purposes. *Curved fork length - See Definitions.