Species Profile

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Research conducted in various coastal habitats in New Jersey provides valuable data for stock assessments of numerous species. Continue reading to learn more about the important species highlighted in the surveys discussed on the previous pages.

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)

Photo of an American Eel lying on a wet, muddy shoreline. The eel has a long, slender, greenish body and is partially curved on the surface. — American Eel resting on a muddy shoreline. This migratory species is commonly found in New Jersey’s freshwater and estuarine habitats and plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Regulated harvest helps maintain sustainable populations.

Features: Brownish, greenish to black or gray above whitish belly. Slender, snake-like body. Small, pointed head. One long dorsal fin extends more than half of the body. One small gill slit before pectoral fin. Up to 60 inches long.

Habitat: Greenland to the Gulf States, Bahamas and Bermuda. Prefer shallow water in fresh or estuarine environments.

Behavior: Catadromous = Larval stage eels ascend freshwater streams and rivers in North America to live until sexually mature, when they migrate to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die. Nocturnal foragers.

American Lobster (Homarus americanus)

Photo of an American Lobster with large claws, segmented tail, and long antennae, displayed on a white background. — American Lobster shown in detail with powerful claws and a segmented tail. Found in cold Atlantic waters, this species is managed under strict harvest regulations to support healthy marine populations and sustainable fishing practices.

Features: Olive-green or greenish-brown with orange, reddish or black speckles. Body cylindrical and smooth. Long antennae measure 2 inches and split in “Y” structures with pointed tips. Armed with asymmetrical pair of claws. Three pairs of walking legs. Grow to 25 inches and 44 pounds.

Habitat: Most abundant Maine and Massachusetts but found in offshore areas Maine through Virginia.

Behavior: Prefer cold, shallow water. Molt 25 times in their first 5–7 years. Feed on bottom dwelling fish and crustaceans. Can regenerate some parts of their body as needed: claws, legs and antennae.

Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)

Photo of a Black Sea Bass lying on a white surface, showing its dark, patterned body, spiny dorsal fin, and slightly rounded tail. — Black Sea Bass pictured on a white background with distinctive dark markings and sharp dorsal spines. Commonly caught off the New Jersey coast, this species is managed with size and seasonal regulations to support healthy fishery stocks.

Features: Blackish to gray on body and fins. Centers of scales white. Unpaired fins with white streaks and margins. Bars or dark stripes on sides. Caudal fin rounded with trailing filaments. Up to 2 feet and 9 pounds.

Habitat: Massachusetts to Florida. Rocky and soft bottoms around reefs, pilings and jetties.

Behavior: Hermaphroditic (all start out as females). Feed on invertebrates.

River Herring: Blueback and Alewife (Alosa aestivalis and Alosa pseudoharengus)

Features: Alewife – Grayish to bluish green dorsally. Sides and ventral area silvery with a dark spot behind the gill plate. Deep bodied with large eyes and white body cavity lining. Blueback – Dark blue fading to pale blue dorsally. Sides and ventral area silvery with a dark spot behind the gill plate. Moderately deep bodied with small eyes and black body cavity lining. Adults of both species range from 12–15 inches.

Side-by-side photo comparison of an Alewife and a Blueback Herring, both shown on measuring boards. The Alewife has a lighter belly and larger eye, while the Blueback appears darker and more streamlined. — Side-by-side photo of an Alewife (top) and Blueback Herring (bottom) on measuring boards. Alewife typically have a deeper body and lighter coloration, while Blueback Herring have darker backs and more slender profiles. Proper identification is critical, as both river herring species are protected in New Jersey.

Habitat: Nova Scotia to South Carolina with bluebacks ranging as far south as the St. John River in Florida. Adults feed and overwinter in nearshore waters out to the continental shelf.

Behavior: Filter feeders. Anadromous spawners, adults migrate to coastal streams and rivers every spring to spawn in freshwater. Juveniles mature in freshwater nursery grounds and join the coastal migration in the fall.

Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Close-up photo of a cluster of Eastern oysters with rough, ridged shells in various shades of brown, gray, and white—commonly found in estuarine habitats. — Eastern oysters in a harvested cluster, showing their rough, textured shells. Native to New Jersey’s estuaries, oysters are ecologically important filter feeders and support both commercial harvest and shell recycling programs aimed at restoring healthy reef habitats.

Features: Bivalve, consisting of two shells attached at one end by a hinge and large muscle. Variable in shape. Pale white to gray shell. Shell has rough ridges or bumps. Average 3–5 inches.

Habitat: Ocean and estuarine waters from Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada to the Gulf States. Abundant in shallow, saltwater bays, lagoons and estuaries.

Behavior: Filter feeders. One adult oyster can filter significant amounts of water each day. Found in water 8–25 feet deep. Intolerant to prolonged exposure to freshwater.

Hard Clam (Mercenaria mercenaria)

Close-up photo of a red basket filled with freshly harvested hard clams (quahogs), showing dark, ridged shells in various sizes. — Freshly harvested hard clams (quahogs) collected in a red basket. Commonly found in New Jersey’s coastal bays, hard clams are harvested under strict shellfish regulations to ensure public health and sustainable fisheries.

Features: Bivalve. Rounded shell with equal size halves hinged at one end. Gray to white. Concentric growth rings on outside of shell. Inside of shell white with violet marking. Can grow up to 5 inches.

Habitat: Canada to Florida. Most abundant between Cape Cod and New Jersey. Found in sand or muddy sand in bays and along ocean beaches.

Behavior: Grow quickly. May live 20–25 years. Prefer saltwater and cannot survive if salinity is too low.

Tautog (Tautoga onitis)

Smiling angler wearing sunglasses and an orange life vest holds a large Tautog (blackfish) with both hands aboard a boat on open water. — An angler proudly displays a Tautog (blackfish) caught off the New Jersey coast. Known for their strong fight and tasty fillets, Tautog are typically found around reefs and rocky bottoms and are regulated seasonally to maintain healthy populations.

Features: Color varies with habitat. Shades of brownish or grayish green to blackish brown. Females and smaller fish mottled with irregular bars. Large males more uniformly colored with a pale blotch on each side. Can grow to 36 inches and over 25 pounds.

Habitat: Nova Scotia to South Carolina. Most common between Cape Cod and the Chesapeake Bay.

Behavior: Prefer to be near the bottom, around coastal rocks, pilings, artificial reefs and wrecks. Migratory. Long lived, up to 40 years old.