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2013 American Shad Fishery Closure for All NJ Waters Except Delaware River and Delaware Bay

March 4, 2013
PUBLIC NOTICE

In accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:25-6.17, upon this public notice, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council, in coordination with the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council, and the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, has modified the regulations for American shad in fresh waters of the state. This public notice, coupled with regulation changes for marine waters, effective January 1, 2013, the regulations for American shad in New Jersey waters are such:

All American shad fisheries (both commercial and recreational), in both marine and fresh waters, with the exception of the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries, are closed (no possession, take or harvest). The recreational possession limit in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries is 3 fish with no minimum size and an open season all year. Commercial net regulations for American shad in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and its tributaries will remain the same.

These American shad regulations were taken to comply with Amendment 3 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) management plan for American shad and river herring due to concerns about the significant coastwide decline of American shad stocks. Amendment 3 of the ASMFC fishery management plan for American shad (pdf, ASMFC site) prohibits both the recreational and commercial harvest of American shad in the waters of states that do not have an ASMFC-approved sustainable management plan.

Working in conjunction with state partners from the Delaware River Basin Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (CO-OP), a sustainability plan for American shad was developed for the Delaware River estuary and subsequently approved by ASMFC's Shad and River Herring Board. There was insufficient information available to develop sustainability plans for other American shad stocks.

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Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402

Last Updated: March 4, 2013