New Jersey Lobster Regulations

 

Lobster Minimum Size Measurement -- carapace  

(Rear of eye socket to rear of body shell)

 

 

The following are excerpts from the New Jersey

Administrative Code Title 7 supplemented on August 19, 2002:

 

7:25-14.1  Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:  "Lobster" means the American lobster Homarus americanus.

 

7:25-14.13  Size of lobster taken

(a)  A person shall not take from the marine waters of this State by any means, import, export, offload at any port, have in his or her possession, buy, sell or offer to buy or sell, any American lobster of the genus and species Homarus americanus, which when measured from the rear end of the eye socket along a line parallel to the center line of the body shell to the rear end of the body shell is less than the lengths listed below after the dates stipulated.

 

                                                After                                             Minimum Size (Inches)

 

                                          August 19, 2002                                                3-⁵/₁₆

 

                                          July 1, 2003                                                       3-¹¹/₃₂

 

                                          July 1, 2004                                                       3-³/₈

 

(e)  The maximum size limits…. do not apply to the recreational harvest of American lobster. The minimum size limit for American lobster harvested for recreational purposes shall comply with those stipulated in (a) above and shall not be sold, offered for sale or bartered.

 

7:25-14.14      Lobster possession limits

American lobster taken by hand or any gear or methods other than otter trawl, fish or lobster pot or fish or lobster trap shall be limited to six lobsters per person in possession or taken in any one calendar day. 

 

7:25-14.15      Prohibitions

(a)  A person shall not take from the marine waters of this State by any means, import, export, offload at any port, have in his or her possession, buy, sell or offer to buy or sell, any American lobster with eggs attached, or from which the egg have been removed. 

(b)  A person shall not possess a female lobster bearing a v-shaped notch (that is, a straight-sided triangular cut without setal hairs, at least one-quarter inch in depth and tapering to a sharp point) in the flipper next to the right of the center flipper as viewed from the rear of the female lobster.  V-notched female lobster also means any female which is mutilated in a manner which could hide, obscure or obliterate such a mark.  The right flipper will be examined when the underside of the lobster is down and its tail is toward the person making the determination. 

(c)  A person shall not use any spear, gig, gaff or other penetrating device as a method of capture of lobster. 

 

7:25-14.19  Administrative notice

The Commissioner, with the approval of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council, may modify minimum or maximum size limits, pot and trap limits, trip limits and possession limits in this section by notice in order to maintain compliance with any fishery management plan approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission pursuant to 16 U.S.C.§ 5104(b). The Department shall publish notice of any such modification by filing and publishing a notice of administrative change in the New Jersey Register and a notice in the Division’s commercial regulation publication. All such notices shall be effective when the Department files the notice with the Office of Administrative Law or as specified otherwise in the notice.

 

7:25-14.20      Penalties

(a.)  Any person violating any of the provisions of this subchapter relating to crabs and lobsters shall be liable to the penalties provided by N.J.S.A. 23:2B-14, except for (b) and (c) below.

(g.)  Any person violating the provisions of N. J. A. C. 7:25-14.13, lobster size, tail size and landing of lobster parts, N.J.A.C. 7:25-14.14, possession limits, N.J.A.C. 7:25-14.15, prohibition of egg-bearing lobster, v-notched female lobsters and the prohibition of the use of a penetrating Device; N.J.A.C. 7:25-18.5(g)11i, lobster pot maximum size or N.J.A.C. 7:25-18.5(g)11iv, escape vents, shall be subject to a penalty of $20.00 for each lobster, lobster part or lobster pot in violation.

 (i)   Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 23:10—21 and 21.1, any gear used in violation of the provisions of this subchapter may be seized and forfeited.

Main Office NJ Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife PO Box 400 Trenton, NJ   088625-0400

General Information -- 609-292-2965 Marine Fisheries -- 609-292-2083 Shellfisheries -- 609-984-5546 Law Enforcement -- 609-292-9430