Saltwater Fishing
News
DEC has released updated recreational saltwater fishing limits for tautog (blackfish), summer flounder (fluke), and scup. Visit Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations, for open season, size, and possession limits.
DEC announces the adoption of new rules on March 28, 2018 for crab, horseshoe crab and whelk to promote better management strategies. The new rules will adopt the following changes:
- Terrapin Excluder Devices on crab traps (Part 44)
- Horseshoe crab possession limit (Part 44)
- Whelk reporting (Part 50)
Recreational Fishing
The marine waters of New York host varied and exciting fishing opportunities for recreational anglers. Long Island is ideally situated so that both southern and northern fish species frequent our waters. You can fish for Atlantic cod, winter flounder and mackerel in the spring, or try your luck for bluefish, summer flounder and Spanish mackerel when school is out.
Anglers casting off the shores of Montauk, NY.
Photo courtesy of NY SeaGrant
Register Before Going Fishing
Make sure to enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before going fishing in the marine and coastal district waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea" (e.g. striped bass).
Check Fishing Limits and Seasons
Before setting out on your fishing trip, check the fishing seasons and catch limits for marine fish, lobsters, and crabs.
Download DEC's free app for species and regulation information or to locate a fishing spot near you using advanced GPS mapping features.
Recreational Catch Sampling
Make sure to look for our New York State DEC field staff, who will be onboard party boats, at boatyards, local beaches and other saltwater access points conducting the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS). Data from this survey is used to help manage our fisheries and any input from our local fishermen is always greatly appreciated.
Visit Recreational Catch Sampling for more information.
Find a Boat Launch or Fishing Access Site
Locate the parks, agencies, and municipalities that manage facilities with access to the water. Rules and fees that apply to facilities differ widely, so make sure you check with the appropriate authority before you travel. Also, check the Artificial Reefs webpage to identify where New York's artificial fishing and diving reefs are located.
Report Your Catch Online
New York State recreational anglers can now report their catch in a voluntary online angler logbook, called eLogbook. Anglers can document their fishing activities, compile their fishing data and plan more effective fishing trips. If you wish to use this online logbook, please register and log on online at the ACCSP web site. Check our ACCSP and Electronic Reporting web page for more information.
View Angling Records
Check the marine angling records list to see the variety of local fish species and sizes that they can attain. In any given year, one or more of these records can be broken. Perhaps by you!
Support NY's Marine and Coastal District
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this attractive plate featuring the Montauk Lighthouse and striped bass will help benefit the Marine and Coastal District of New York Conservation, Education and Research Fund. The collected monies will be used to promote marine sport fishing, increase participation in marine recreational angling, increase public awareness and appreciation of marine and estuarine natural resources, encourage conservation of marine fisheries resources, and promote research and increased knowledge of the state's marine and estuarine natural resources.
More information on ordering a Marine and Coastal District of New York plate can be found at the DMV (link leaves DEC website).
A commercial trawl vessel (left) and a commercial
fisherman offloading catch of loligo squid (right), a
popular commercial catch.
Photos courtesy of NOAA
Commercial Fishing
Visit our Commercial Fishing page to find commercial trip limits, quota allocation plans, and more! Also, check out the list of DEC's marine permits and licenses and the contact information for applying.
Marine Electronic Mailing List
DEC would like to ensure that fishermen take advantage of the abundant fishing opportunities available in New York waters, but also have current fishing information available to them.
You can now subscribe to an electronic mailing list and receive information from the DEC Division of Marine Resources concerning updated fishing regulations, upcoming fishery meetings and other current events concerning the local fishing industries. Upon subscribing to the mailing list, you will be able to receive fishing information quickly, sent directly to your e-mail address.
How to Subscribe
To subscribe to the NYS commercial fishing mailing list (commercial saltwater fishing information), first subscribe to GovDelivery by entering your email and submitting the requested information on the "New Subscriber" page.
On the "Quick Subscription" page, you will see all the topics that you can receive email updates on from DEC. Check the box next to "Saltwater Fishing (Commercial)" under the "Outdoor Recreational and Commercial Activities" category. Recreational anglers should check the box next to "Saltwater Fishing and Boating" for current information on recreational fishing. You will receive an email confirming your subscription choices.
More about Saltwater Fishing:
- Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations - Learn your size limits and bag limits before you go fishing!
- Crabbing in NY - New York State recreational and commercial crabbing information.
- Shark Fishing - New York State shark fishing regulations
- Recreational Catch Sampling - Data is collected from anglers at fishing access sites to help manage our recreational fisheries.
- ACCSP and Electronic Reporting - Where does fishing vessel trip report data go?
- Commercial Fishing - DEC Announcement of the Annual Commercial Fishery Quota Distributions
- Marine Permits and Licenses - List of all marine permits, their fees and requirements.
- Vessel Trip Reports - Information on the completion and submission of VTRs
- Citizen Involvement in Marine Fisheries - Become a citizen scientist and volunteer with NYSDEC to help conserve and manage marine species.
- Public Access to New York's Marine Waters - Who to contact to find boat ramps, fishing piers or the beach
- Artificial Reefs - Artificial reefs provide fishing opportunities for the NY angler.
- I FISH NY Saltwater Fishing Guide for New York City Area - Go fishing in New York City!
- New York State Marine Fishing Records - New York State marine fish records - the biggest fish!
