2008
New maximum carapace limit (both sexes) of 5 and 1/4 inches
and maximum limit now applies to the recreational fishery. V notch changes to 1/8 inch for female
lobster. Bag (creel) limits are still 6 lobsters per
person per day. Changes mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Excerpts from the
SUBCHAPTER 14. CRAB AND LOBSTER MANAGEMENT
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)
July 1, 2004 33/8
(c) A person fishing in ASMFC Lobster
Management Area 4 and/or 5 or that has designated Lobster Management Area 4
and/or 5 for fishing on their Federal Fisheries Permit or State Lobster Pot
Permit shall not take, land, have in his or her possession, sell or offer to
sell any American lobster with a length as measured in (a) above that is
greater than the length listed below after the dates stipulated.
ASMFC Lobster
Management Area Dates Maximum Size (Inches)
LMA 4 after
July 1, 2002 51/4
LMA 5 after
July 1, 2004 51/4
(d) A person shall not import, export, have in his or her possession, buy, sell or offer to buy or sell any American lobster that does not comply with the size limits for the Lobster Management Areas as stipulated in (a) through (c) above.
(e) The maximum
size limits stipulated in (c) above 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 with or
without setal hairs, at least one-eighth
inch in depth and tapering to a sharp point 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.
The above changes appeared
in the
NEW
Copyright © 2008 by the
VOLUME
40, ISSUE 1
ISSUE
DATE:
RULE
ADOPTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
40 N.J.R. 150(c)
N.J.A.C. 7:25-14.13
N.J.A.C. 7:25-14.15
Notice of Administrative Changes
Marine Fisheries
Implementation of American Lobster Recreational and Commercial Maximum Size
Limit for Male Lobsters, Modification of the Minimum Size Limit of the V-Shaped
Notch of a Female Lobster Bearing a V-Shaped Notch
Also for you consideration:
Advisories based on dioxin remain in effect for American lobster... A recent regional study of the American lobster has
shown elevated levels of PCBs, cadmium and dioxin in the green gland (tomalley hepatopancreas). This finding is consistent with other
lobster studies conducted in waters of the northeastern coastal states.
Therefore, consumers are advised to remove and not consume the green gland of
all American lobsters caught off the coast from
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Law Enforcement |
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2/25/2008