Applications for individuals and party/charter boats who wish to participate in New Jersey’s Striped Bass Bonus Program (SBBP) are now being accepted through October 31, 2025. Effective May 15, 2025, the SBBP regulations for permit holders is one striped bass from 24 inches to less than 28 inches.
New Jersey is allocated a commercial harvest quota of striped bass under the Striped Bass Interstate Fisheries Management Plan as administered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Since New Jersey does not allow netting or sale of striped bass, this quota was transferred to the recreational fishing sector resulting in the origin of the SBBP.
The current allocation from ASMFC is 200,798 pounds to be distributed between individual anglers and party/charter boats. Should NJ overshoot this quota in 2025, any overage would be subtracted from the 2026 quota. The New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (Division) initiated the program in 1990 to allow the harvest of an additional striped bass for New Jersey recreational anglers.
According to the Division, the preliminary 2024 SBBP harvest was 56,387 pounds from 7,950 fish, which represents just 28% of the unused commercial striped bass quota. Individual anglers harvested 1,139 fish and party/charter boats harvested 6,811 fish. The 2024 bonus harvest in numbers of fish ranks second highest in the time series, with 2023 ranking the highest.
For those participating in the SBBP in 2025, remember that bonus harvest reporting is mandatory and must be reported within 24 hours of harvest. Please note the order of fish harvested does not matter (bonus fish can be the 1st or 2nd fish); with the SBBP affixed to the smaller fish, anglers may also retain one striped bass from 28 to 31 inches as per coastwide regulations.
Visit the SBBP webpage for application instructions and for more information regarding the 2025 SBBP, including the SBBP Individual Angler Application, SBBP Reporting Instructions, and the required SBBP Fishing Log.
If you require additional information concerning this program or any other striped bass issue, please contact the Division’s Nacote Creek office at 609-748-2020 or sbbp@dep.nj.gov.
