The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council (Council) will meet on Thursday, November 5 at 5 p.m. at the Stafford Township Firehouse at 133 Stafford Avenue in Manahawkin.
As per state statute, the Council is responsible for contributing to the preparation and revision of fisheries management plans and advising the commissioner the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) on policies of the department and in the planning, development, and implementation of all departmental programs related to marine and shellfish.
The Council is empowered to disapprove any rule or regulation or any amendment proposed by the commissioner. The board also submits to the commissioner any recommendations for new rules and regulations or revision to existing rules and regulations which it deems necessary for the proper operation of an effective marine fisheries program.
By statute, the Council – a voluntary, unpaid position – consists of 11 members appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate, and is to be composed of four sports fishermen, two active commercial fin fishermen, one active fish processor, two members of the general public, and the chairman of the two sections of the Shellfisheries Council.
In 2025, two Council members – Richard N. Herb representing Sportfish interests and Jeff Kaelin as a commercial Processor –stepped down, leaving two vacant seats for new Governor Mikie Sherrill to fill. “We had these vacancies last year and knew the administration was changing and we wanted to give them time to settle in,” said Jeff Brust, the chief Bureau of Marine Fisheries, explaining how they’ve started talking about filling those seats which ultimately would have to be approved by the New Jersey senate judicial committee.
The current lineup of council members is as follows:
Dr. Patrick Donnelly, Chairman (Sportfish)
Dr. Eleanor Ann Bochenek (Public)
Warren Hollinger (Del. Bay Shellfish Council)
Greg Hueth (Sportfish)
Walter L. Johnson, III (Atl. Coast Shellfish Council)
Joe Rizzo (Commercial)
Robert R. Rush, Jr. (Sportfish)
John Tiedemann (Public)
Kevin Wark (Commercial)
Vacant (Processor)
Vacant (Sportfish)
“I’ve gotten names of several folks who are interested, I’ve passed them up the chain, and we’re again, just starting the process to get those through the (NJDEP) commissioner’s office, to the governor’s office, and through the process,” Brust said at the September 10th meeting of Council also held in Stafford Township.
Also discussed at the September meeting of Council was the topic of separating speckled trout from weakfish in terms of management of season, size and bag limits in the Garden State. As two separate species of fish, the Council could have authority to set different regulations for each species, but only if it’s fixed first at the state level. “The regulatory package where we have spotted sea trout separating from weakfish, we heard in June it was at the governor’s office and they’re working through the backlog,” Brust noted.
The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council also assembles Council Advisory Committees to discuss issues for a particular species, group of species, gear type, or other fishery management topics. These Committees consist of three to five Council members and several citizen advisors. Prospective advisors must apply for appointment by completing an Advisory Committee Application that will provide the applicant’s background, experience, and reason for interest in being an advisor.
For more information contact the NJDEP’s Division of Fish & Wildlife at 609-748-4344.
