The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDFW) recently released their year-end Marine Fisheries Administration Monthly Reports for 2021 that shows there were 143,704 individuals and 745 for-hire vessels registered to fish in saltwater as of December 31, 2021, with 2,654 individuals and 29 for-hire vessels pre-registered for 2022.
The number of registered saltwater anglers in 2021 is down slightly from 2020 when there were more than 162,500 individuals registered to fish marine waters in the state of New Jersey. However, the 745 registered for-hire vessels in 2021 is up from the 705 which registered in 2020.
Since May 4, 2011, anglers who fish New Jersey marine waters must register every year with the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program at saltwaterregistry.nj.gov or face fines of $25 for a first offense, and $50 for subsequent offenses. Any owner/operator of a for-hire vessel that fails to register with the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program will be subject to a penalty of $100 for a first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses.
Signed into law by then Governor Chris Christie, state statute N.J.S.A. 23:2B-22 required that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) establish a free recreational saltwater registry to serve as a contact list of anglers and vessel owners/operators for survey purposes. “An angler registry will facilitate better recreational fishing data in two ways: first it creates a database of recreational fishermen; and second, it allows for an improved survey pool,” the DEP states online at saltwaterregistry.nj.gov.
Before you drop a line in the salt this season, be sure to visit saltwaterregistry.nj.gov and update your 2022 NJ saltwater registry; remember it’s absolutely free for all who fish New Jersey marine waters, residents and non-residents alike. For freshwater licensing and stamp purchases go to njfishandwildlife.com.
