New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 25 - DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE RULES › Subchapter 14 - CRAB AND LOBSTER MANAGEMENT › Section 7:25-14.15 - Prohibitions

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(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) All commercial lobster permit holders authorized to fish in Lobster Management Area (LMA) 5 must, prior to discarding, apply a v-shaped notch in the base of the tail flipper of each egg-bearing female American lobster. The v-shaped notch must be at least 1/4 inch deep and placed in the base of the pelvic flipper immediately to the right of the center flipper as viewed from the back of the lobster.
(c) A person fishing in ASMFC Lobster Management Area (LMA) 4 or that has designated LMA 4 for fishing on their Federal Fisheries or State Lobster Pot Permit shall not take or attempt to take, land, have in his or her possession, sell, or offer to sell any American lobster during the closed season of April 30 through May 31, inclusive. During the closed season, no dealer shall accept, have in his or her possession, buy or offer to buy, sell, or offer to sell any American lobster harvested from LMA 4. During the closed season, all lobster traps in LMA 4 must be removed from the water. In addition, unbaited lobster traps may be set one week prior to the season reopening. If the license holder is harvesting other species with lobster trap gear, the lobster trap gear does not need to be removed; however, it shall be tended at least every 30 days.
(d) A person fishing in ASMFC Lobster Management Area (LMA) 5 or that has designated LMA 5 for fishing on their Federal Fisheries or State Lobster Pot Permit shall not take or attempt to take, land, have in his or her possession, sell, or offer to sell any American lobster during the closed season of February 1 through March 31, inclusive. During the closed season, no dealer shall accept, have in his or her possession, buy or offer to buy, sell, or offer to sell any American lobster harvested from LMA 5. During the closed season, all lobster traps in LMA 5 must be removed from the water. However, a licensee shall have a two-week period from when the season closes to accomplish removal of all lobster traps. In addition, unbaited lobster traps may be set one week prior to the season reopening. If the license holder is harvesting other species with lobster trap gear, the lobster trap gear does not need to be removed; however, it shall be tended at least every 30 days.
(e) 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.
(f) A person shall not use any spear, gig, gaff or other penetrating device as a method of capture of lobsters.