New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 25A - OYSTERS › Subchapter 2 - DIRECT MARKET HARVEST SEASON › Section 7:25A-2.3 - General control methods for direct market harvest season

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Except as provided at 7:25A-2.2(a), no person or vessel shall take, attempt to take, harvest, or dredge for oysters, on the State's natural seed beds without possessing a licensed oyster dredge vessel and harvest tags as described in 7:25A-1.8(a)  and 2.6.
(b) The requirements and conditions for the direct market harvest of oysters from natural seed beds in Delaware Bay are as follows:
1. Oysters shall be harvested from the State's natural seed beds only on Monday through Friday between sunrise and 3:30 P.M. Eastern Time, unless otherwise determined by the Division in consultation with the Council. Notice of any change in these times shall be provided by first class mail to each oyster dredge vessel license holder participating in the direct market harvest program.
2. The harvester shall notify the Department of the intended harvest location and port of landing of the vessel prior to commencement of harvesting for each harvest trip. Prior to offloading, the harvester shall notify the Department of the vessel's total harvest for that harvest trip. The notifications shall be made by telephoning the Division's Delaware Bay Office, Bureau of Shellfisheries, at (856) 785-0730. Notification of changes in port of landing shall be given two hours prior to landing.
3. The minimum size limit for seed oysters taken for direct market sale shall be two and one-half inches in height from hinge to lip.
4. Any harvester who has reported his or her intention to harvest on the State's natural seed beds shall have the vessel's entire harvest for that harvest trip counted as part of the licensed vessel's individual allocation for that season.
5. A harvester shall not transfer oysters from any oyster vessel to any other vessel. All oysters harvested from the natural seed beds shall be landed at one of the designated landing sites described at 7:25A-1.9. Specific hours of landing may be established by the Division as conditions attendant to the opening of the direct market harvest oyster season pursuant to 7:25A-2.4(a). Notice of any change in hours of landing shall be provided by first class mail to each oyster dredge vessel license holder participating in the direct market harvest program.
6. During a direct market harvest season, all harvesters must notify the Delaware Bay Office of the intent to work any leased grounds. No vessel shall take or possess oysters from the natural seed beds above the southwest line on the same day such vessel harvests on leased shellfish grounds.
7. The top and sides of licensed oyster dredge vessels shall be marked with the license number, each number at least 18 inches in height, clearly legible and in good repair and with no obstruction to view.
8. The harvester and any other person aboard any licensed oyster dredge vessel shall immediately comply with instructions and signals issued by an authorized law enforcement officer or other Division representative and comply with his or her instructions to facilitate safe boarding and inspection of the vessel, its gear, equipment, and catch.