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Prime Fishing Grounds of New Jersey [New Jersey]

NJDEP, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Marine Fisheries Full Details

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Title
Prime Fishing Grounds of New Jersey [New Jersey]
Description
Important: This layer is meant to be viewed in conjunction with Artificial Reef Sites of New Jersey. The original "New Jersey's Recreational and Commercial Ocean Fishing Grounds" charts were first created in 1982 with a second printing in 1984. In 2003, the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Bureau of Marine Fisheries, with funding from the Coastal Management Program, updated the map in digital format for inclusion in the Department's Geographic Information System. The updating of the map was accomplished through direct interviews with recreational fishing boat captains. Prime recreational fishing grounds identified in the various publications referenced in the rule and commercially prepared sport fishing charts (Homeport Charts and Charter Boat Charts) were transferred onto two sets of NOAA nautical charts, which served as the working or base map. For fishing grounds within 20 nautical miles of the coast, NOAA nautical charts Series 12326, 12323, 12318 and 12214 at a scale of 1:80,000 were used. For fishing beyond 20 nautical miles NOAA nautical charts Series 12200 and 12300 at a scale of 1:400,000 were used. During the summer of 2003, 28 party boat captains, 47 charter boat captains and 22 private boat captains from each fishing port (inlet) along the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey were interviewed by Department staff. These recreational fishing party boat, charter boat and private boat captains were selected because they fish the ocean waters on a daily basis using a wide variety of methods to catch a variety of fish species. The interview process entailed examining the accuracy of the already delineated prime fishing areas on the base map. Fishermen modified the base map by drawing their changes on the map. In general, modifications to the boundaries of the prime fishing areas resulted in an increase to the size of the prime fishing area. In a similar fashion, the captains drew new prime fishing areas on the base maps. The revised base maps were then digitized into the New Jersey Specific Sport Ocean Fishing Grounds Coverage. In 2018, the NJ Bureau of Marine Fisheries again updated the New Jersey Prime Fishing Grounds to include all current 17 artificial reef sites, and updated Homeport Charts. Under the DEP's plan to balance access, regulations have set aside a portion of the Sandy Hook Reef and two sections of the Axel Carlson Reef as Full Access Zones. These are areas where persons may use, leave, deploy, or tend lobster conch, fish pot gear. Recreational hook and line anglers are not prohibited from utilizing the Full Access Zones for fishing. The use of fixed gear is prohibited on all other reef sites as they are all deemed Special Management Zones by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries Service as well as Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. The use of fixed gear on any reef or portion of a reef not explicitly defined is prohibited and punishable by law (N.J.A.C. 7:25-18.5A). The 1nm buffer polygons were incorporated to represent the entire surrounding area where fishing opportunity associated with each point feature may occur.
Creator
NJDEP, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Marine Fisheries
Temporal Coverage
Last modified 2025-04-16
Date Issued
2019-02-01
Rights
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Data Distribution Agreement. The data provided herein are distributed subject to the following conditions and restrictions: NJDEP assumes no responsibility to maintain them in any manner or form and disclaims any duty or obligation to either maintain availability of or to update the data. Terms of Agreement 1. All data is provided, as is, without any representation or warranty of any kind, implied, expressed or statutory including, but not limited to, the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability or fitness for a particular use, freedom from computer virus nor are any such warranties to be implied with respect to the digital data layers furnished hereunder. User is responsible for understanding the accuracy limitations of all digital data layers provided herein, as documented in the accompanying cross-reference files (see SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION). Any reproduction or manipulation of the above data must ensure that the coordinate reference system remains intact. 2. Digital data received from the NJDEP may not be reproduced or redistributed without all the metadata provided. 3. Any maps, publications, reports, or other documents produced as a result of this project that utilize this digital data will credit the NJDEP's Geographic Information System (GIS) as the source of the data with the following credit/disclaimer: "This (map/publication/report) was developed using New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized or endorsed." 4. NJDEP makes no warranty that digital data are free of Copyright or Trademark claims or other restrictions or limitations on free use or display. Making a copy of this data may be subject to the copyright of trademark laws.
Access Rights
Public
Format
Shapefile
Language
English
Date Added
March 08, 2023

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Cite and Reference

  • Citation
    NJDEP, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Marine Fisheries (2019). Prime Fishing Grounds of New Jersey [New Jersey]. . https://gisdata-njdep.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/njdep::prime-fishing-grounds-of-new-jersey (dataset)
  • BTAA Geoportal Link

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