The Division of Fish & Wildlife advises Delaware anglers who fish in the New Jersey portion of the Delaware Bay and River, or in New Jersey’s coastal waters, that they are now required to sign up for New Jersey’s Saltwater Recreational Registry Program.

The New Jersey registry, which is free, went into effect May 4, and anyone fishing in the state’s marine or tidal fresh waters, or landing their catch in New Jersey, must have the new registration certificate. The only exceptions are anglers under 16 years of age or people or anyone fishing on a New Jersey-registered for-hire vessel (charter or head-boat). Regardless of what license or permit an angler may hold from another state (including Delaware), or from the federal government, they still are required to register with New Jersey when fishing there.

The only way to register for the certificate is through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection website here. (Please note: Unlike with the Delaware F.I.N. program, there is no toll-free number to call for anglers without Internet access.) Anglers who register will need to print out their registration certificate and have it available for inspection should they be asked by New Jersey enforcement officers.

Fishermen who are unfamiliar with the state boundary lines in adjoining waters like the Delaware Bay should consult navigational charts or refer to electronic navigational aids like chart plotters to determine their exact location. The state boundary line in the Delaware River and Bay generally follows the federal shipping channel. Delaware anglers should be advised that all of the Delaware Bay shipping channel lighthouses except “Fourteen Foot” light are situated in New Jersey waters. In the Delaware River (waters above Liston Point) Delaware’s waters extend to the New Jersey shoreline above the northern end of Artificial Island (where the nuclear power plant is located). If anglers anticipate fishing in or near New Jersey, it is recommended that they obtain the free New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry certificate.