SlotGaugeCheck a catchAmerican Shad regulations in New Jersey
· Saltwater · 2026 season
American Shad size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware River & tributaries | Open year-round | None | max 2 American shad within the 6-shad limit |
| All other marine waters | Closed to harvest | — | — |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' zones. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://www.eregulations.com/newjersey/fishing/freshwater/size-season-creel-limits
Exact NJDEP Fish & Wildlife wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- maximum of 2 American shad within the 6-shad limit
- Delaware River & tributaries — as printed
- “SHAD … Delaware River & tributaries | No Closed Season | None | 6 (maximum of 2 American shad)”
- All other marine waters — as printed
- “All other marine waters | 6 (no American shad may be harvested or possessed)”
Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).
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About the american shad
Species of fish
The American shad is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the European taxa before these diversified.
Read more about American shad on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.
All 62 New Jersey species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for American Shad in New Jersey?
None in New Jersey state waters.
How many American Shad can you keep per day in New Jersey?
maximum of 2 American shad within the 6-shad limit.
When is American Shad season in New Jersey?
Open year-round.
Is my American Shad a keeper today?
American Shad is closed to harvest. Release it.