SlotGaugeCheck a catchBlacknose Shark regulations in New Jersey
Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Blacknose Shark size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJ marine waters (0–3 nm) | Open year-round | Digest text: no state minimum; digest table: 54 inch FL under 'all other retainable sharks' | One per person per trip |
| Federal waters (3–200 nm) — NOAA HMS | Open year-round | 54 inch minimum | One per person per trip (federal HMS rules) |
Notes
- The digest table and text disagree on a state minimum size for blacknose — treat 54 inch fork length as the safe rule.
- Non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless steel circle hooks required when fishing for sharks with anything other than flies or artificial lures.
- Sharks must be landed with head, tail and fins naturally attached; filleting at sea is prohibited (gutting and bleeding allowed).
- Length is fork length, not total length.
- Federal waters (3–200 nm) follow NOAA HMS rules and require an HMS permit — see fisheries.noaa.gov.
Exact NJDEP Fish & Wildlife wording
- Season
- No closed season
- Size
- No state minimum per text (table lists 54" FL for 'all other retainable sharks'); federal 54" FL
- Limit
- One per person per trip
- NJ marine waters (0–3 nm) — as printed
- “Sharks | Aggregated large coastal group, Hammerhead group: Jan 1–May 14 and July 16–Dec 31 | Non-blacknose small coastal group: No Closed Season | Blacknose group: No Closed Season | Pelagic group: No Closed Season | Minimum Length (fork length): Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, and smoothhound: None; Hammerheads 78"; All other retainable sharks: 54" | Prohibited sharks: Zero allowed possession; Shortfin mako: Zero allowed possession; Smoothhound: No limit; All others: One per person per trip | Use of non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required, except when fishing with flies or artificial lures. ... Shark Species That May Be Kept (Authorized Species): Aggregated Large Coastal Shark—blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, tiger, spinner; Hammerhead Shark—scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, great hammerhead; Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Shark—Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, finetooth; Blacknose Shark—blacknose; Pelagic Shark—blue, porbeagle, and common thresher. ... In state waters, there is no minimum size limit for non-blacknose small coastal sharks and blacknose sharks in the recreational fishery, but federal regulations include a 54-inch minimum size limit for blacknose and finetooth small coastal sharks.”
Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).
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About the blacknose shark
Species of shark
The blacknose shark is a species of requiem shark, belonging to the family Carcharhinidae, common in the tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. This species generally inhabits coastal seagrass, sand, or rubble habitats, with adults preferring deeper water than juveniles. A small shark typically measuring 1.3 m (4.3 ft) long, the blacknose has a typical streamlined "requiem shark" shape with a long, rounded snout, large eyes, and a small first dorsal fin. Its common name comes from a characteristic black blotch on the tip of its snout, though this may be indistinct in older individuals.
Read more about Blacknose shark 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 Blacknose Shark in New Jersey?
Digest text: no state minimum; digest table: 54 inch FL under 'all other retainable sharks' in New Jersey state waters.
How many Blacknose Shark can you keep per day in New Jersey?
One per person per trip.
When is Blacknose Shark season in New Jersey?
Open year-round.
Is my Blacknose Shark a keeper today?
Blacknose Shark has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 1.