Hard Clam regulations in New Jersey

· Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? A hard clam is a keeper today if it measures at least 1.5 inches, with a daily limit of 150.

Hard Clam size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NJ marine waters	Open year-round	1.5 inch minimum	150 per person per day

Notes

A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' limit. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://www.eregulations.com/newjersey/fishing/saltwater/mollusks-crustaceans
Shellfish license required; no Sunday harvest.

Exact NJDEP Fish & Wildlife wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: 1.5 inches
Limit: Recreational Limit = 150 clams
statewide — as printed: “Hard Clam | 1.5 inches | Recreational Limit = 150 clams | No harvest on Sunday | Shellfish license required”

Source: NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).

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About the hard clam

Mollusc species native to the Americas

The hard clam, also known as the round clam, hard-shell clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams. Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Hard Clam in New Jersey?

1.5 inch minimum in New Jersey state waters.

How many Hard Clam can you keep per day in New Jersey?

150 per person per day.

When is Hard Clam season in New Jersey?

Open year-round.

Is my Hard Clam a keeper today?

A hard clam is a keeper today if it measures at least 1.5 inches, with a daily limit of 150.