Horseshoe Crab regulations in New Jersey

· Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Horseshoe Crab is closed to harvest. Release it.

Horseshoe Crab size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NJ marine waters	Closed to harvest	—	—

Notes

No recreational harvest or possession of horseshoe crabs in New Jersey.

Exact NJDEP Fish & Wildlife wording

Season: Possession prohibited
Size: None
Limit: 0 — harvest and possession prohibited
NJ marine waters — as printed: “The harvest of horseshoe crabs is prohibited. Possession of horseshoe crabs is also prohibited except for those individuals holding a scientific collecting permit for research and education and those fishermen that can provide suitable documentation that the horseshoe crabs in their possession were harvested outside of New Jersey.”

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

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About the horseshoe crab

Family of basal chelicerates

Horseshoe crabs are arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only surviving xiphosurans. Despite their name, they are not crabs or even crustaceans; they are chelicerates, more closely related to arachnids like spiders, ticks, and scorpions. The body of a horseshoe crab is divided into three main parts: the cephalothorax, abdomen, and telson. The largest of these, the cephalothorax, houses most of the animal's eyes, limbs, and internal organs. It is also where the animal gets its name, as its shape somewhat resembles that of a horseshoe. Horseshoe crabs have been described as "living fossils", having changed little since they first appeared in the Triassic around 250 million years ago, and similar-looking fossil xiphosurans extend back to the Ordovician around 445 million years ago.

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 Horseshoe Crab in New Jersey?

No size limit in New Jersey state waters.

How many Horseshoe Crab can you keep per day in New Jersey?

Possession prohibited.

When is Horseshoe Crab season in New Jersey?

Open year-round.

Is my Horseshoe Crab a keeper today?

Horseshoe Crab is closed to harvest. Release it.