Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group regulations in New Jersey

Sharks · Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 1.

Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NJ marine waters (0–3 nm)	Open year-round	Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: no minimum. Finetooth: table lists 54 inch FL under 'all other retainable sharks'; text says no state minimum for the group — federal 54 inch FL applies in federal waters	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

One shark per person per trip, any group combined.
Finetooth: the digest table and text disagree on a state minimum size — treat 54 inch fork length as the safe rule and confirm with NJ Marine Fisheries (609-748-2020).
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: Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: none; finetooth: see notes (table says 54" fork length for 'all other retainable sharks', text says no state minimum)
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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More sharks

Sharks — Aggregated Large Coastal group Sharks — Hammerhead group Blacknose Shark Sharks — Pelagic group Smoothhound Shark Shortfin Mako Sharks — Prohibited species

About the sharks — non-blacknose small coastal group

Species of shark

The copper shark, bronze whaler, or narrowtooth shark is a species of requiem shark found mostly in temperate latitudes. It is distributed in a number of separate populations in the northeastern and southwestern Atlantic, off southern Africa, in the northwestern and eastern Pacific, and around Australia and New Zealand, with scattered reports from equatorial regions. The species can be found from brackish rivers and estuaries to shallow bays and harbors, to offshore waters 100 m (330 ft) deep or more. Females are found apart from males for most of the year, and conduct seasonal migrations. A large species reaching 3.3 m (11 ft) long, the copper shark is difficult to distinguish from other large requiem sharks. It is characterized by its narrow, hook-shaped upper teeth, lack of a prominent ridge between the dorsal fins, and plain bronze coloration.

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 Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group in New Jersey?

Atlantic sharpnose and bonnethead: no minimum. Finetooth: table lists 54 inch FL under 'all other retainable sharks'; text says no state minimum for the group — federal 54 inch FL applies in federal waters in New Jersey state waters.

How many Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group can you keep per day in New Jersey?

One per person per trip.

When is Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group season in New Jersey?

Open year-round.

Is my Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group a keeper today?

Sharks — Non-Blacknose Small Coastal group has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 1.