American Shad regulations in New York

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? American Shad is closed to harvest. Release it.

American Shad size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
statewide	Closed to harvest	—	—

Exact NYSDEC wording

Season: No possession
Size: No possession
Limit: No possession allowed
statewide — as printed: “American shad No possession allowed”

Source: NYSDEC, 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.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NYSDEC, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for American Shad in New York?

No possession in New York state waters.

How many American Shad can you keep per day in New York?

No possession allowed.

When is American Shad season in New York?

Open year-round.

Is my American Shad a keeper today?

American Shad is closed to harvest. Release it.