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New York saltwater size limits and seasons

25 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact NYSDEC wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-10-04. All 48 New York species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
American Eel	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	25 per person per day
American Shad	Closed	—	—
Atlantic Cod	September 1 – May 31	23 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Atlantic Menhaden	Open year-round	No size limit	100 per person per day
Atlantic Sturgeon	Closed	—	—
Black Sea Bass	May 16 – December 31	16 inch minimum	3 (May 16 – Aug 31); 6 (Sep 1 – Dec 31)
Bluefish	Open year-round	No size limit	5 per person (7 on party/charter boats)
Cobia	Open year-round	43 inch minimum	1 per angler; max 2 per vessel
Haddock	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	No daily limit
Hickory Shad	Open year-round	No size limit	5 per person per day
King Mackerel	Open year-round	23 inch minimum	3 per person per day
Monkfish	Open year-round	17 inch minimum	No daily limit
Oyster Toadfish	July 16 – May 14	10 inch minimum	3 per person per day
Pollock	Open year-round	19 inch minimum	No daily limit
Red Drum	Open year-round	under 27 inches	No daily limit
River Herring	Closed	—	—
Scup	May 1 – December 31	9.5 inch minimum	30 per person per day
Sharks (coastal species)	Open year-round	Allowed sharks (tiger, blacktip, bull, lemon, nurse, spinner, blue, porbeagle, common thresher) 54 inches fork length; hammerheads 78 inches FL; Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, finetooth no size limit	One shark per vessel per trip, plus one additional Atlantic sharpnose and one bonnethead per angler per trip; dogfish any number
Spanish Mackerel	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	15 per person per day
Striped Bass	April 15 – December 15	28–31 inch slot	1 per person per day
Summer Flounder	May 4 – October 15	19 inch minimum (May 4 – August 1); 19.5 inch minimum (August 2 – October 15)	3 per person per day
Tautog	April 1 – April 30, October 15 – December 22	16 inch minimum	2 in April; 4 Oct 15 – Dec 22
Weakfish	Open year-round	16 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Winter Flounder	April 1 – May 30	12 inch minimum	2 per person per day
Yellowtail Flounder	Open year-round	13 inch minimum	No daily limit