Prime Fishing Grounds of New Jersey

Important: This layer is meant to be viewed in conjunction with Artificial Reef Sites of New Jersey. The original “New Jersey’s Recreational and Commercial Ocean Fishing Grounds” charts were first created in 1982 with a second printing in 1984. In 2003, the Division of Fish and Wildlife's Bureau of Marine Fisheries, with funding from the Coastal Management Program, updated the map in digital format for inclusion in the Department's Geographic Information System. The updating of the map was accomplished through direct interviews with recreational fishing boat captains. Prime recreational fishing grounds identified in the various publications referenced in the rule and commercially prepared sport fishing charts (Homeport Charts and Charter Boat Charts) were transferred onto two sets of NOAA nautical charts, which served as the working or base map. For fishing grounds within 20 nautical miles of the coast, NOAA nautical charts Series 12326, 12323, 12318 and 12214 at a scale of 1:80,000 were used. For fishing beyond 20 nautical miles NOAA nautical charts Series 12200 and 12300 at a scale of 1:400,000 were used. During the summer of 2003, 28 party boat captains, 47 charter boat captains and 22 private boat captains from each fishing port (inlet) along the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey were interviewed by Department staff. These recreational fishing party boat, charter boat and private boat captains were selected because they fish the ocean waters on a daily basis using a wide variety of methods to catch a variety of fish species. The interview process entailed examining the accuracy of the already delineated prime fishing areas on the base map. Fishermen modified the base map by drawing their changes on the map. In general, modifications to the boundaries of the prime fishing areas resulted in an increase to the size of the prime fishing area. In a similar fashion, the captains drew new prime fishing areas on the base maps. The revised base maps were then digitized into the New Jersey Specific Sport Ocean Fishing Grounds Coverage. In 2018, the NJ Bureau of Marine Fisheries again updated the New Jersey Prime Fishing Grounds to include all current 17 artificial reef sites, and updated Homeport Charts. Under the DEP’s plan to balance access, regulations have set aside a portion of the Sandy Hook Reef and two sections of the Axel Carlson Reef as Full Access Zones. These are areas where persons may use, leave, deploy, or tend lobster conch, fish pot gear. Recreational hook and line anglers are not prohibited from utilizing the Full Access Zones for fishing. The use of fixed gear is prohibited on all other reef sites as they are all deemed Special Management Zones by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries Service as well as Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. The use of fixed gear on any reef or portion of a reef not explicitly defined is prohibited and punishable by law (N.J.A.C. 7:25-18.5A). The 1nm buffer polygons were incorporated to represent the entire surrounding area where fishing opportunity associated with each point feature may occur.重要提示：本图层需结合《新泽西州人工鱼礁点位》一同查阅。原始的《新泽西州休闲与商业远洋渔场（New Jersey’s Recreational and Commercial Ocean Fishing Grounds）》海图最早于1982年编制完成，并于1984年再版。2003年，新泽西州鱼和野生动物局海洋渔业分局在海岸管理项目资助下，将该地图数字化并纳入该局地理信息系统（Geographic Information System）。本次地图更新工作通过直接访谈休闲渔船船长完成。 本次地图更新工作将规则引用的各类出版物及商用运动钓鱼海图（包括母港海图Homeport Charts和包租渔船海图Charter Boat Charts）中标记的优质休闲渔场，转绘至两套美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）航海海图作为工作底图。对于距海岸20海里以内的渔场，采用比例尺为1:80000的NOAA航海海图系列12326、12323、12318及12214；对于20海里以外的远洋渔场，则采用比例尺为1:400000的NOAA航海海图系列12200和12300。 2003年夏季，该局工作人员访谈了新泽西州大西洋沿岸各渔港（入海口）的28名团队渔船船长、47名包租渔船船长及22名私人渔船船长。选取这些船长作为访谈对象的原因是，他们每日均在远洋水域作业，使用多种捕捞方式捕获各类鱼类。访谈过程主要为验证工作底图上已划定的优质渔场区域的准确性，渔民们通过手绘方式对底图进行修改：总体而言，优质渔场的边界调整后，其面积有所扩大；船长们还在底图上绘制了新增的优质渔场。修订后的底图随后被数字化，形成《新泽西州特定运动远洋渔场覆盖数据集》。 2018年，新泽西州海洋渔业分局再次更新《新泽西州优质渔场图集》，纳入当前全部17个人工鱼礁点位，并更新了母港海图。根据新泽西州环境资源部（DEP）的平衡准入计划，相关规定将桑迪胡克鱼礁的一部分区域及阿克塞尔·卡尔森鱼礁的两个区段划定为全准入区域。此类区域允许使用者使用、放置、布设或管护龙虾、海螺及捕鱼笼具，休闲钩线垂钓者也可在此区域进行垂钓。其余所有鱼礁均被新泽西州鱼和野生动物局、美国国家海洋渔业局以及中大西洋渔业管理委员会认定为特殊管理区域，禁止使用定置渔具。在未明确划定的鱼礁或鱼礁区段使用定置渔具属于违法行为，将依法惩处（依据N.J.A.C. 7:25-18.5A条款）。本次数据集还纳入了1海里缓冲多边形，以表征与每个点位要素相关的全部潜在捕捞作业周边区域。