Delaware state waters, out to 3 miles
River herring (alewife and blueback) fisheries are closed to harvest.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
AlewifeBigger eye, gray-green back, pale gut lining. Tell them apart
Atlantic herringNo shoulder spot. Tell them apartNot listed by Delaware: the default applies (No size limit, no daily limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
The alewife's twin with a blue-black back and smaller eye; told apart for sure by the black gut lining. More on the blueback herring page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Blueback herring in other states14 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask2
Can you keep blueback herring in Delaware?
No. Harvest is prohibited in Delaware. Release it in the water where you can. River herring (alewife and blueback) fisheries are closed to harvest.
How current is this Delaware blueback herring rule?
Source: DE DNREC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at a blueback herring in Delaware and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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