New Jersey state waters, out to 3 miles
Size18 in minTotal length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together
BagNo bag limit
SeasonOpen year-roundOpen today
NJ DEP 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Atlantic codPale lateral line, no thumbprint. Tell them apartSize23 in min
Bag5
SeasonJan 1 - May 31 and Sep 1 - Dec 31
PollockNo thumbprint, undershot jaw. Tell them apartSize19 in min
BagNo bag limit
SeasonOpen year-round
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
BLACK lateral line and the 'devil's thumbprint' smudge above the pectoral; tall pointed first dorsal. More on the haddock page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Haddock in other states7 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for haddock in New Jersey?
18 in min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many haddock can you keep in New Jersey?
No bag limit.
When is haddock season in New Jersey?
Open year-round.
How current is this New Jersey haddock rule?
Source: NJ DEP 2026, last checked Sep 7, 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 haddock in New Jersey and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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