Saltwater Fishing
Recreational Fishing
The marine waters of New York host varied and exciting fishing opportunities for recreational anglers. Long Island is ideally situated so that both southern and northern fish species frequent our waters. You can fish for Atlantic cod, winter flounder and mackerel in the spring, or try your luck for bluefish, summer flounder and Spanish mackerel when school is out.
For information pertaining to Shellfishing in New York, please visit our Shellfishing page.
Anglers casting off the shores of Montauk, NY.
Photo courtesy of NY SeaGrant
Register Before Going Fishing
Make sure to enroll in the annual no-fee recreational marine fishing registry before going fishing in the marine and coastal district waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea" (e.g. striped bass).
Check Fishing Limits and Seasons
Before setting out on your fishing trip, check the fishing seasons and catch limits for marine fish, lobsters, and crabs.
Find a Boat Launch or Fishing Access Site
Locate the parks, agencies, and municipalities that manage facilities with access to the water. Rules and fees that apply to facilities differ widely, so make sure you check with the appropriate authority before you travel. Also, check the Artificial Reefs webpage to identify where New York's artificial fishing and diving reefs are located.
Report Your Catch Online
New York State recreational anglers can now report their catch in a voluntary online angler logbook, called eLogbook. Anglers can document their fishing activities, compile their fishing data and plan more effective fishing trips. If you wish to use this online logbook, please register and log on online at the ACCSP web site. Check our ACCSP and Electronic Reporting web page for more information.
View Angling Records
Check the marine angling records list to see the variety of local fish species and sizes that they can attain. In any given year, one or more of these records can be broken. Perhaps by you!
Download DEC's free app for species and regulation information, locate a fishing
spot near you using advanced GPS mapping features
A commercial trawl vessel (left) and a commercial
fisherman offloading catch of loligo squid (right), a
popular commercial catch.
Photos courtesy of NOAA
Commercial Fishing
Visit our Commercial Fishing page to find commercial trip limits, quota allocation plans, and more! Also, check out the list of DEC's marine permits and licenses and the contact information for applying.
Marine Electronic Mailing List
DEC would like to ensure that fishermen take advantage of the abundant fishing opportunities available in New York waters, but also have current fishing information available to them. You can now subscribe to an electronic mailing list and receive information from the DEC Bureau of Marine Resources concerning new fishing regulations, upcoming fishery meetings and other current events concerning the local fishing industries. Upon subscribing to the mailing list, you will be able to receive fishing information quickly, sent directly to your e-mail address.
How to Subscribe
To subscribe to the NYS commercial fishing mailing list (commercial saltwater fishing information), first subscribe to GovDelivery by entering your email and submitting the requested information on the "New Subscriber" page.
On the "Quick Subscription" page, you will see all the topics that you can receive email updates on from DEC. Check the box next to "Saltwater Fishing (Commercial)" under the "Outdoor Recreational and Commercial Activities" category. Recreational anglers should check the box next to "Saltwater Fishing and Boating" for current information on recreational fishing. You will receive an email confirming your subscription choices.
More about Saltwater Fishing:
- Marine Permits and Licenses - List of all marine permits, their fees and requirements.
- Vessel Trip Reports - Information on the completion and submission of VTRs
- ACCSP and Electronic Reporting - Where does fishing vessel trip report data go?
- Marine Fisheries Issues - Current issues in New York State marine fisheries management and upcoming meetings
- Commercial Fishing - DEC Announcement of the Annual Commercial Fishery Quota Distributions
- Saltwater Fishing Regulations - Recreational - Learn your size limits and bag limits before you go fishing!
- Public Access to New York's Marine Waters - Who to contact to find boat ramps, fishing piers or the beach
- Artificial Reefs - Artificial reefs provide fishing opportunities for the NY angler.
- I FISH NY Saltwater Fishing Guide for New York City Area - Go fishing in New York City!
- New York State Marine Fishing Records - New York State marine fish records - the biggest fish!
- Striped Bass Cooperative Anglers Program - Learn how recreational anglers help us collect scientific data
- Recreational Blue Crab Survey - NYSDEC is conducting a survey of people recreationally fishing for blue crabs.
- NYS Striped Bass License Plate - Support NY's Marine and Coastal District!
