Posted on April 1, 2020 Fishing during the pandemic The New Jersey DEP has officially changed saltwater regulations to one striped bass from 28 to 38 inches. Bluefish will be limited to three per person , except for five aboard a properly documented party or charter boat.  The N.Y DEC has issued the following guidelines: Response to COVID-19: A Message to Fishing Charters, Guides and Anglers The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 03/31/2020 12:11 PM EDT Response to COVID-19: A Message to Fishing Charters, Guides and Anglers Fishing Safely This Season New York State is open for fishing and DEC encourages anglers to recreate locally at a nearby waterbody. New York’s lakes and streams offer great opportunities for fishing in a wide array of settings across the state. Even during the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature while angling in New York’s waters is a great way to help maintain mental and physical health. Please continue to follow the CDC/New York State Department of Health guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19: Try to keep at least six feet of distance between you and others. Avoid close contact, such as shaking hands. Wash hands often or use a hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as doorknobs, handrails, and playground equipment. When fishing, DEC recommends avoiding busy waters and following the guidelines on DEC’s website about fishing responsibly in New York State. If an angler arrives at a parking lot and there are several cars, they should consider going to another parking lot. If an angler is fishing upstream, they should fish downstream of the other angler or consider fishing another day. Anglers fishing from boats should always be able to maintain at least six feet of distance between one another. For more information about the benefits of being outdoors safely and responsibly, go to DEC’s website. Charters and Guides The “New York State on PAUSE” Executive Order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone during the COVID-19 response, includes a directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close effective at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, and temporarily bans all non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason. At this time, fishing guides or charters of any size have been determined to be not essential and are subject to workforce reduction requirements of the Executive Order. The full and updated guidance on which types of businesses are determined essential and other designations associated with the order can be found online.   Please scroll down The Empire State’s marine striped bass season runs from April 15 to Dec. 15 with one bass of 28-35 inches. The wind is shifting to northwest, with a forecast of 15-20 knots plus gusts to 30 in the morning — and 4-6-foot seas.