Commercial Fishing
For information on commercial fishing marine permits and licenses, daily trip limits, quota allocation plans, and special harvest programs, visit Commercial 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.
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). DEC Marine Permit Office does not issue the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry, please register online through the official DECALS website.
Check Fishing Limits and Seasons
Before setting out on your fishing trip, check the Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations 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.
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!
Find a Licensed Party or Charter Boat
A list of current Party and Charter Boat License holders can be found on Open Data NY. To view the list, click the link and then click the "Data" tab in the upper left corner of the page.
Recreational Catch Sampling
Make sure to look for our New York State DEC field staff, who will be onboard party boats, at boatyards, local beaches and other saltwater access points conducting the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS). Data from this survey is used to help manage our fisheries and any input from our local fishermen is always greatly appreciated. Visit Recreational Catch Sampling for more information.
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 website. Check our ACCSP and Electronic Reporting web page for more information.
Support New York's Marine and Coastal District
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this attractive plate featuring the Montauk Lighthouse and striped bass will help benefit the Marine and Coastal District of New York Conservation, Education and Research Fund. The collected monies will be used to promote marine sport fishing, increase participation in marine recreational angling, increase public awareness and appreciation of marine and estuarine natural resources, encourage conservation of marine fisheries resources, and promote research and increased knowledge of the state's marine and estuarine natural resources.
More information on ordering a Marine and Coastal District of New York plate can be found at the DMV website.