Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City's commercial fishing fleet is based in the marina section of the city, in the shadow of the casinos. This fishery is conducted mostly by larger vessels, 70 to 150 feet in length, equipped with hydraulic dredges. Atlantic City’s fishery provides much of the world's supply of minced clams and clam strips. 

Other top commercially harvested species in this port include surf clams, ocean quahog, scallop, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, lobster, monkfish, bluefish, and butterfish.

In New Jersey, the recreational charter/party fleet is the largest on the East Coast. Numerous fishing charters operate out of Atlantic City year round. Key recreational species include flounder, black sea bass, cod, striped bass, weakfish, bluefish, tuna, shark, and mahi mahi.

Barnegat Light, New Jersey

Barnegat Light, located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, is the primary commercial sea port on Long Beach Island, while the rest of the ports on the island specialize in recreational fishing. The town relies heavily on commercial fishing year-round along with tourism, but in the winter months, commercial fishing is the mainstay of the economy. Top species harvested here include scallop, monkfish, swordfish, tilefish, bluefish, summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass.

Barnegat Light is home to many recreational and charter fishing boats along with marinas, boat rental facilities, and bait and tackle shops. Charters offer in-shore and deep sea fishing and party boat trips. 

Cape May, New Jersey

Located on the southern tip of New Jersey, the Cape May seaport is situated on Cape Island, which was created by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1942. Historically, the Cape May area was supported by agriculture, fishing, and whaling. Today, tourism is the leading driver of the local economy, followed by fishing.

The combined port of Cape May/Wildwood is the largest commercial fishing port in New Jersey and is one of the largest on the East Coast. It is the center of fish processing and freezing in New Jersey and is home to some of the largest vessels fishing on the East Coast.

Top species commercially harvested here include scallops, butterfish, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, surf clams, ocean quahog, lobster, herring, and monkfish.

Cape May also holds the Cape May County Fishing Tournaments, some of the longest running recreational fishing tournaments on the East Coast.

Point Pleasant, New Jersey

February 13, 2023

Guest Author:Robert E. Gourley, Jr.

The community of Point Pleasant is located along the Manasquan Inlet in in Ocean County. It supports a large recreational fishing fleet and a small commercial fleet. Tourism and recreational fishing feed the economy of Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach. Recreational fishermen target summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass, among other species.

Surfclams and ocean quahogs, along with scallops, are  essential to this port.