Trout Season Open April 5

Trout season in NJ opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 5, with more than 180,000 rainbow trout and larger broodstock available in waterways across the state.

“Trout season in New Jersey provides an excellent opportunity to spend quality time outdoors and enjoy some of the best recreational fishing in the country,” said DEP Fish & Wildlife Assistant Commissioner Dave Golden. “The quality of New Jersey’s trout fishing is outstanding and there are opportunities for all anglers, whether beginners or experts. Excellent fishing opportunities are plentiful in every county, meaning great places to fish are easily accessible and can always be found close to home.”

From Saturday, April 5 to Saturday, May 31, the minimum legal size required for taking trout is nine inches, with a daily limit of six trout in most trout waters. The daily limit will be reduced to four trout beginning Sunday, June 1 and continuing through winter 2026.

Anyone age 16 or older must obtain a New Jersey fishing license and trout stamp to fish for trout. Anglers may purchase these on DEP Fish & Wildlife’s website or through a license agent.

By the end of the spring stocking season, more than 570,000 rainbow trout will be stocked in waterbodies across the state, with most trout averaging 10½ inches in length and weighing about a half pound each.

In addition, approximately 6,000 broodstock — large, mature trout ranging in size from 14 inches to 26 inches and weighing up to seven pounds — will be stocked this spring. These trophy-size fish will be stocked in waters across the state suitable for fish their size.

All rainbow trout stocked across New Jersey are raised at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Warren County. Pequest also has a Natural Resource Education Center where visitors can learn how trout are raised as well as about New Jersey’s natural resources.

DEP Fish & Wildlife also stocks higher numbers of broodstock in select trout-stocked ponds and small lakes through its Bonus Broodstock program. This year, 10 trout-stocked lakes and ponds throughout the state will receive between 30 and 50 broodstock, providing even more exciting catch opportunities for anglers.

Following opening day, the state’s 14 major trout streams will be stocked weekly and closed to fishing from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on stocking day to allow trout to disperse. After Saturday, April 5, all other waters will be open to fishing on stocking days, with no time restrictions.

The 2025 stocking schedule and trout allocations, including updates and changes, are available on the spring trout webpage along with a mapping application of Trout Stocked Waters. Anglers may download the complete in-season stocking schedule to their smartphones by scanning the QR code found on signs posted along trout-stocked waters or the QR code found in the 2025 NJ Freshwater Fishing Digest. The stocked waters and related schedule are also accessible through the mobile-friendly Trout Stocked Waters of NJ web map application.

A list of trout-stocked waters and all freshwater fishing regulations, including size and catch limits, may also be found in the Fishing Digest, printed copies of which are available at license agents and DEP Fish & Wildlife offices. Information may also be obtained by calling the Trout Stocking Hotline at (609) 322-9524.

Pequest Trout Hatchery is supported with proceeds from the sale of fishing licenses, trout stamps and federal funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration Program. The dedicated funding received from the purchase of a fishing license, fishing equipment and the Sport Fish Restoration Program enables DEP Fish & Wildlife to raise fish for anglers, develop public fishing areas, provide aquatic education programs, and protect the quality of the state’s waters for fish, wildlife and people.

Freshwater Fishing Digest dep.nj.gov/njfw/digests/freshwater-fishing/

Spring Trout Stocking  dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/spring-trout-fishing-information

Fishing Access Locations on Trout Waters – County Listing  dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/trout-waters-by-county
 

The Carbon Storage Potential of Tidal Marshes

 

Salt marshes along Mill Creek in Somers Point, Atlantic County, NJ

New Jersey's tidal marshes are at risk due to sea level rise because they are not keeping pace with the rising sea level, and a changing climate that is challenging the marshes and the communities that depend on them. 

Tidal marshes may not build forests, but they do build soil. In that soil, they trap, deposit, and secure a lot of carbon. Reading an article on blog.nature.org I found that:

"They peak in abundance and in diversity all around our crowded coastlines, a green carpet flourishing on low level muds that stretch out from our estuaries and sheltered shores.

They may lack the buzz of coral reefs or the grandeur of tall, dense mangrove forests, but tidal marshes are among the hyper-productive ecosystems of our planet. The waterlogged mud, rich nutrients, fresh sediments and tidal flushing mean that the grasses and herbs which grow here grow freely, and fast.

[They] build soil. And in that soil they trap, deposit and secure carbon. Furthermore, because that soil is both perpetually wet and salty, the carbon doesn’t rot and it doesn’t give off methane (a potent greenhouse gas). The carbon just builds up, and up, and up. Mangroves are the same. They are the world’s best carbon scrubbers.

Field scientists the world over have driven cores into these muds and measured the carbon they contain. It’s a lot, but it is also a history lesson. Some of this carbon goes back decades, even centuries.

If only there was enough of them, this could solve our climate change problem very quickly, extracting the CO2 from the air, converting it to organic matter, then packing it away, every day, year on year."

Salt marshes Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway Township

There are several notable tidal marshes in New Jersey. 

The Meadowlands in northern New Jersey is a complex of wetlands and marshes. It's a crucial habitat for various wildlife and also serves as a natural buffer against flooding.

Raritan Bay is situated along the coast and includes marshes that provide habitat for numerous aquatic species.

Barnegat Bay has extensive tidal marshes, although it has experienced some erosion over the years.

Delaware Bay also features tidal marshes which have been migrating inland due to sea level rise.

These and smaller marshes are essential for maintaining biodiversity, protecting shorelines, and providing habitat for many species

First Avian Flu Poultry Case Since 2023 Confirmed in New Jersey

Federal and state partners are coordinating disease response after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the N.J. Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health confirmed a new Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza poultry case in a Union County live bird market. This is the first positive HPAI case for domestic poultry in New Jersey since 2023. “No poultry were sold to the public that may have been infected,” the USDA pointed out.

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects birds. It's caused by the influenza A virus, which is mainly spread between wild aquatic birds. 

The N.J. Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife division and APHIS continue to work with local officials to provide guidance on the safe removal and disposal of dead birds in the wild.

On Long Beach Island, numerous residents have reported dead gulls, ducks, and other birds on the beaches over the past month, causing some concern. However, officials stress that the risk of avian flu to the general public remains low.

Wild birds, including waterfowl and shorebirds, are considered natural reservoirs for avian influenza. Since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak in January 2022, avian influenza has impacted wild and domestic birds in every state. 

Occurrences can be monitored online at aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections.

      Preventing the spread  

• Avoid contact with birds that appear sick or have died
• Avoid contact with surfaces that have bird feces
• Keep pets (including pet birds) away from sick or dead wild birds

New Jersey State Parks Are Hiring For Summer Jobs

 

Do you or someone you know need to find a summer job? .

It's not too early to apply for summer jobs and you can apply for a summer job with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which is hiring over 800 seasonal workers for State parks, forests, and historic sites. 

Opportunities include lifeguards, maintenance staff, visitor service assistants, office assistants, naturalists, and history educators. 

Pay starts at $16 per hour, with Liberty State Park and The Greenway positions at $20 per hour. Lifeguards earn $18.50, or $19.50 for oceanfront roles, with training and certification provided. 

Apply by early March to secure a position that boosts your skills and supports New Jersey's top tourist spots.
Go online to https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/jobs.html for more information and to apply.

There are a variety of opportunities from being outside and in the water as a lifeguard, Visitor Service Assistants provide accurate information to visitors at various facilities, patrol grounds and collect gatehouse fees, to office personnel who help register campers, answer phone calls and perform other customer service duties as requested by the park superintendent.