Down the Shore: Public Access to Beaches

"The public’s right to access tidal waters and their shorelines, embodied in the Public Trust Doctrine, has existed prior to the inception of the State of New Jersey and continues to this day.  The Public Trust Doctrine is the principle that certain resources, in this case tidal waters and shorelines, are preserved for public use, and that the government is required to maintain them for the public's reasonable use.  Subsequent court cases have interpreted and implemented its strictures, and many legislative acts and regulatory provisions rely on the Doctrine to protect and enhance access.  The Department of Environmental Protection has long seen protecting this right as a vital part of our mission. We require public access to the shore and tidal waterways under the Coastal Permit Program and the Coastal Zone Management rules."       nj.gov/dep/cmp/access/

• Public Access to NJ's Shoreline
• Public Access Maps
• Beach Buggy Access
• visitnj.org/nj/beaches