New Jersey legislation · 2026-2027 Regular Session
New Jersey S3423: Fish pumps, certain-authorize use to remove menhaden from purse seines
Status: In committee, October 19, 2026
Authorizes use of certain fish pumps to remove menhaden from purse seines.
What the bill says
An Act concerning the taking of menhaden and amending P.L.2013, c.74.
From the introduced text, February 9, 2026:
An Act concerning the taking of menhaden and amending P.L.2013, c.74. Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. a. The Legislature finds and declares that: (1) the Department of Environmental Protection does not prohibit the use of fish pumps in the commercial bait catch of Atlantic menhaden beyond three nautical miles of the State coastline; (2) currently, the DEP requires the removal of Atlantic menhaden captured by purse seine within State waters to be by brailing or dip net only; (3) the use of fish pumps by persons in the commercial Atlantic menhaden fishing industry will not lead to overfishing in State waters; (4) previous bans on fish pumps were successful in keeping large purse seine vessels from harvesting vast numbers of menhaden; (5) however, the Legislature has already taken steps that prohibit menhaden reduction fisheries from operating in the State; (6) in addition to the annual State menhaden catch quota established by the Atlantic States Marines Fisheries Commission, the DEP allocates quotas of menhaden capture for each commercial bait catch vessel during open season through the use of an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system, which eliminates the race to fish and reduces the need to maximize the number of fish caught on daily trips; (7) as a result of the …
Sponsors
- Paul D. Moriarty (D, 4) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : TRANS SCM
- : INT 1RS REF SEN
Subjects: ENVIRONMENT - FISH AND WILDLIFE
Common questions
- What is S3423?
- S3423 is a bill in the New Jersey Legislature (2026-2027 Regular Session): Fish pumps, certain-authorize use to remove menhaden from purse seines.
- What does S3423 do?
- In its own words: An Act concerning the taking of menhaden and amending P.L.2013, c.74.
- What is the status of S3423?
- In committee as of October 19, 2026. Latest action: TRANS SCM (October 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored S3423?
- Paul D. Moriarty (D, 4).
- Where is the official record for S3423?
- On the New Jersey Legislature website: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/S3423
Source: official New Jersey record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.