The Striped Bass Bonus Program
The size limit for the 2006 Striped Bass Bonus Program will be 28 inches or greater.
The Striped Bass Bonus Program (SBBP) has been an integral part of
New Jersey's striped bass management since 1990. It is a popular program
with the fishing community and provides valuable data for assessing
stock status and fishing trends.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife (Division) initiated the program in 1990 to allow the harvest of an additional striped bass for New Jersey recreational anglers. Although the program has been modified throughout the years, the main goal of the SBBP is to allow anglers to participate in the management process while enjoying their favorite recreational pastime. The SBBP remains free of charge to all participants.
Background:
New Jersey is allocated a commercial harvest quota of striped bass under the Striped Bass Interstate Fisheries Management Plan as administered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Since New Jersey does not allow netting or sale of striped bass, this quota was transferred to the recreational fishing sector resulting in the origin of the SBBP.
The current allocation from ASMFC is 321,750 pounds to be distributed between individual anglers and party/charter boats. Should NJ overshoot this quota in 2006, any overage would be subtracted from the 2007 quota. Although this program does allow for the harvest of an additional striped bass for New Jersey anglers, the Division encourages catch and release whenever possible so this species can prosper for future generations.
Application Process:
Application forms for individual anglers can be found on this website, at all participating 2006 check stations, and some Division offices. (Applications for party/charter boats are available by contacting the Division at 609-748-2020.)
Only one application per individual will be accepted. A self-addressed stamped #10 business-sized envelope must be included with each application. All applications will be processed in order of receipt. Applications will not be accepted unless received via mail as per the instructions below.
MAIL COMPLETED APPLICATION TO:
NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
Striped Bass Bonus Program
P.O. Box 418
Port Republic, NJ 08241
Individuals that were in the 2005 SBBP and returned their voluntary log information (see below) to the Division will automatically receive two bonus cards and need not apply.
Since the SBBP is free and funding is limited, processing of applications will only be completed when there is sufficient staff time or Wildlife Conservation Corps volunteer assistance is available. The Division will process applications in the order of receipt but there is no guarantee of immediate turnaround.
Harvest Information:
The SBBP allows anglers to harvest one striped bass at 28 inches or greater per day in addition to the 2006 daily possession limit. Two SBBP cards will be issued per person. The 2006 SBBP cards are valid upon receipt and after being signed by the participant. Unsigned cards will be considered invalid if anglers are stopped by a Division Conservation Officer. Replacement cards will be issued as long as there is quota available. The Bonus fish does not need to be the third fish harvested. Anglers may use a SBBP card for any striped bass 28 inches or greater. SBBP cards are non-transferable, only one card is good per day and the red cards are only valid for the 2006 calendar year.
If an angler harvests a Bonus fish, they must punch out the month and day on one card immediately after harvest and prior to transportation. Anglers must fill out all required information on the card. Affix a stamp to the card and mail it to the Division or take the fish and card to one of our check stations to receive an additional card as long as there is quota available.
It is important that the Division receive as much data as possible from so we encourage taking all Bonus fish, when possible, to a check station for additional biological information.
Striped Bass Fishing Log:
The most valuable asset of the SBBP since 1990 has been the data acquired through volunteer logbooks. All participants receive a logbook with their Bonus cards and are encouraged to report all striped bass fishing activity for the 2006 calendar year. In the near future, the Division plans on making some of the information from past programs available to the public via this website.
There are some important things to remember while filling out the SBBP logs:
 | Fill out the log for yourself only and list fishing days individually, not grouped together. |
| Record all striped bass fishing trips even if no stripers were caught. |
| If possible, please measure all fish caught. This is extremely important! NO SIZE RANGES! |
| Make as many copies of the log as necessary or call for additional copies. |
| Feel free to comment, especially if there are issues such as the health of the stripers. |
| If you harvest a Bonus fish, please enter the used card number onto the log in the additional information section. |
| In the past, those anglers returning logs were usually the first to receive cards the following year. |
Striped Bass Bonus Program Application Form (pdf, 6kb)
Striped Bass Bonus Program Check Stations (pdf, 12kb)
Striped Bass Bonus Program Log Sheet (pdf, 30kb)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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