November 4, 2016 — According to a fisheries report, in 2015 New Jersey anglers kept 4 ½ million fish, but they threw back 14.8 million, or roughly three times the amount they brought home.
The three to one catch and release rate is the about the same rate as in 2014. But, the same report found there was a substantial drop off in the number of fish anglers caught.
In 2014 anglers put 6.2 million fish in their coolers while releasing 19.9 million.
The numbers were provided in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Fisheries of the United States report, released last week.
The report didn’t provide analysis, but the reason for the dip could be related to the fact that fewer fishermen fished in 2015. Nearly 625,000 anglers fished in 2014, compared to almost 540,000 last year. The result was about 600,000 less fishing trips.
In total 23 marine coastal states, plus Puerto Rico were in the survey and combined to keep 151 million fish last year while releasing 200 million.
Of all the coastal states only Maine and Massachusetts anglers kept more fish than they threw back.