Can you keep Cod in Massachusetts?
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Recreational finfish regulations.
Species | Cod* (North of Cape Cod) |
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Note | (3, 4) |
Season | April 1 - Apr 14 Sep 15 - Sep 30 |
Size Limit | 21 in |
Possession Limit | 1 fish |
The recreational Gulf of Maine cod and haddock seasons open on April 1st under the following rules established by the Division of Marine Fisheries (322 CMR 6.03) consistent with federal regulations.
In NSW, the Black Rockcod is listed as a vulnerable species and there are heavy penalties for harming, possessing, buying or selling them or for harming their habitat. It is illegal to harm a Black Rockcod so it's important that fishers and divers can distinguish Black Rockcod from other cod species.
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Recreational Saltwater Fishing — Finfish.
New Hampshire Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations | Atlantic Cod* |
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Split closed seasons: Private Boats: April 15 - Sept. 14 and Oct. 1 - March 31. Charter/Party vessels: April 15 - Sept. 7 Oct. 8 - March 31. | |
21 inches | |
1 fish per day |
In the Northwest Atlantic, cod range from Greenland to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In U.S. waters, cod is most common on Georges Bank and in the western Gulf of Maine. Cod is an iconic fish of New England and in recent years, Atlantic cod stocks in our region have declined dramatically.
Cod bigger than 50-lbs can be caught in our waters. These bottom dwelling monsters can be found year round on Stellwagen Bank and Mass Bay. You can catch Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Red Fish, Cusk and maybe a Halibut while bottom fishing in Mass. Many world record fish have been caught in the waters off Scituate.
Species | Fishery | Size limit |
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Hook/Other | 12 in. | |
Hook/Other | 12 in. | |
Bluefish | All | 16 in. |
Cod (3) (4) | Gulf of Maine | 19 in. |
Cod, along with its just-as-tasty cousin Haddock, can be found aplenty off the shores of the Massachusetts coast. However, you'll be restricted in the north of the Cape from catching Cod most of the year.
They are found mainly in the Murray Darling River system. For recreational anglers,the minimum legal length of Murray cod is 50 centimetres with a daily bag limit of two, and a possession limit of four with only one over 100 centimetres in length.
Red Rock cod have poisonous spines on them.
Do rock cod taste good?
Red rock cod is one of our favourite Sydney fish to eat. Whilst they're not the most challenging fish to hunt, we can guarantee you that they are delicious. They're nicknamed the poor man's lobster for their sweet, springy flesh.
Atlantic herring. Atlantic mackerel. Atlantic surf clam. Bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, skipjack, and bluefin tuna.

NOAA Fisheries reminds General category participants that when the fishery reopens January 1, 2022, the daily retention limit will be one large medium or giant bluefin tuna (measuring 73” or greater) per vessel per day/trip.
The daily bag and possession limit is 20 fish in combination of all species (except shiner perch), with not more than 10 fish of any one species.
New England fishermen have caught Atlantic cod for centuries, but catch has dwindled over the last decade due to overfishing, restrictive fishing quotas and environmental changes.
Climate change has exacerbated the overfishing that has endangered cod for decades, and it will only make it more difficult to bring cod populations back up, even if commercial fisheries drastically reduce the number of fish they catch.
Good luck finding local cod in Cape Cod, Mass. The fish once sustained New England's fishing industry, but in recent years, regulators have imposed severe catch limits on cod, and the fish remain scarce. "I've never seen cod fishing this bad," says Greg Walinsky, who has been fishing on Cape Cod for more than 30 years.
Overall, cod has more vitamins, haddock is slightly richer in minerals, and has more of the 9 essential amino acids tryptophan, leucine, lysine, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, valine, and histidine.
In 2022, the approximate price range for US Cod Fish is between US$ 3.32 and US$ 3.46 per kilogram or between US$ 1.51 and US$ 1.57 per pound(lb). The price in Euro is EUR 3.32 per kg. The average price for a tonne is US$ 3318.23 in New York and Washington. US' import price for cod fish in 2019 was US$5.34 per kg.
Most cod taken by anglers are caught by fishing with live or dead natural baits on the ocean bottom from a drifting or anchored boat, but many are taken by jigging and deep trolling as well.
Can you fish for cod?
Most cod taken by anglers are caught by fishing with live or dead natural baits on the ocean bottom from a drifting or anchored boat, but many are taken by jigging and deep trolling as well.
Limitations are few and access to the water is plentiful. Here are a few rules: Massachusetts does not require a license for recreational saltwater angling, but a commercial permit is required when any fish are sold.
Cod and Haddock
Cod, along with its just-as-tasty cousin Haddock, can be found aplenty off the shores of the Massachusetts coast. However, you'll be restricted in the north of the Cape from catching Cod most of the year.
The best time for fising on the Cape Cod Canal is during “breaking tides,” around May and June. This is because the tide produces the most significant fish feeding at the surface. The current is known for changing from west to east during this time.