A 4047 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Exempts from prohibition on taking of shellfish on Sunday certain shellfish aquaculturalists with commercial shellfish aquaculture permits who use predator screening systems.*

This bill exempts licensed commercial clam aquaculturists from New Jersey's Sunday clam harvesting ban. It allows these operators to harvest clams on Sundays only if the activity occurs between sunrise and sunset, on leased aquaculture lands, and strictly for commercial sale (not personal use). The exemption applies specifically to those holding valid commercial shellfish aquaculture permits who follow all existing harvest regulations. The change modifies existing law (R.S.50:2-11) to create this targeted exception for commercial aquaculture operations.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Last action Mar 9, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly broadened from exempting only clam aquaculturalists to exempting any shellfish aquaculturist who engages in 'structural aquaculture' (a newly defined term covering rack-and-bag, bottom cage, predator screening, suspended/floating, and upweller systems). The amendment target also shifted from adding a new section to R.S.50:2-11 to amending an existing section of P.L.2023, c.137, and the land requirement was loosened from 'State-leased' to simply 'leased' aquaculture lands.

Scope change

Broadened from a narrow exemption for clam aquaculturalists to a wider exemption covering all shellfish aquaculturalists using structural aquaculture systems, and loosened the land requirement from state-leased to any leased aquaculture lands.

SCOPE

Expanded from clams only to all shellfish (including oysters) by replacing 'clam aquaculturist' with 'shellfish aquaculturist who engages in structural aquaculture.'

DEFINITION

Added a new definition of 'structural aquaculture' covering rack and bag systems, bottom cage systems, predator screening systems, suspended or floating structure systems, and floating upweller or nursery structure systems.

Added a formal definition of 'shellfish aquaculturist' as a person or entity holding a valid commercial shellfish aquaculture permit directly engaged in breeding, raising, harvesting, stocking, feeding, transplanting, protecting, marketing, processing, and packaging of shellfish.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the land requirement from 'State-leased aquaculture lands' to simply 'leased aquaculture lands,' removing the restriction to state-owned leases.

TECHNICAL

The amendment target changed from adding a new section under R.S.50:2-11 to amending Section 2 of P.L.2023, c.137 (C.50:2-11.1), which already existed from prior legislation.

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Full legislative history

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Committee

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors