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New
State Record Lobster
(03/96) TRENTON --- The New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has certified
that an American lobster taken last month from the San Jose
Wreck off Atlantic City establishes a new state record.
The record lobster weighing 11 pounds,
8 ounces was taken by Chris Jazmin Jr. of Somers Point when
he was scuba diving from a boat at the San Jose Wreck on
June 9. Marine fisheries research scientist Bruce Freeman
of the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife verified the
catch.
The previous record lobster weighed 8 pounds,
2 ounces and was taken off the Double East Wreck in 2001.
The American lobster is found in cool waters
from Canada to North Carolina. Territorial and solitary
in nature, they live on the ocean floor and prefer rocky
crevices. New Jersey's many artificial reefs provide the
perfect habitat for this species. The average American lobster
reaches a length of about 10 inches and weighs 2 to 5 pounds.
The Record Fish Program honors the largest
species of fish (as well as blue crab and American lobster)
caught in the state. It revolves around a specific list
of eligible freshwater and saltwater species, and is based
on weight alone; there are no line classes.
The Skillful Angler Program recognizes
the largest species of fish caught each year in the state.
Scale certification documentation, specifically
the Certificate of Inspection/Test Report and Registration
Certificate issued by the New Jersey Office of Weights and
Measures as well as a weighmaster's signature are necessary.
Other rules apply.
For more information or to request an application,
call 609-633-7768. Visit the division's website at www.njfishandwildlife.com
for a complete list of state record fish.
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