New Rules for Recreational Haddock Effective April 1

CONTACT:
Renee Zobel: (603) 868-1095
March 31, 2026

Durham, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is announcing a change to haddock rules for recreational anglers fishing in state waters 0–3 miles from shore or transiting and landing haddock in New Hampshire. Effective April 1, 2026, the recreational minimum size limit for haddock for recreational anglers will decrease from 18 inches to 17 inches. The recreational bag limit will remain at 15 fish per person, and the closed season will remain as March 1 through March 31.

This change reflects recently announced federal rules for haddock for recreational anglers fishing in federal waters (3–200 miles) from shore in the Gulf of Maine, which became effective March 9, 2026.

This rule change for Gulf of Maine haddock is in response to updated assessment data and is required to ensure the recreational sub-Annual Catch Limit (sub-ACL) is harvested but not exceeded. This prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) to modify regulations for haddock following consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council.

“Most recreationally harvested haddock are caught in federal waters, so the state rule change reflects the new federal rules and creates consistency to allow for those legally harvested fish to be brought into New Hampshire” said Renee Zobel, Chief of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Marine Fisheries Division.

For more information on state rules, visit Proposed Rules | State of New Hampshire Fish and Game.

For more information on changes to rules for federal waters, visit Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishing Year 2025 Catch Limits | NOAA Fisheries.