No person shall catch and take or attempt to catch and take from the Delaware river above or below Trenton falls, in any manner whatsoever, any of the fish hereinafter described of greater weight or less length than shall be prescribed in the State Fish and Game Code, or if no such weight or length is so prescribed, then any striped bass, otherwise known as rockfish, weighing more than 20 pounds or measuring less than 10 inches in length, or any sturgeon less than 5 feet in length, or any black bass, or any small-mouth bass, large-mouth bass, otherwise known as Oswego or yellow bass, less than 9 inches in length, or any pike, or pickerel, or any pike perch, otherwise known as wall-eyed pike or Susquehanna salmon, less than 12 inches in length, or any calico or strawberry bass, crappie, white bass, rock bass, otherwise known as redeye or goggle-eye, or trout or char, less than 6 inches in length. Any fish of less length than those described, or any striped bass, commonly called rockfish, weighing more than such weight as shall be prescribed in the State Fish and Game Code, or if no such weight is so prescribed then more than 20 pounds, which may be caught must be returned immediately to the water. Nothing in this section shall be so construed as to prevent the fishery authorities of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or of the State of New Jersey capturing fish of any size from said waters, or at any time of the year, or in any manner for propagating purposes and for stocking other waters in their respective States through their authorized representatives. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of $10.00 for each and every fish so caught and had in possession.
N.J.S. § 23:9-16