[bulletbob]

I would probably follow the posted guidlines-they are usually posted near the fishing areas.. Also it would depend on what and where.. Say a smaller bluefish from Newark Bay, yes.. It was a visitor, not a resident.. An eel?.. no.

The Hacky signs say Stripers are ok, not to eat White Perch, Catfish, etc... I would go with that.. Not a fan of stripers anyway.
Up river in the non tidal areas, I would eat the fish..

Same with the Passaic.. Non tidal areas, yes I would eat some of the fish.. Perch, Bluegills, a very stray walleye, etc.. I don't kill black bass, pickerel, pike, and don't like bullheads,,

The Raritan, non tidal areas, yes I would eat the fish.. Lower tidal areas, I would eat some of the fish.. No cats,eels etc.. If I caught some white or yellow perch, or any migratory species, fluke, blue, weakfish, or even a winter flounder or porgy or something like that, I would certainly eat them.

Lower Raritan gets flushed pretty good with bay and ocean water with those big channels cut through the bay right out into the ocean...
I dunno, to be 100 % honest I would say that I would be more cautious in eating fish from those rivers than I would be if they were caught say in Sandy Hook Bay or one of the upstate lakes, but there are some fish I would eat from them.. We ate crabs form the hacky when they started coming back in the 70s, and I think a lot of people still do, not sure.. In 10 years, I hope that all those rivers are clean enough not to even have restrictions... They may get there.. I hope they do. Meanwhile I am happy that NJ fishermen can enjoy some seriously good fishing in waters that were dead 40 years ago. bob