The Marine Services Bureau provides a full-time law enforcement service for all of New Jersey's waterways and is the primary provider for all police services on the water and contiguous land areas of the State of New Jersey. The mission of the Marine Services Bureau is to protect and serve the boating community and to preserve the natural resources of this state by utilizing general law enforcement concepts, training and education, and enforcing all laws fairly and without bias. We shall also provide a preventive level of homeland security through intelligent, vigilant, and highly visible patrol measures.

Before September 11, 2001, the Marine Services Bureau's primary mission focused on policing the recreational boating community, pollution and fish and game violations, and investigating any criminal activity that occurred on the water and shore areas. However, since September 11, 2001, our mission has drastically changed. The Marine Services Bureau now incorporates daily homeland security protection to our critical infrastructure locations that have waterside exposure and are susceptible to a waterborne attack. In addition, we conduct escorts of military vessels, both cruise ships and chemical vessels, as well as, identifying suspicious activity along the waterways. New Jersey is a peninsular state that has common water borders with Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York, which places New Jersey in a strategic and vulnerable position. Jurisdiction and patrol areas consist of New Jersey's territorial seas, extending three nautical miles offshore, along the 127 miles of the Atlantic Ocean coastline with an interior tidal shoreline of approximately 1,750 miles, composed of the Delaware River and approximately 100 inland bays, rivers, creeks and coves. In addition, there are more than 800 lakes and ponds within this state with a total of 700 square miles of surface area.

The Marine Services Bureau has nine marine stations, five that are primary and four that are sub-stations. As indicated, New Jersey has a tremendous amount of water that the Marine Services Bureau is responsible for patrolling. As we are the most densely populated state in the country, we also have one of the highest density populations for recreational boating. The safety of the recreational boater has always been a priority for the Marine Services Bureau and will remain so. We are committed to ensuring that all users of the state's waterways can do so in a safe and enjoyable manner.  These stations have been very active in providing daily homeland security and recreational patrols for all of the communities and critical infrastructure locations along the Atlantic Coast and the Delaware River.

Marine Services Bureau personnel are highly skilled and trained and have adapted well in incorporating our homeland security mission with our recreation mission. Whether there is a flood from a violent storm, a threat on a critical infrastructure location, or general patrol responsibilities, state police personnel will continue to provide the highest level of service.

The New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (MSB) is the primary provider of full-time law enforcement services for more than 200,000 registered vessels on all of New Jersey's waterways and contiguous land areas. The mission of the MSB is to protect and serve our citizens, every aspect of the marine environment, preserve natural resources, enforce the laws of this State, and provide a preventive measure of Homeland Security that is second to none.

The Marine Services Bureau is comprised of five main stations and four sub-stations. These facilities are strategically located throughout the State to address recreational boating issues, fish & game laws, search & rescue, criminal matters, and Homeland Security.

The stations are:

• Atlantic City
• Bivalve
• Burlington
• Lake Hopatcong
• Monmouth County
• Newark Bay
• North Wildwood
• Ocean (Waretown)
• Point Pleasant

The waters of this State include:

• 1,960 square miles of coastline, fresh water lakes and rivers,
• 127 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, up to three nautical miles offshore,
• 1,750 miles of interior tidal shoreline,
• 100 inland bays, creeks, coves, and rivers, and
• over 800 lakes and ponds totaling over 700 square miles of surface area.

Supplemental to standard State Police Training all of the troopers assigned to the Marine Services Bureau patrol function attend a four week marine law enforcement school and then must demonstrate their proficiency through the successful completion of the "Vessel Operator Certification Program." In order to maintain a high level of proficiency, the certification process must be re-validated annually.

Separate from and supplemental to internal certifications, approximately one third of the personnel assigned to the Marine Services Bureau are United States Coast Guard Licensed Captains with licenses that contain both tonnage and commercial towing endorsements.

Marine Services Bureau training also includes water survival, ocean rescue, and ice rescue.

Patrol vessels vary widely from 13' to 50' in length, single outboard to twin diesel inboards producing in excess of 1,000 horsepower, fiberglass to aluminum, and from open to fully enclosed weather tight cabins with long-range capabilities.

The equipment onboard the vessels includes basic marine safety equipment, VHF radios, police radios, high-tech thermal imaging equipment, side-scan sonar, depth finders, and radar interfaced navigation equipment.

As a preventive measure intended to increase boating safety and reduce waterway user conflict, during the winter months a contingent of troopers are assigned to various schools throughout the State to teach boating safety to students.

The Marine Support Services is an administrative support unit for the marine activities and responsibilities within the Division of State Police.

This unit performs the following functions:

• Developing and conducting training courses
• Research and purchase of marine equipment
• Marine accident review and statistical data study
• Review of marine related legislative proposals
• Conducting boat safety courses for schools statewide
• Processing of NJ Boat Safety Certificates (same certificate for personal watercraft)

You may contact the Marine Services Unit at (609)882-2000 X6170, 6173 or 6181 weekdays form 8:00AM to 5:00PM.

View the Frequently Asked Questions page for important questions.

Marine stations may be contacted via Marine VHF Radio Channel 16 on a 24-hour basis or at the following telephone numbers:

• Atlantic City Station (609)441-3586
• Bivalve Station (856)785-1330
• Burlington Station (609)387-1221
• Lake Hopatcong Station (973)663-3400
• Monmouth Station (732)842-5171
• Newark Bay Station (973)578-8173
• North Wildwood Station (609)522-0393
• Ocean Station (609)693-8371
• Point Pleasant Station (732)899-5050