If you’re on a for-hire boat during the Sept 1 to Oct 31 scup bonus period and you’re carrying more than 30 scup without the required fare receipt, DEC can treat that as a violation of the marine regs. The penalty schedule is the greater of 250 dollars or a per-fish amount, plus up to 15 days jail on the criminal side. The per-fish amounts are 25 dollars each for 1 to 5 fish in violation, 50 dollars each for 6 to 25, and 100 dollars each for more than 25. Courts can apply civil penalties on the same schedule. Example. 40 scup and no receipt means 10 fish over 30 are in violation. That pencils to at least 500 dollars, since 10 times 50 beats the 250 floor. Example two. 35 scup and no receipt is 5 fish in violation which would floor at 250 dollars.

More of the rule, in plain English
  1. When it applies. Only Sept 1 to Oct 31, when the party or charter customer bag goes above 30. The for-hire scup bag can go up to 40 in that window, but you must have the receipt if you’re over 30. Outside that window the bag is 30. Department of Environmental Conservation
  2. What you must carry. A commercially printed, dated original fare receipt that shows the vessel name and the permit number. The regulation says original and commercially printed, so do not count on a text or a phone screenshot. Legal Information Institute
  3. Who is responsible. The captain must issue the receipt and each angler who lands or possesses more than 30 must carry it with their fish. Keep it on you until you’re off the boat and home. Legal Information Institute