Well in New Jersey you need NO license to captain your own boat. Any schmuck with a Budweiser and a boat can set sail on there own free will. I know they are trying to change this, as the waterways become more crowed with Noobs! You do need a license to charter boats (like the bluefishing boats you mention), A Captains license is very hard to come by. You need to put a lot of hours on the seas to get one.

You also need a license to operate a PWC in NJ. Which is a great thing considering how many of these operators have no consideration for boats and sight-lines, wakes, etc.