It's been a while (1950s-1960s) since I've even seen any salt water, but I seem to recall that individual salt water fishing in the Atlantic was unregulated unless it was commercial. But that was California, where I would expect just breathing the air would require licensing and regulation.
Terry, 230RN
Correction: I went back to NY for my mother's funeral in 1982 and two of my nieces and I took a walk along Jones Beach on the south shore of Long Island.
I think that is no longer the case pretty much anywhere on the Atlantic Seaboard. I know FL Requires a Saltwater License for fishing. From a quick Google it looks like NY requires you to register (for free at least) for fish in saltwater, but you need a license for other marine life. State Waters extend out to 9 NM from Mean Low Water, and past that you are in the Federal Exclusive Economic Zone. I have no idea if there are recreational fishing regs for that zone, but there definitely are commercial ones.