David Churbuck’s Reel-Time FLog

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 21^st & 22^nd, 2005

Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17, 17A, 80, 100A and 104, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) have scheduled hearings on the following regulatory proposals: 

1. DMF proposal to prohibit finning of spiny dogfish (322 CMR 6.35); and establish a declaratory process for enacting annual specifications consistent with the interstate plan;
2. DMF proposal to amend winter flounder recreational seasons and daily catch limits to comply with the interstate plan. In waters north of Cape Cod, the limit would be 8 fish per person year-round; south of Cape Cod the limit would be one of the following:
   1. 2 fish per person with no closed season;
   2. 6 fish per person with a 10 mo. Season (March -April closure);
   3. 10 fish per person with a 2 mo. season (May – February closure);
3. DMF proposal to enact more consistent statewide regulations governing the taking of river herring east of the Connecticut River watershed (322 CMR 6.17). These including a 12-fish per person daily possession limit, no-fishing days, restriction on method of harvest, and a prohibition on the sale of river herring;
4. DMF proposal to establish area-specific commercial sea herring fishery limits and a process for annual specifications and in-season adjustments to conform with the interstate and federal plans (322 CMR 9.00);
5. DMF proposals to amend commercial scup and summer flounder possessions limits. Limits for trawlers would be increased from 300 to 400 lbs. during squid season and through the directed summer flounder season until the annual scup quota is reached; for all other gears the limit would be increased from 100 to 200 lbs. during May through July (322 CMR 6.28);
6. DMF proposals to amend commercial fishery summer flounder restrictions (322 CMR 6.22), including:
   1. an increased commercial trip limits for summer flounder during the spring/summer season from 300 lbs. up to a higher level ranging from 350 to 500 lbs. per day;
   2. an amended commercial fishery season start date to begin earlier than the current June 10^th start date with possible start dates ranging as early as May 15; and
   3. amendments to the no-fishing days;

Comments will be accepted on a public petition to increase from 200 to 300 lbs. the summer flounder trip limit during the spring/summer season for fishermen using hook gears; 

7. DMF proposal to amend trawl mesh regulations (322 CMR 8.07, 8.08, and 6.22) by establishing the end of the “squid season” as June 7^th. Also the allowance for 4 1/2” mesh during June – October 31 would be eliminated.  
8. DMF proposal to amend recreational scup possession limits to comply with the interstate plan (322 CMR 8.06), including:
   1. a 25-scup possession limit for recreational anglers fishing from shore and aboard a private vessel, with a 50-scup per day limit aboard private vessels with two or more persons aboard;
   2. a 60-scup possession limit per day for recreational anglers fishing aboard for-hire vessels for 60-days of the recreational season; and
   3. a 25-scup possession limit per day for recreational anglers fishing aboard for-hire vessels during the remainder of the recreational season.
9. DMF proposal to prohibit commercial fishing by persons aboard vessels engaged in for-hire recreational fishing (322 CMR 7.01).
10. Take comments on recent emergency action to prohibit the taking of white sharks in state waters and a DMF proposal to complement federal prohibition on taking of basking sharks dusky sharks, and sand tiger sharks (322 CMR 6.37);

Two public hearings have been scheduled:

Monday, March 21^st (7PM) at the Plymouth South Middle School (488 Long Pond Rd., Plymouth) and

Tuesday, March 22^nd (7PM) at the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station (30 Emerson Ave., Gloucester).

Contact DMF for draft regulations and further details or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 29, 2005

Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17, 17A, 80, 100A and 104, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) have scheduled hearings on DMF proposals and a public petition pertaining to the management of the commercial striped bass fishery (322 CMR 6.07 and 7.01).

The proposals are:

1. Lower the daily possession limit through the following options:

a. DMF proposal to drop from 30 fish to 20 fish per vessel; or

b. Public petition to drop from 30 fish to 20 fish per vessel except on Sundays and the opening day of the season when the limit would be 10 fish;

2. DMF proposal to reduce the number of open fishing days per week (currently set at Sunday-Wednesday) from four to three; Comments will be accepted regarding which days of the week would be open;

3. DMF proposal to prohibit commercial striped bass fishing aboard vessels engaged in for-hire recreational fishing;

4. DMF proposal to allow dealers to sell during April through November striped bass legally caught and documented from out-of-state. Whole fish would have to conform to the Massachusetts 34” minimum size and bear an official tag designating state of origin.  This proposal does not alter the existing rules governing imported striped bass during December through March.

5. DMF proposal to open the commercial fishery on July 10.

A public hearing has been scheduled for:

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 (7PM) at the Plymouth Community Intermediate School

(117 Long Pond Rd., Plymouth, MA 02360).

Contact DMF for draft regulations and further details or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.