Don't know if any of you have heard this, but Massachusetts is thinking of allowing certain sized vessels to purchase permits for purse seining bunker, sea herring and mackerel . . . there is actually more to it than what I just mentioned, so here's the link:

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/pubhearings/jan_2009_pub_hearings_123108.htm

Don't know if any of you have heard this, but Massachusetts is thinking of allowing certain sized vessels to purchase permits for purse seining bunker, sea herring and mackerel . . . there is actually more to it than what I just mentioned, so here's the link:

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/pubhearings/jan_2009_pub_hearings_123108.htm

I'm unsure, but I think this is just codifying/clarifying their existing regulations and setting up rules to limit commercial gillnetting. I don't think it will change much that is presently going on. The real battle is between the politically powerful commercial herring fleet with their massive by-catch and forage removal issues and the recreational/commercial bass/cod guys. More sea herring, river herring, and less dead bass in Great South Channel is, in my mind, a bigger issue than menhaden management in Massachusetts.

Not from what we've been told . . . part of it is the gillnetting and cast netting in coastal waters and other stuff, but one of the things they are opening for discussion is purse seining. There is a meeting planned over here on the island to have a discussion about these issues and the possibility of making a striped bass a gamefish (I'm not talking about the federal water bill Bush passed), meaning no commercial fishing on bass . . . federal waters or not.

If this is true (about the purse seining), the DMF of Massachusetts will only reaffirm how asinine the state truly is. We need more limits on bunker not annihilation. It's not just menhaden in MA. Menhaden everywhere need more regulation. And once MA opens purse seining in federal waters, you don't think that will affect bunker in CT and RI.

As far as bass is concerned, I don't care either way, but if I had my choice they wouldn't make it a gamefish, but strictly reduce the amount of bass caught per day and the quota. I'm sure we can all say we know a lot of people who like striped bass, but don't fish and their only means to getting a bass is in the market or at a restaurant. I don't think that should disappear, rather more restricted. And as a MA resident, put an end to out-of-staters buying commercial permits.

i would wager that a commercially grown wiper tastes not much different than a wild cousin