JohnR
03-11-2003, 04:28 PM
MARCH 11, 2003
MASSACHUSETTS DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES ANNOUNCES NEW REGULATIONS FOR 2003.
At the March 6, 2003 monthly business meeting of the state's Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFC), new regulations were enacted affecting commercial cod, black sea bass, tautog and lobster fisheries as well as recreational tautog fishing. These issues were discussed at February 3-4 public hearings and will be in effect on March 28, 2003.
1) Commercial cod regulations were amended that prohibit the mutilation of cod in such a way as to interfere with or affect a proper or adequate measurement of fish (322 CMR 6.03):
(a) Commercial Fishery Cod Limit. The trip limits established in 322 CMR 6.03(5) shall be determined by the weight of whole, whole-gutted, or gilled fish.
(b) Exceptions for possession of cod parts. For purposes of determining weights for trip limits as established by 322 CMR 6.03(b), the weight of fillets, except as permitted in 322 CMR 8.08(1), will be multiplied by 3, and the weight of headless whole-gutted cod will be multiplied by 1.25. The weights of cheeks removed from cod heads and cod gonads consistent with 322 CMR 6.03(b) shall be exempt from the possession limits.
(c) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for a commercial fisherman to mutilate any cod in such a way as to interfere with or affect a proper or adequate measurement of the fish.
2) Black Sea Bass trip limits and seasons were enacted to administer the state’s commercial quota (322 CMR 6.28):
(3) Black Sea Bass Possession Limits.
(a) January 1 – April 30. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or possess more than 100 lbs. of black sea bass.
(b) May 1 – May 22; June 1 – July 31. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or posses more than 500 lbs. of black sea bass in the directed sea bass pot fishery and weir fishery, 200 lbs of black sea bass for all other gear types or 100 lbs. in the commercial lobster fishery during a 24-hour day when the Director determines that 50% of the federal approved commercial fishery quota has been reached.
It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or possess black sea bass from May 23 through May 31.
(c) August 1 – December 31. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or posses more than 500 lbs. of black sea bass in the directed sea bass pot fishery and weir fishery, 200 lbs of black sea bass for all other gear types or 100 lbs. in the commercial lobster fishery during a 24-hour day when the Director determines that 100% of the federal approved commercial fishery quota has been reached.
(d) The landing and/or possession of black sea bass on Fridays and Saturdays shall be prohibited.
3) Tautog was approved (for 2004) as a quota-managed species thus requiring dealers to report all tautog purchases from commercial fishermen (322 CMR 7.02):
Quota Managed Species means those species managed by DMF with annual commercial quotas pursuant to interstate and/or federal management plans. Quota managed species include striped bass, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, spiny dogfish, squid, bluefish, horseshoe crabs and tautog.
4) The recreational tautog possession limit was lowered from 6 fish to 3 fish in order to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan (IFMP) (322 CMR 8.06).
5) Commercial Lobster regulations were amended:
V-notch language that will bring Massachusetts into compliance for the Area 1 commercial lobster fishery with the ASMFC IFMP for American lobster (322 CMR 6.02). This replaces the existing regulation and applies state-wide (322 CMR 6.02):
(3) V-notched Female Lobster Protection.
(a) Definitions. For the purpose of 322 CMR 6.02, the following words shall have the following meanings:
V-notched Female Lobster means any female lobster bearing a v- notch on the right flipper adjacent to the middle flipper or any female lobster that is mutilated in a manner that could hide, obscure, or obliterate such a mark. The right flipper will be examined when the underside of the lobster is down and its tail is toward the person making the determination.
V-notch means a “V” shaped notch, which has been carved by means of a sharp bladed instrument, at least ¼ inch and not greater than ½ inch in depth and tapering to a sharp point in the flipper next top and to the right of the center flipper as viewed from the rear of the female lobster when the underside of the lobster is down.
(b) It is prohibited and unlawful for any person to possess any v-notched female lobsters.
(c) Commercial fishermen fishing in Area 1 as defined in 322 CMR 6.33 or authorized to fish in Area 1, shall carve a "v-shaped notch" as described in 322 CMR 6.02(3)(a) into the right middle flipper of all egg bearing female lobsters.
Minimum size in Area 2 was increased to 3 11/32” effective March 14, 2003 (322 CMR 6.01) and to 3 3/8” effective July 1, 2003 as mandated by the ASMFC (322 CMR 6.01). Note that a previously approved minimum size increase for lobster in Area 3 and Outer Cape Cod to 3 11/32” will also become effective on July 1, 2003.
For more information please contact MarineFisheries at 617.626.1520
or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.
HEARINGS:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 14, 15 &17, 2003
Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17A, 30A, 80, 100A and 104, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) have scheduled hearings on the following regulatory proposals. Contact DMF for draft regulations and further details.
1. Accept comments pertaining to a recent emergency action to increase commercial lobster minimum size (322 CMR 6.01) in Lobster Conservation Management Area 2 to comply with recent action taken by the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission. The minimum size was increased effective March 15, 2003 to 3 11/32” and to 3 3/8” for July 1, 2003.
2. DMF proposals to amend recreational and commercial striped bass regulations (322 CMR 6.07).
a. For commercial fisheries, DMF will accept comments on a reduction in the daily bag limit that is currently at 40 fish , a change in the minimum size that is currently at 34”, and a shift in the no-fishing days, and other measures designed to extend the season.
b. For recreational fishermen, DMF proposes to increase the bag limit from one fish to two and will accept comments on alternative minimum sizes.
3. DMF proposals to amend the commercial scup regulations (322 CMR 6.28) regarding the May 1- October 31 summer quota. An increase in the weir fishery set-aside to 225,000 lbs. is proposed. Increased daily trip limit (from 250 to 400 lbs.) is proposed for the directed fishery. By-catch limit of 100 lbs. is proposed for the directed sea bass pot fishery during May and June. A postponement of the directed fishery from July 1 to August 1 is proposed. The number of no-fishing days during the directed fishery may be increased from 2 to 3 per week.
4. DMF proposal to complement federal trawl regulations pertaining to mesh size restrictions (322 CMR 8.07) by requiring at least 6 ½” mesh only in the cod-end of the net bus allow at least 6” mesh in the remainder of the net.
Three public hearings have been scheduled:
Monday April 14, 2003 (7-10 PM) at the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station
Wednesday April 16, 3003 (6:30 to 10 pm) at the Forestdale School, off Rt. 130 in Sandwich
April 17, 2003 (7-10 PM) at the Viking Club in Braintree and
For further information please visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.
MASSACHUSETTS DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES ANNOUNCES NEW REGULATIONS FOR 2003.
At the March 6, 2003 monthly business meeting of the state's Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFC), new regulations were enacted affecting commercial cod, black sea bass, tautog and lobster fisheries as well as recreational tautog fishing. These issues were discussed at February 3-4 public hearings and will be in effect on March 28, 2003.
1) Commercial cod regulations were amended that prohibit the mutilation of cod in such a way as to interfere with or affect a proper or adequate measurement of fish (322 CMR 6.03):
(a) Commercial Fishery Cod Limit. The trip limits established in 322 CMR 6.03(5) shall be determined by the weight of whole, whole-gutted, or gilled fish.
(b) Exceptions for possession of cod parts. For purposes of determining weights for trip limits as established by 322 CMR 6.03(b), the weight of fillets, except as permitted in 322 CMR 8.08(1), will be multiplied by 3, and the weight of headless whole-gutted cod will be multiplied by 1.25. The weights of cheeks removed from cod heads and cod gonads consistent with 322 CMR 6.03(b) shall be exempt from the possession limits.
(c) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for a commercial fisherman to mutilate any cod in such a way as to interfere with or affect a proper or adequate measurement of the fish.
2) Black Sea Bass trip limits and seasons were enacted to administer the state’s commercial quota (322 CMR 6.28):
(3) Black Sea Bass Possession Limits.
(a) January 1 – April 30. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or possess more than 100 lbs. of black sea bass.
(b) May 1 – May 22; June 1 – July 31. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or posses more than 500 lbs. of black sea bass in the directed sea bass pot fishery and weir fishery, 200 lbs of black sea bass for all other gear types or 100 lbs. in the commercial lobster fishery during a 24-hour day when the Director determines that 50% of the federal approved commercial fishery quota has been reached.
It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or possess black sea bass from May 23 through May 31.
(c) August 1 – December 31. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or posses more than 500 lbs. of black sea bass in the directed sea bass pot fishery and weir fishery, 200 lbs of black sea bass for all other gear types or 100 lbs. in the commercial lobster fishery during a 24-hour day when the Director determines that 100% of the federal approved commercial fishery quota has been reached.
(d) The landing and/or possession of black sea bass on Fridays and Saturdays shall be prohibited.
3) Tautog was approved (for 2004) as a quota-managed species thus requiring dealers to report all tautog purchases from commercial fishermen (322 CMR 7.02):
Quota Managed Species means those species managed by DMF with annual commercial quotas pursuant to interstate and/or federal management plans. Quota managed species include striped bass, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, spiny dogfish, squid, bluefish, horseshoe crabs and tautog.
4) The recreational tautog possession limit was lowered from 6 fish to 3 fish in order to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan (IFMP) (322 CMR 8.06).
5) Commercial Lobster regulations were amended:
V-notch language that will bring Massachusetts into compliance for the Area 1 commercial lobster fishery with the ASMFC IFMP for American lobster (322 CMR 6.02). This replaces the existing regulation and applies state-wide (322 CMR 6.02):
(3) V-notched Female Lobster Protection.
(a) Definitions. For the purpose of 322 CMR 6.02, the following words shall have the following meanings:
V-notched Female Lobster means any female lobster bearing a v- notch on the right flipper adjacent to the middle flipper or any female lobster that is mutilated in a manner that could hide, obscure, or obliterate such a mark. The right flipper will be examined when the underside of the lobster is down and its tail is toward the person making the determination.
V-notch means a “V” shaped notch, which has been carved by means of a sharp bladed instrument, at least ¼ inch and not greater than ½ inch in depth and tapering to a sharp point in the flipper next top and to the right of the center flipper as viewed from the rear of the female lobster when the underside of the lobster is down.
(b) It is prohibited and unlawful for any person to possess any v-notched female lobsters.
(c) Commercial fishermen fishing in Area 1 as defined in 322 CMR 6.33 or authorized to fish in Area 1, shall carve a "v-shaped notch" as described in 322 CMR 6.02(3)(a) into the right middle flipper of all egg bearing female lobsters.
Minimum size in Area 2 was increased to 3 11/32” effective March 14, 2003 (322 CMR 6.01) and to 3 3/8” effective July 1, 2003 as mandated by the ASMFC (322 CMR 6.01). Note that a previously approved minimum size increase for lobster in Area 3 and Outer Cape Cod to 3 11/32” will also become effective on July 1, 2003.
For more information please contact MarineFisheries at 617.626.1520
or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.
HEARINGS:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 14, 15 &17, 2003
Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17A, 30A, 80, 100A and 104, Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) have scheduled hearings on the following regulatory proposals. Contact DMF for draft regulations and further details.
1. Accept comments pertaining to a recent emergency action to increase commercial lobster minimum size (322 CMR 6.01) in Lobster Conservation Management Area 2 to comply with recent action taken by the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission. The minimum size was increased effective March 15, 2003 to 3 11/32” and to 3 3/8” for July 1, 2003.
2. DMF proposals to amend recreational and commercial striped bass regulations (322 CMR 6.07).
a. For commercial fisheries, DMF will accept comments on a reduction in the daily bag limit that is currently at 40 fish , a change in the minimum size that is currently at 34”, and a shift in the no-fishing days, and other measures designed to extend the season.
b. For recreational fishermen, DMF proposes to increase the bag limit from one fish to two and will accept comments on alternative minimum sizes.
3. DMF proposals to amend the commercial scup regulations (322 CMR 6.28) regarding the May 1- October 31 summer quota. An increase in the weir fishery set-aside to 225,000 lbs. is proposed. Increased daily trip limit (from 250 to 400 lbs.) is proposed for the directed fishery. By-catch limit of 100 lbs. is proposed for the directed sea bass pot fishery during May and June. A postponement of the directed fishery from July 1 to August 1 is proposed. The number of no-fishing days during the directed fishery may be increased from 2 to 3 per week.
4. DMF proposal to complement federal trawl regulations pertaining to mesh size restrictions (322 CMR 8.07) by requiring at least 6 ½” mesh only in the cod-end of the net bus allow at least 6” mesh in the remainder of the net.
Three public hearings have been scheduled:
Monday April 14, 2003 (7-10 PM) at the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station
Wednesday April 16, 3003 (6:30 to 10 pm) at the Forestdale School, off Rt. 130 in Sandwich
April 17, 2003 (7-10 PM) at the Viking Club in Braintree and
For further information please visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.