Besides two hearings this week on Nantucket & MV, there are only two other hearings. One next week in Gloucester and one @ Mass Maritime THIS Wednesday night 6pm.

My view is that a recreational angler is a recreational angler whether fishing from shore, private boat or for hire boat. This is why I hope people show up en masse and demand the state choose 1 @ 28" for all anglers in MA.

I have to be honest and report that it sure sounds like the state has heard from lots of charter operators and is leaning toward a 2 fish regulation for charter boats. CHARTER BOATS THAT WANT 1 @ 28" really would help if they show up to be heard.

I also encourage those that make comment state that IF the state chooses separate regs for the charter fleet that the state also institute separate accountability measures so that IF, in a couple years when the 2 fish "conservation equivalency" fails, private anglers are not paying for the results of the two fish bag limit. If the state can analyze split regs now they can analyze split regs when things go badly.

Democracy is not a spectator sport...show up and be heard

what building is the meeting in? is there a sign?

is the "only" topic of these hearings? whether the charter boats get 2 fish?
or is there other business discussed?
Thanks

FF, there are other subjects including a commercial SB proposal and a proposal to reverse a regulation that allows large small mesh squid draggers into a state waters around Nantucket.

Here is the link to the proposals:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/pubhearings/dmf-publichearingnotice-january2015.pdf

See as many as possible this evening (1/14/15) at Admirals Hall at MMA at 6PM. I was in favor of 1 at 32, settled for 1 at 28. Still seems to be an issue with Charters keeping too many potential breeders. A recreational angler is still a recreational angler.
Clarification please, does the charter captain get to keep 2 in addition to the hires getting to keep 2 or is it just the charter anglers that get to keep 2?
Thanks,
Bill

I believe what was tossed around was the captains and mates would not be able to "gift" their fish to the charters
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I believe what was tossed around was the captains and mates would not be able to "gift" their fish to the charters
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

That would be another 4 fish per trip,,, adds up

Can't make it, home builders same night, plus meal included :cheers:

Looking at the hearing locations I guess no one on the North shore or Boston fish for stripers. Either that or the state doesn't want to hear from them. Especially from the North shore where the fish numbers have been really down.

Mike,
There is a meeting Jan, 20th in Gloucester. I believe that qualifies as the North Shore. Nice turnout at Buzzards Bay tonight. Quite a bit of non striper stuff, but key was the charter boat striper stuff. One charter captain says they need 2 to compete with RI if RI goes to 2 but the rest of the crowd was clearly in the 1 at 28 corner. Just because RI tries to go to 2 is not a reason for MA to do it, also most other states are at 1 for their charters already, even VA and NC.

Lots of MSBA guys that I knew were there (for 1@28) also a good number of Cape Cod Salties (all for 1@ 28 it appears). Slipknot and a few others from SB.Com too. Captain Dave Peros a charter guide from Monument Beach spoke and he definitely is in the 1@28 corner. He reminded the Marine fisheries that the vast majority of public comments to ASMFC in the fall were in favor of 1@28, 1@30 or 1@32. Patrick Paquette got his MSBA points across too about going far enough now so we don't lose to seasonal closures in future. 0ne rule at 1@28 would be easiest to enforce too which was mentioned by crowd and Fisheries management team as well.

All public comments must be submitted by 1/23/15 to the division of marine fisheries. They do review and tabulate the responses so there is time to be heard. Let's give them the ammunition they need to go at 1@28 across the board for recreation and charters. Rather be safe then sorry because of not going far enough now then have it worse in 3 years (with shortened season?) as this only has a 50% chance of success as it is.

A good meeting with good crowd input and a good job by Paul Diodoti and team to gather information.

Bill

Regarding Captain & Crew fish during a charter, DMF again stated what is known by some of us..."the regulations are silent but the possession limits are by individual" Take that for what it is worth. There is no proposal currently to address this strange area of debate so it is not going to be addressed at this time.

Send your comments in everyone

email to marine.fish@state.ma.us

The sooner they make a decision , the better. No need to wait to see what other states do, set a precedent and make the decision so they can follow with 1 @ 28.

with a 50/50 chance at success, maybe we will have a decent fishery of stripers in 5 years where there will be fish in all the usual places not just big schools in a handful of places.

Mike,
There is a meeting Jan, 20th in Gloucester. I believe that qualifies as the North Shore.

Bill

Aging must be affecting my brain. I read those addresses three time looking for a meeting on the North shore to put out to our club members and somehow kept thinking they were all on the South shore. Thanks for the wake up.