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In regards to the boat vs shore issue, it was brought to DMF by commercial fishing boat owners. They see it as a lot of people do, anyone can register anything and never fish from it but still go bang 15 fish out and claim it as "boat fish" even when their boots are on the ground. I've seen people (shore guys with boat permit) actually asking for help on social media to "go kill 15".
Here's the actual letter written to Marine FIsheries by a group of commercial boat owners.
To: Dr. David Pierce, Director; Division of Marine Fisheries
Mark Amorello, Chair; Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission; Marine
Fisheries Advisory Commission Members
"Subject: Following petition proposing changes in commercial striped bass possession
limits
Date: March 8, 2016
I (we) are requesting changes to two sections of the appropriate CMR concerning the boat possession limit and the individual possession limit in the striped bass commercial fishery. Currently, a boat permit holder is allowed to take the assigned boat permit off the boat and fish as an individual from shore and take and possess the boat limit of 15 fish while individual permit holders are limited to 2 fish. This dichotomy has led to significant abuses, particularly in the Cape Cod Canal where the unique availability of large striped bass creates opportunity for significant abuse.
1. Boat permit holders go ashore and acquire bass from a variety of willing "donors".
Once these donated fish are placed in the permit holder's possession, they become part of their 15 fish limit.
2. The bag limit dichotomy between boat and shore fishermen has prompted some shore fishers to purchase boat permits. All a potential boat permit holder needs to substantiate is that they have a registered boat. This practice adds potential effort to the fishery which could prove problematic should future effort have to be curtailed.
3. Donors to the boat permit holders 15 fish limit include both shore permit holders and recreational fishermen hoping to make some extra cash without the expenses of the necessary permits.
We realize in the scheme of things, this illegal practices associated with the current regulation may not seem like a significant problem.. Hopefully, all the illegally procured fish end up on the quota and the boat permit holders catch report.
However, we hope you will consider the climate of illegality this practice promotes and more significantly the reaction of the myriads of recreational users of the Canal's unique opportunities who have reported to us and others of what they have observed. We have also observed and reported to Mass OLE these illegal transactions. While this activity pales in comparison to events that have transpired in New Bedford recently, it further diminishes the public perception of the fishing industry. We feel this is a problem that can quickly corrected by decisive action by the Division and MFAC.
The specific requests are:
1.Eliminate the regulatory provision that allows a boat permit holder to take the
permit and "individually" harvest the boat trip limit from shore. Boat permit holders
who leave their boats should be limited to the shore commercial bag limit..
2. Increase the shore bag limit to 3-4 fish to accommodate the legitimate shore fishers who are more than capable of taking more than 2 fish on a tide. .
Thank you for your consideration of this issue."
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