new fishing rules in MA for 05 (comm and rec) bass fluke scup etc.

[Raider Ronnie]

They should have made Sunday a No fishing day also!!!

[squiddler]

Historically, MA is one of the so-called leading lobby states for the commercial sector. What this means is that MA is viewed as a paraiah by the rest of the collective commercial fisheries in adjoining states, never mind us in the recreational sector. It is obviously more than just dollars as it has been proven through solid numbers that the recreational fisherman pump much more actual dollars to the local economies than the commercial guys ever dreamed of. Their dollars go directly to local merchants on many levels of retail and service industries, while commercial money is disbursed on an unfair basis to those with the best connections and equipment. Charter captains are allowed to double dip all the time, and it amazes me that any recreational fisherman would simply allow his catch other than his legal 2 fish to go to the boat to be sold for additional money, instead of being released like every other charter boat must do in every other state in New England. So big deal they stopped the groundfish sector, but not other fisheries within the state.

The price of stripers in that 22 day period is disgusting low($1.70 average), and that is due to the ridiculous bag limits of what was 40 fish, now 30, and a confusing allowance of 5 fish on Sunday, with the next two days of the week being slow market days in every fish market in MA. The RI guys can keep 4 fish 34" and above, and their season lasts all of 20 or so days from Jun 1 to Jun 20 something with the average price above $2.75 a pound, and if they are lucky for another 3 or 4 days in Oct. if the quota was not hit after the assessment of the catch. How do you think the poor guy who lives in Northern Tiverton with the commercial license feels in July when his neighbor whos property abuts his in Fall River is in his favorite fishin hole off Sakonnet Point raping 30 fish a day 4 days a week and then unloading them up river after blasting right by his marina in Northern Portsmouth on his way back home?

MA should adopt similar bag limits to every other state on the eastern seaboard, and recreational limits should be uniform throughout the migratory range of all game fish with serious consideration on slot limit managed species.

[MakoMike]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I don't see how it makes a difference to the resource if the state's commercial quota is harvested in one day or 100 days. Its still the same number of dead fish.

[Mr. Sandman]

MM,

Price per # would go up and stay up, the season would be longer which would also help the resturants which are complaining that they only have bass for a few weeks. Unfor'tly the state thinks importing 14" bass from MD is the solution.

Also, fishing pressure on some spots is excessive when you have a fleet of boats each taking 30/day. Spreading that out over a longer period of time would help as the fish move.

[BrianS]

Does this mean I an still catch dogfish, eviscerate them, and release them as long as the fins are still attached to the body?

[Gloucester2]

Originally Posted by bjs

Does this mean I an still catch dogfish, eviscerate them, and release them as long as the fins are still attached to the body?

Yes

[Roseneath]

How does ASMFC establish quotas? Virgina and Maryland have extremely high quotas (bay and river)!