At upcoming October 24 and 25 public hearings, the Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) will propose a suite of regulatory changes including a proposed prohibition on the take of cod from an area of Massachusetts Bay (see map below) during the period December 1st through January 15th. MarineFisheries will be taking comments on the extent of the proposed closure area and duration, as well as licensing and other measures. (see DMF Public Hearing Notice at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries)

In recent years, cod have aggregated in significant numbers in portions of northern Massachusetts Bay during winter months. MarineFisheries took emergency action in 2003-2004 to protect this spawning aggregation from excessive fishing effort. Re-occurrences of this aggregation in winter months has prompted MarineFisheries to enact more permanent rules. MarineFisheries will gather public comment on the proposal to prohibit the harvest of cod from a portion of Massachusetts Bay as a conservation measure during late fall /early winter months (322 CMR 8.15) at two public hearings scheduled for Monday, October 24th (7PM) at the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station (30 Emerson Ave., Gloucester) and Tuesday, October 25th (7PM) at the Plymouth Harbor Radisson (180 Water St.,
Plymouth).