At an October 11th business meeting the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFC) approved 1) finalizing a recent emergency reduction in the commercial haddock minimum size from 19” to 18” and 2) continuing commercial and recreational fishing prohibutions during December 1st through February 28th in the Cod Conservation Zone.

1. Commercial Haddock Minimum Size Finalized at 18” – 322 CMR 6.03
   

   This action finalizes an August 10th emergency action reducing the commercial minimum size for haddock from 19” to 18”. DMF took emergency action to complement a federal emergency rule reducing the commercial haddock minimum size based on evidence that commercial trawlers using legal sized mesh were discarding excessive amounts of undersized haddock due to the current slow growth rate observed in haddock. The Commonwealth’s commercial fishermen (state and federally permitted) would have been unable to avail themselves of this opportunity without complementary state action.

   Recreational fishermen are reminded that they remain prohibited from possessing haddock smaller than 19”.

2. Cod Conservation Zone – (322 CMR 8.15)
   The Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFC) approved continuance of the Cod Conservation Zone and related restrictions on groundfish fishing during the period December 1, 2007 – February 28, 2008 (322 CMR 8.15)
   
   During the closure period no person shall harvest cod from waters under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth north of latitude 42º 20’and south of 42º 30’ (Figure 1). It is unlawful for any person to fish, set, or abandon any gear capable of harvesting cod in this CCZ during the restricted season. This prohibition applies to all gillnets, otter trawls, mid-water trawls, seines, and all hook-and-line gears including longlines, rod-and-reel, and handlines, however exempted geras include lobster traps, and drags used for scallops and urchins.
   

   DMF first took action in 2003/2004 to protect this spawning aggregation from excessive fishing effort by recreational and commercial fishermen. Since then, the CCZ continues to be an area of particular importance for late fall-early winter cod aggregations.

Figure 1. Map Cod Conservation Zone.

For more information, contact DMF at 617-626-1520 or online at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.