The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) will implement a Winter Offshore Summer Flounder (Fluke) Fishery Pilot Program in the Period I fluke fishery beginning on January 1, 2011.  This authorization will allow pilot program participants to land 2,000 lb. of fluke per week (Sunday to Saturday) during the Period I fishery until 25% of the annual fluke quota is caught.

A letter of authorization (LOA) will be issued upon request to holders of a Massachusetts commercial permit with a fluke endorsement.

MarineFisheries has decided to implement this pilot program because there will be a 30% increase in the fluke quota in 2011, to allow more of the Period I quota to be harvested, as well as to reduce fluke discards in the winter offshore fishery.

Fluke endorsement holders who want to participate in the pilot program must notify MarineFisheries of which dealer(s) they will be selling their fluke to in their application.  Identified dealers will be required to report their fluke transactions to the SAFIS database on a daily basis.  Daily reporting by dealers is necessary to monitor the small Period I fluke quota.

Those interested in applying for an LOA to participate in the pilot program should send a letter, fax or e-mail requesting an LOA to:

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
251 Causeway St.
Boston MA 02114
Fax 617 626-1509
e-mail  Kerry Swallow kerry.swallow@state.ma.us

All request letters must include the permit holder’s name, permit id number, vessel name, and the dealer(s) that fluke will be sold to during the pilot program.

For more information call 617 626-1520.

For further information please visit our website at: www.mass.gov/marinefisheries