Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 130 § 17A and 80 and 322 CMR 7.01(4), for the 2012 fishing year, the Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) is considering implementing a regulated fishery special permit endorsement authorizing Coastal Access Permit (CAP) holders to take sea scallops by dredge in state waters; this permit endorsement will be known as the State Waters Sea Scallop Endorsement (SE).  The SE will only be made available to CAP holders who do not also hold a federal sea scallop permit. This will not prevent federal scallop permit holders from fishing in state waters.

MarineFisheries is also recommending the following conditions to the SE:

1. all permitted vessels are authorized to retain and land no more than 200 lbs of sea scallop meats or 2,000 lbs of in-shell sea scallops per trip or 24 hour period, whichever is longer;
2. all permitted vessels must use at minimum a 10” twine top net mesh; and
3. all permitted vessels must use at minimum a 4” dredge ring.

Two public scoping meetings have been scheduled to take comment on the proposed permit and permit conditions:
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 – 6:00 to 9:00 PM – Falmouth Public High School,  874 Gifford Street Ext, Falmouth, MA 02540. 
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 – 6:00 to 9:00 PM –Annisquam River Station, 30 Emerson Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930.

MarineFisheries is accepting written comments through 5:00 PM on Friday, October 7, 2011. Interested
parties may submit comments to MarineFisheries via e-mail (marine.fish@state.ma.us or
jared.silva@state.ma.us), fax (617-626-1509) or mail (Jared Silva, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114).