DMF logo
Paul J. Diodati
Director
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries
251 Causeway Street, Suite 400
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 626.1520
Fax (617) 626.1509

Massachusetts State Seal
Deval Patrick
Governor
Timothy P. Murray
Lt. Governor
Richard K. Sullivan, Jr.
Secretary
 Mary B. Griffin
Commissioner

February 25, 2011
MarineFisheries Advisory

Notice of marinefisheries public meetings march 15 and march 16, 2011

MarineFisheries will hold two public meetings to discuss the renewal of the winter and spring cod conservation zones, as well as commercial and recreational management measures for scup, black sea bass and fluke.  The details of these regulatory proposals are provided in the public meeting agenda below.

At the March 15 meeting, MarineFisheries will present and take public comment on a late-breaking addendum to the Black Sea Bass Management Plan on behalf of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.  If adopted, the addendum would allow a single state or a group of states to devise specific recreational fishery regulatory measures for 2011.  If the addendum is not adopted region-wide measures would be enacted, including a closure of the fishery from May through June, an increase in minimum size from 12.5” to 13” and a 20 or 25 fish bag limit.

Public Meeting Agenda

  1. Commercial Scup, Black Sea Bass and Fluke Management
    1. Double all current state-waters trip limits for the commercial scup fishery;
    2. Increase the summer fluke hook fishery trip limit from 200 lbs to 300 lbs;
    3. Align the commercial black sea bass seasons so a directed fishery, with a 500 lb trip limit for potters and a 200 lb trip limit for all other gear types, begins on August 1 and allow for a May fishery with a 50 lb or 20 fish trip limit and open days corresponding with the scup fishery.
  2. Recreational Scup, Black Sea Bass and Fluke Management
    1. Status quo for the recreational scup fishery;
    2. Open the fluke fishing season of May 22 to September 30 and decrease minimum size to 17.5”;
    3. Adopt the proposed ASMFC coast-wide measures for black sea bass, and discuss potential state management measures pursuant to the adoption of ASMFC’s addendum to the black sea bass management plan.
  3. Winter and Spring Cod Conservation Zone Closures
    1. Renew the December 1 – January 31 winter and May 1 – July 21 spring cod conservation zone closures.

Meeting Locations and Times

6:00 – 9:00 PM March 15, 2011 at the Falmouth Public High School
874 Gifford Street, Falmouth, MA 02540

6:00 – 9:00 PM March 16, 2011 at the Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930