Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17A, 38, 80 & 104, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) have scheduled a hearing to accept comments on:

1. DMF proposal to prohibit any person from harvesting cod from the Cod Conservation Zone during December and January (322 CMR 8.15). This proposal shortens the closed period by one month (February) that has been in place since 2005. The rule would continue the prohibition on gillnets, otter trawls, mid-water trawl, seines and all hook-and-line gears including longlines, rod-and-reel, and handlines in the Conservation Zone.
2. DMF proposal to extend the moratorium for an additional three years on river herring harvest, sale and possession through 2011 (322 CMR 6.17). (Click to see public hearing presentation on moratorium extension )DMF seeks comments on possible amendments to the tolerance allowed for incidental by-catch and possession in other fisheries such as the sea herring fishery where fish are not sorted at-sea. Current tolerance of 5% for any batch of fish by count may be amended to a percentage as low as 1% by weight.
3. Public petition and DMF proposal to establish a 50-blue crab per person per day possession (322 CMR 6.19) for recreational and commercial fishermen.

Public hearings have been scheduled for:
Tuesday, September 16th (6PM) at the Radisson-PlymouthHarbor (180 Water St.);
Wednesday, September 17th (6PM) at the Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station (30 Emerson Ave. , Gloucester);
Thursday, September 18th (5:30PM) at the Tisbury Town Hall (51 Spring St., Vineyard Haven).

Comments received by e-mail (marine.fish@state.ma.us), fax (617.626.1509), or mail (251 Causeway St., Suite 400; Boston, MA 02114) will be accepted until 5PM on Friday, September 19, 2008.

Contact DMF for regulations and further details or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.