Under the provisions of M.G.L. Ch 30A and pursuant to the authority found in M.G.L. Ch. 130 ss. 17A & 80 Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFC) have scheduled a hearing to accept comments on the following DMF regulatory actions and proposed changes.

1. Accept comments on recently enacted emergency regulations that instituted amendments to the summer flounder, scup and sea bass fisheries to comply with certain annual adjustments under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission interstate plans.

   • Liberalization of the summer flounder recreational season from 44 to 108 days (May 22 – Sept. 6) in response to ASMFC approved options to allow increases in the recreational harvest (322 CMR 6.22).
   • Amendment of the scup for-hire “bonus season” to 35 consecutive days (May 15 – June 18th) with a 40 fish bag limit (322 CMR 6.28).  This action resulted in reductions of 5 fish off the bag limit and 10 days off the season and was approved by the ASMFC. 
   • Increase of the commercial scup quota set-aside for the weir fishery from 177,000 to 225,000 lbs. commensurate with the increase in the overall 2010 Massachusetts summer period commercial quota (322 CMR 6.28).
   • Establishment of closed seasons for recreational sea bass fishery: January 1 through May 21 and September 13 through December 31 (322 CMR 6.22).
2. Accept comments on an emergency action to amend Coastal Shark Conservation regulations (322 CMR 6.37) consistent with the interstate management plan for coastal sharks by requiring all dealers who purchase coastal sharks from commercial fishermen to be authorized and permitted as a federal shark dealer.
3. Adopt conservation measures for weakfish (322 CMR 8.06) consistent with the interstate management plan for weakfish by lowering the recreational limit from 6 to 1 fish and establishing a commercial daily trip limit of 100 lbs.

A public hearing has been scheduled for 6PM on May 10, 2010 at the Plymouth Public Library (132 South Street, Plymouth, MA 02360)

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 Tuesday, May 11, 2010.
Copies of proposed regulations may be obtained by contacting Jared Silva by email (jared.silva@state.ma.us), phone (617.626.1534), or at the above fax and mailing address.