Commercial Finfish Regulations as of August 11, 2008
Species
Fishery
Season
Open - Close
Size Limit
Possession Limit
American Eel (1)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 6 in none
S1: All Jan 01 - Apr 30 12 in 100 lb
S2: Fish pot & weir May 01 - May 28 12 in 500 lb
S2: Lobster bycatch May 01 - May 28 12 in 100 lb
S2: All others May 01 - May 28 12 in 200 lb
S3: Fish pot & weir Aug 01 - Aug 18 12 in 500 lb
S3: Lobster bycatch Aug 01 - Aug 18 12 in 100 lb
S3: All others Aug 01 - Aug 18 12 in 200 lb
All Jan 01 - Quota Dep. none 5,000 lb
Cod (3)
North of Cape Cod Jan 01 - Dec 31 22 in 800 lb
East & South of Cape Cod Jan 01 - Dec 31 22 in 1,000 lb
Dab (Plaice) (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 14 in none
Dogfish
All May 01 - Aug 31 none 600 lb
All Sep 01 - Quota Dep. none 2000 lb
P1: Nets Feb 01 - Quota Dep. 14 in 500 lb
P2: Nets April 23 - June 9 14 in 100 lb
P2: Longlines April 23 - June 9 14 in 100 lb
P2: Handlines or Rod & Reel April 23 - June 9 14 in Prohibited
P2: Nets Jun 10 - Aug 5 14 in 300 lb
P2: Longlines Jun 10 - Aug 5 14 in 200 lb
P2: Handlines or Rod & Reel Jun 10 - Aug 5 14 in 200 lb
Gray Sole (Witch) (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 14 in none
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 19 in none
Illex Squid
All Jan 01 - Quota Dep. none none
Loligo Squid
All Jan 01 - Jul 16 none none
All Jul 17 - Aug 31 none 2,500 lbs
All Sep 1 - Quota Dep. none none
Monkfish (5)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 17 in 470 lb tails
1560 lb whole
Pollock (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 19 in none
Redfish (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 9 in none

Scup (6)

 
Winter I Jan 01 - March 15 9 in 30,000 lb
  March 16 - Apr 30 9 in 1,000 lb
Fish Weir Jan 01 - Aug 14 9 in none
Trawlers Apr 23 - Aug 14 9 in 400 lb
Non-Trawl May 01 - May 28 9 in 200 lb
Non-Trawl Aug 01 - Aug 14 9 in 400 lb
Winter II Nov 01 - Nov 24 9 in 2,000 lb
Sunday Jul 13 - Quota Dep. 34 in 5 fish
Tues, Wed, Thur Jul 13 - Quota Dep. 34 in 30 fish
All Apr 16 - May 15 16 in 40 fish
All Sep 01 - Quota Dep. 16 in 40 fish
Weakfish
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 16 in none
Windowpane (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 12 in none
Winter Flounder (8)
Spawning Areas & Inshore Net Areas Jan 01 - Jan 31 12 in none
All others areas Jan 01 - Dec 31 12 in none
Spawning Areas & Inshore Net Areas Jun 01 - Dec 31 12 in none
Yellowtail Flounder (3)
All Jan 01 - Dec 31 13 in 250 lb
Notes:
1) Subject to regulation by the Division and local community. Consult local regulations
2) The black sea bass season has been divided into 3 sections (S1, S2, & S3). When the director has determined that 50% of the commercial fishery quota has been reached, the S2 fishery will close. When the director has determined that 100% of the commercial fishery quota has been reached the S3 fishery will close. During the Spring Period (S2), the landing and/or possession of black sea bass on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays shall be prohibited. During the Fall Period (S3), the landing and/or possession of black sea bass on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays shall be prohibited. Black sea bass are measured from the tip of the snout or jaw (mouth closed) to the farthest extremity of the tail, not including the tail filament.
3) Groundfish species regulated under the federal Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan are subject to area and season specific groundfish closures in both state and federal waters. It is illegal to harvest cod from a portion of Massachusetts Bay (Cod Conservation Zone) between December 1 and February 28.
4) The fluke limit is 500 lbs for nets during Period I from February 1 until 25% of the annual quota is reached, at which point the possession limit will be dropped to 100 lbs. During the squid season (April 23 – June 9), the fluke limit taken by nets will be 100 lbs. It is illegal to land or possess fluke between the hours of 8 PM and 6 AM. From June 10 to the end of Period II, fluke may not be landed on Friday or Saturday.
5) The minimum size for monkfish is 17" total length or 11" inches for tails
6) All fish weirs combined are subject to a quota of 121,500 lbs. During the May through July period, licensed sea bass pot fishermen and hook-and-line fishermen are allowed 200 lbs. daily during the open fishing days for black sea bass. During the May through July, commercial pot and hook & line fishermen are prohibited from landing and/or possessing scup on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. During August through December, commercial pot and hook & line fishermen are prohibited from landing and/or possessing scup on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. From June 10th through October, trawlers are prohibited from possessing scup on Fridays and Saturdays.
7) Commercial fishermen may fish for striped bass only on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday within the commercial season. Striped bass May be taken by hook and line only; spearing, netting, snagging are prohibited.
8) Winter flounder can not be taken inside the spawning closure area or the inshore net areas between Feb 1 and May 31. It is unlawful for commercial fishermen to take winter flounder from Mount Hope Bay and its tributaries