The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) has projected that the ASMFC northern states’ 2008/2009 spiny dogfish quota will be harvested by Sunday, September 28th. MarineFisheries is therefore taking action to prohibit the possession and landing of spiny dogfish by commercial fishermen effective 0001 hours on Monday, September 29th. The Period II interstate fishery is scheduled to re-open on November 1st. Only those fishermen landing in states from NY south will be eligible to land spiny dogfish at that time. The “northern states” have landed their regional share of spiny dogfish quota.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Management Board approved an 8-million lb. quota for spiny dogfish for the 2008/2009 fishing year that assigned 58% of the overall spiny dogfish quota to “northern” states (CT through ME) with the remaining 42% assigned to states from NY south.

Note, NOAA Fisheries closed the Period I federal fishery on August 20th.

For further information please visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.