Lobster Gear Relief Program for Dual Permit Holders

This program provided a one-time payment to qualified dual (Massachusetts state and federal) lobster permit holders to purchase additional fishing gear required to fish in both state and federal waters.

Updates:

• This relief program is now closed. Please check the Lobster Gear Relief Application Status to see the date your payment was mailed out. Payments were issued by the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts (LFoM) and were mailed in June 2023. If you did not receive your payment, please contact us at [e-mail] so we can work with the LFoM to ensure payment is received.

Due to fisheries management requirements, commercial trap fishers are subject to different buoy line requirements based on the jurisdiction where the gear is being fished. This creates a unique problem for trap fishers who have a single fishing business authorized to fish trap gear in both state and federal waters (dual permit holders).

To help defray the cost of requiring two sets of gear, the Massachusetts Legislature allocated funds for eligible Massachusetts commercial lobster permit holders pursuant to c. 126 of the Acts of 2022. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) worked with the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts (LFoM) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) to efficiently distribute these funds. Individual payments to qualified applicants were tiered based on the number of traps historically fished in 2021, and payment amounts were determined by the number of approved applications received during the application period.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must have held a MA coastal lobster license in 2022 and renewed their MA coastal lobster license in 2023
• Must have held a 2022 federal trap lobster license for A1, A2, or AOC and renewed or intended to renew for the 2023 federal fishing year
• Must trap fish for lobster in both state and federal waters with the permits listed above

Application Process

MA DMF mailed out applications on February 15, 2023, to all Massachusetts coastal lobster permit holders. Applications contained qualification information unique to the permit holder and were due April 1, 2023. Applications or appeals received after April 1, 2023, were not considered for this relief program.

Payment

The Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts (LFoM) mailed relief checks to all qualified applicants. Checks were mailed to the address that was printed on your application, or to the address corrected in the received application. MA DMF will work with the LFoM to ensure payments are received - please contact MA DMF at [e-mail] if you have not received your relief check.

Payment amounts were determined by dividing the funds available by the number of qualified applicants, according to the tier approved on the permit holder's application.