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2021 DMF Advisories

DMF Advisories provide official announcements of updates to permits, public hearings, opening & closing of fishing seasons, and other important news.
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December

12/23/21: Updates for Coastal Lobster Permit Holders, Open PDF file, 202.99 KB (English, PDF 202.99 KB)
12/22/21: Proposal for Authorization to Conduct Ropeless Fishing Activity Within Certain Areas of the Massachusetts Trap Gear Closure Area Using On-Demand Vertical Buoy Lines Systems, Open PDF file, 224.29 KB (English, PDF 224.29 KB)
12/14/21: 2021 Commercial, Dealer, and Special Permits Extended Through January 31, 2022, Open PDF file, 143.83 KB (English, PDF 143.83 KB)
12/2/21: DMF to Increase 2022 Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit and Renew Multi-State Pilot Program, Open PDF file, 244.58 KB (English, PDF 244.58 KB)
12/2/21: Commercial Scup Possession Limit for 2022 Winter I Period Set at 50,000 Pounds, Open PDF file, 228.32 KB (English, PDF 228.32 KB)

November

11/12/21: Public Comment Sought on Proposal to Increase Period I Summer Flounder Commercial Trip Limits for 2022
11/8/2021: Public Comment Sought: 2022 Winter I Commercial Scup Limit, Open PDF file, 227.74 KB (English, PDF 227.74 KB)
11/8/21: 2021 Commercial Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Management Area 1A to Close , Open PDF file, 292.61 KB (English, PDF 292.61 KB)
11/4/2021: Directed Fishery for Atlantic Sea Herring in Area 1A to Open with Four Landings Days on November 8, Open PDF file, 318.5 KB (English, PDF 318.5 KB)
11/4/2021: DMF to Host Summer Flounder Industry Meeting, Open PDF file, 228.21 KB (English, PDF 228.21 KB)

October

10/29/21: 2021 Commercial Tautog Fishery to Close Effective November 2
10/29/21: ASMFC Atlantic Herring Area 1A Days Out Meeting Scheduled for November 4 , Open PDF file, 222.41 KB (English, PDF 222.41 KB)

September

09/30/21: 2021 Commercial Striped Bass Fishery to Close After October 1
09/30/21: Directed Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A to Remain Closed in Season 2
09/24/21: 2021 Commercial Winter II Scup Limits Set at 21,000 Pounds
09/23/2021: 2021 Winter II Scup Trip Limits Set at 21,000 Pounds
09/23/21: MA/NH and Western Maine Sea Herring Spawning Closures in Effect Through November 3
09/23/21: In-Season Adjustments Made to 2021 Commercial Summer Flounder Limits
09/09/21: DMF Seeks Comment on 2021 Winter II Scup Limits

August

8/27/21: Public Comment Sought on In-Season Adjustments to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits for 2021, Open PDF file, 262.98 KB (English, PDF 262.98 KB)
8/26/21: Final Recreational Measures Announced for Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock, Open PDF file, 236.41 KB (English, PDF 236.41 KB)
8/25/21: Update on Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Business Meeting Schedule, Open PDF file, 228.86 KB (English, PDF 228.86 KB)
08/23/21: In-Season Adjustments to Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits for 2021
08/11/21: Hypoxic Conditions Developing in Southern Cape Cod Bay
08/09/21: 2021 Quota Managed Menhaden Fishery to Close on August 11
08/02/21: Season I Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A to Close on August 3, 2021

July

07/30/21: PSP (Red Tide) Opening for All Species Except Carnivorous Snails and Whole Sea Scallops (MB1 - MB14), Open PDF file, 242.3 KB (English, PDF 242.3 KB)
7/30/21: DMF Seeks Public Comment on In-Season Adjustments to 2021 Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits
07/29/21: PSP (Red Tide) Opening for All Species (N1 - N6, N8, N10 - N28) and Soft Shell & Razor Clams (N9), Open PDF file, 226.97 KB (English, PDF 226.97 KB)
07/16/21: 2021 Quota Managed Menhaden Fishery to Resume on July 19
07/15/21: PSP (Red Tide) Closure Notice for Softshell & Razor Clams (N1 - N28) and All Shellfish (MB1 - MB14), Open PDF file, 186.56 KB (English, PDF 186.56 KB)
07/14/21: PSP (Red Tide) Closure for Blue Mussels (N1 - N28 & MB1 - MB14), Open PDF file, 185.61 KB (English, PDF 185.61 KB)
07/06/21: Directed Commercial Black Sea Bass Fishery to Open July 8
7/1/21: Commercial Striped Bass Fishery is Open on Monday, July 5, Open PDF file, 223.38 KB (English, PDF 223.38 KB)

June

06/17/21: Closure of Quota Managed Menhaden Fishery and Transition to Episodic Event Set Aside Program
06/11/21: Limited Access Menhaden Trip Limit Reduced to 25,000 Pounds
06/07/21: State-Waters Small Mesh Trawl Squid Fishery Closure

May

5/24/21: Commercial Fishing Rules for Striped Bass in 2021, Open PDF file, 240.51 KB (English, PDF 240.51 KB)
5/21/21: New Menhaden Rules for 2021, Open PDF file, 249.96 KB (English, PDF 249.96 KB)
5/19/21: DMF Renews Pilot Program to Allow Trawlers to Possess and Land Consecutive Days Trip Limits of Summer Flounder , Open PDF file, 234.88 KB (English, PDF 234.88 KB)
05/13/21: DMF Rescinds Seasonal Trap Gear Closure and Speed Restrictions
5/13/21 Reminder: New Recreational Lobster and Crab Trap Rules for 2021, Open PDF file, 253.52 KB (English, PDF 253.52 KB)
5/10/21: DMF Monitoring Presence of Right Whales in Coastal Waters, Open PDF file, 284.99 KB (English, PDF 284.99 KB)
Clarification for Buoy Line Marking Rules for 2021, Open PDF file, 264.32 KB (English, PDF 264.32 KB)
5/4/2021: DMF Monitoring Presence of Right Whales in Coastal Waters, Open PDF file, 469.93 KB (English, PDF 469.93 KB)
5/3/21: The Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative Releases the Final Strategic Plan, Open PDF file, 214.98 KB (English, PDF 214.98 KB)

April

04/30/21: Reminder Trap Gear Closure in Effect Through May 15
4/30/21: DMF Extends Small Vessel Speed Restriction in Cape Cod Bay to Protect Right Whales, Open PDF file, 240.45 KB (English, PDF 240.45 KB)
4/22/21: Atlantic Sea Herring Area 1A Effort Controls for 2021 and Declaration to Participate in the Directed Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A, Open PDF file, 317.69 KB (English, PDF 317.69 KB)
04/20/21: Notice Regarding High Densities of Right Whales in Massachusetts Waters
04/16/21: Revised Circle Hook Requirement for Recreational Striped Bass Fishing
04/16/21: New Prohibition on Trap Fishing for Blue Crabs
4/15/21: Updated Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Business Meeting Schedule, Open PDF file, 224.16 KB (English, PDF 224.16 KB)
04/14/21: Reminder of Whelk Gauge Increase for 2021
4/6/21: Effective April 11 the Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit Reduced to 100 Pounds and Pilot Program to Conclude, Open PDF file, 230.65 KB (English, PDF 230.65 KB)

March

3/29/21: 2021 Horseshoe Crab Lunar Spawning Closure Dates, Open PDF file, 257.76 KB (English, PDF 257.76 KB)
03/26/21: Reminder of Small Vessel Speed Limit in Cape Cod Bay
3/24/21: DMF to Temporarily Lift the Massachusetts Bay Commercial Groundfish Closure for April 2021, Open PDF file, 233.78 KB (English, PDF 233.78 KB)
3/24/21: Recreational Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Limits, Open PDF file, 238.68 KB (English, PDF 238.68 KB)
3/23/21: Shellfish Advisory Panel to Meet Virtually Monday, March 29 at 1 PM, Open PDF file, 248.11 KB (English, PDF 248.11 KB)
3/16/21: Update and Q&A Session for Commercial Lobster Trap, Fish Pot, and Whelk Pot Fishermen., Open PDF file, 228.25 KB (English, PDF 228.25 KB)
3/5/21: Update on Newly Required Gear Modifications for Trap Fishermen and Industry Outreach on Gear Distribution, Open PDF file, 203.62 KB (English, PDF 203.62 KB)

February

2/24/21: States Schedule Public Hearings on Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Amendment 7 Public Information Document, Open PDF file, 375.52 KB (English, PDF 375.52 KB)
2/23/21: Update on 2021 Recreational Fishing Regulations, Open PDF file, 238.87 KB (English, PDF 238.87 KB)
2/23/21: MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Public Hearings for Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment, Open PDF file, 310.52 KB (English, PDF 310.52 KB)
2/19/21: New Protected Species Regulations Finalized for Fixed Gear Fisheries and Industry Outreach on Required Gear Modifications, Open PDF file, 247.65 KB (English, PDF 247.65 KB)
2/19/21: Public Comment Sought on Proposed Action to Temporarily Lift the State-Waters Groundfish Closure for April 2021, Open PDF file, 253.52 KB (English, PDF 253.52 KB)
2/12/21: DMF Announces Public Comment Period and Virtual Public Meeting on Behalf of the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative (MSI), Open PDF file, 226.7 KB (English, PDF 226.7 KB)
2/5/21: Storm Causes Surf Clam Strandings on Local Beaches, Open PDF file, 239.21 KB (English, PDF 239.21 KB)
2/2/2021: Public Input Sought on 2021 Season Dates for the Recreational Black Sea Bass Fishery, Open PDF file, 246.99 KB (English, PDF 246.99 KB)

January

1/29/21: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Meets and Approves New Regulations, Open PDF file, 257.03 KB (English, PDF 257.03 KB)
1/26/21: 2020 Commercial and Dealer Permits Extended Through February 28, 2021, Open PDF file, 142.71 KB (English, PDF 142.71 KB)
1/22/21: Update on Timeline for Pending Protected Species Regulations, Open PDF file, 221.5 KB (English, PDF 221.5 KB)
1/21/21: Massachusetts Launches ‘Ropeless’ Fishing Gear Feasibility Study, Open PDF file, 224.31 KB (English, PDF 224.31 KB)
1/19/21: MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Public Hearings for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment, Open PDF file, 309.39 KB (English, PDF 309.39 KB)
1/13/21: Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Stakeholder Input on Summer Flounder Recreational Management, Open PDF file, 234.22 KB (English, PDF 234.22 KB)
1/11/21: Applications Sought for New England Fishery Management Council, Open PDF file, 231.5 KB (English, PDF 231.5 KB)
1/8/21: Update on Timeline for Pending Protected Species Regulations, Open PDF file, 271.09 KB (English, PDF 271.09 KB)

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