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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

Open PDF file, 202.99 KB,  12/23/21: Updates for Coastal Lobster Permit Holders (English, PDF 202.99 KB)
Open PDF file, 224.29 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 (English, PDF 224.29 KB)
Open PDF file, 143.83 KB,  12/14/21: 2021 Commercial, Dealer, and Special Permits Extended Through January 31, 2022 (English, PDF 143.83 KB)
Open PDF file, 244.58 KB,  12/2/21: DMF to Increase 2022 Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit and Renew Multi-State Pilot Program (English, PDF 244.58 KB)
Open PDF file, 228.32 KB,  12/2/21: Commercial Scup Possession Limit for 2022 Winter I Period Set at 50,000 Pounds (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 
Open PDF file, 227.74 KB,  11/8/2021: Public Comment Sought: 2022 Winter I Commercial Scup Limit (English, PDF 227.74 KB)
Open PDF file, 292.61 KB,  11/8/21: 2021 Commercial Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Management Area 1A to Close (English, PDF 292.61 KB)
Open PDF file, 318.5 KB,  11/4/2021: Directed Fishery for Atlantic Sea Herring in Area 1A to Open with Four Landings Days on November 8 (English, PDF 318.5 KB)
Open PDF file, 228.21 KB,  11/4/2021: DMF to Host Summer Flounder Industry Meeting (English, PDF 228.21 KB)

October

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

Open PDF file, 262.98 KB,  8/27/21: Public Comment Sought on In-Season Adjustments to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits for 2021 (English, PDF 262.98 KB)
Open PDF file, 236.41 KB,  8/26/21: Final Recreational Measures Announced for Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock (English, PDF 236.41 KB)
Open PDF file, 228.86 KB,  8/25/21: Update on Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Business Meeting Schedule (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

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

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

April

04/30/21: Reminder Trap Gear Closure in Effect Through May 15 
Open PDF file, 240.45 KB,  4/30/21: DMF Extends Small Vessel Speed Restriction in Cape Cod Bay to Protect Right Whales (English, PDF 240.45 KB)
Open PDF file, 317.69 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 (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 
Open PDF file, 224.16 KB,  4/15/21: Updated Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Business Meeting Schedule (English, PDF 224.16 KB)
04/14/21: Reminder of Whelk Gauge Increase for 2021 
Open PDF file, 230.65 KB,  4/6/21: Effective April 11 the Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit Reduced to 100 Pounds and Pilot Program to Conclude (English, PDF 230.65 KB)

March

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

February

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

January

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

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