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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 (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 (English, PDF 224.29 KB)
12/14/21: 2021 Commercial, Dealer, and Special Permits Extended Through January 31, 2022 (English, PDF 143.83 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)
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 
11/8/2021: Public Comment Sought: 2022 Winter I Commercial Scup Limit (English, PDF 227.74 KB)
11/8/21: 2021 Commercial Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Management Area 1A to Close (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 (English, PDF 318.5 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 
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

8/27/21: Public Comment Sought on In-Season Adjustments to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits for 2021 (English, PDF 262.98 KB)
8/26/21: Final Recreational Measures Announced for Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock (English, PDF 236.41 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

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 
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 
07/15/21: PSP (Red Tide) Closure Notice for Softshell & Razor Clams (N1 - N28) and All Shellfish (MB1 - MB14) (English, PDF 186.56 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 
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

5/24/21: Commercial Fishing Rules for Striped Bass in 2021 (English, PDF 240.51 KB)
5/21/21: New Menhaden Rules for 2021 (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 (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 (English, PDF 253.52 KB)
5/10/21: DMF Monitoring Presence of Right Whales in Coastal Waters (English, PDF 284.99 KB)
Clarification for Buoy Line Marking Rules for 2021 (English, PDF 264.32 KB)
5/4/2021: DMF Monitoring Presence of Right Whales in Coastal Waters (English, PDF 469.93 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 
4/30/21: DMF Extends Small Vessel Speed Restriction in Cape Cod Bay to Protect Right Whales (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 (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 (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 (English, PDF 230.65 KB)

March

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 
3/24/21: DMF to Temporarily Lift the Massachusetts Bay Commercial Groundfish Closure for April 2021 (English, PDF 233.78 KB)
3/24/21: Recreational Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Limits (English, PDF 238.68 KB)
3/23/21: Shellfish Advisory Panel to Meet Virtually Monday, March 29 at 1 PM (English, PDF 248.11 KB)
3/16/21: Update and Q&A Session for Commercial Lobster Trap, Fish Pot, and Whelk Pot Fishermen. (English, PDF 228.25 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

2/24/21: States Schedule Public Hearings on Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Amendment 7 Public Information Document (English, PDF 375.52 KB)
2/23/21: Update on 2021 Recreational Fishing Regulations (English, PDF 238.87 KB)
2/23/21: MAFMC and ASMFC to Hold Public Hearings for Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment (English, PDF 310.52 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)
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)
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)
2/5/21: Storm Causes Surf Clam Strandings on Local Beaches (English, PDF 239.21 KB)
2/2/2021: Public Input Sought on 2021 Season Dates for the Recreational Black Sea Bass Fishery (English, PDF 246.99 KB)

January

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

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