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2024 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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October

10/8/24: Commercial Black Sea Bass Fishery to Close Effective October 12 
10/4/24: Commercial Tautog Fishery to Close on October 6, 2024 
10/1/24: Industry Scoping Meeting for 2025 Summer Flounder and Inshore Summertime Trawl Fishery Management 

September

09/25/24: Industry Scoping Meeting for 2025 Menhaden Management 
9/24/24: Commercial Scup Possession Limit Set for 2024 Winter II Period 
9/24/24: Season 2 Effort Controls for Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A 
9/17/24: Management Area 1A Herring Quota Closure, MA/NH Spawning Closure, and Days Out Meeting 
Open PDF file, 210.34 KB,  9/13/24: DMF’s Fall Trawl Survey Expected to Start on Sunday, September 15 (English, PDF 210.34 KB)
09/13/24: Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits Liberalized Effective September 15 
Open PDF file, 279.83 KB,  9/9/24: ASMFC Public Hearing on American Lobster Draft Addendum XXXI (English, PDF 279.83 KB)
9/6/24: Limited Entry Menhaden Fishery to Reopen at 25,000-pound Trip limit on September 9 
Open PDF file, 283.07 KB,  9/3/24: ASMFC Public Hearings on Summer Flounder Draft Addendum XXXV (English, PDF 283.07 KB)
9/16/24: Pilot Program to Allow Consecutive Daily Trip Limits in State Waters Groundfish Fishery 

August

Open PDF file, 197.42 KB,  8/27/24: DMF’s Fall Trawl Survey Start Date Delayed (English, PDF 197.42 KB)
8/26/24: Commercial Summer Flounder Fishery to Close Effective August 28 
8/22/24: Horseshoe Crab Bait Fishery Trip Limit Reduced, Effective August 24 
Open PDF file, 232.77 KB,  8/21/24: DMF’s Annual Fall Trawl Survey to Begin September 3rd, 2024 (English, PDF 232.77 KB)
8/21/22: Effective August 22, Menhaden Trip Limit Reduced and Other Requirements Triggered  
8/12/24: Commercial Striped Bass Fishery to Close August 14 
Open PDF file, 114.61 KB,  8/2/24: Commercial Striped Bass Fishery Open Days to Remain Tuesdays and Wednesdays (English, PDF 114.61 KB)

July

Open PDF file, 117.73 KB,  7/31/24: Commercial Summer Flounder (Fluke) Fishery Trip Limits to Remain Unchanged (English, PDF 117.73 KB)
Open PDF file, 115.72 KB,  7/31/24: Commercial Horseshoe Crab Bait Fishery Trip Limit to Remain at 300 Crabs (English, PDF 115.72 KB)
Open PDF file, 120.39 KB,  7/30/24: Update on Commercial Striped Bass Fishing Days (English, PDF 120.39 KB)
Open PDF file, 125.86 KB,  07/26/24: Multi-Day Pilot Program for Black Sea Bass Potters and Public Comment on In-Season Adjustment to Increase Black Sea Bass Trip Limits (English, PDF 125.86 KB)
7/24/24: Update to Recreational Gulf of Maine Cod and Haddock Limits 
7/11/24: Information Session for Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Proposed Sale Notice - July 17 in Eastham 
7/11/24: Department of Fish and Game to Host Public Listening Sessions on Biodiversity Conservation Goals for the Commonwealth 
7/2/24: Reminder that Commercial Striped Bass Fishery is Closed on July 3 
7/11/24: ASMFC Public Hearings on Northern Shrimp Drat Amendment 4 Scoping Document 

June

6/28/24: Reminder to Recreational Shark Fishers 
6/14/24: Commercial Striped Bass Fishery to Open on June 18 
Open PDF file, 209.32 KB,  6/10/24: Vineyard Wind 1 Fishermen Compensation Eligibility Period Extended - One Week Left to Apply (English, PDF 209.32 KB)
6/9/24: State Waters Small Mesh Trawl Fishery for Longfin Squid to Close on June 10 
6/5/24: Limited Access Menhaden Trip Limit Reduced to 25,000 Pounds Effective June 7 

May

Open PDF file, 300.92 KB,  5/23/2024: Vineyard Wind 1 Fishermen Compensation Eligibility- Two Weeks Left to Apply (English, PDF 300.92 KB)
Open PDF file, 127.7 KB,  5/7/24: Fixed Gear Seasonal Closures and Small Vessel Speed Limit Lifted Effective Wednesday, May 8th (amended) (English, PDF 127.7 KB)
Open PDF file, 126.6 KB,  5/7/24: Commercial Trap Gear Fishery to Open and Small Vessel Speed Limit Lifted Effective Wednesday, May 8th (English, PDF 126.6 KB)
Open PDF file, 278.81 KB,  5/6/24: BOEM Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) Public Meetings (English, PDF 278.81 KB)
05/06/24: Update on Use of Weak Rope with "MASS LOBSTER" Tracer 
5/3/24: Regional Meeting Scheduled to Discuss King and Spanish Mackerel Fisheries 

April

04/30/24: Effort Controls Set for Season 1 Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A 
04/29/24: Seasonal Trap and Gillnet Closures to Protect Right Whales Remain in Effect 
04/29/24: DMF Extends Small Vessel Speed Limit in Cape Cod Bay to Protect Right Whales 
4/26/24: Update on 2024 Recreational Fishing Rules and Upcoming Public Hearing and Comment Period 
04/24/24: Updates to Commercial Shellfish Harvest and Handling Regulations for 2024 
04/23/24: New Rules Effecting Filleting of Striped Bass in Recreational Fishery 
04/22/24: May Commercial Groundfish Closure Update 
04/19/24: DMF Adopts New Commercial Fisheries Permitting and Permit Transfer Rules 
Open PDF file, 121.83 KB,  4/19/24: Annual Spring Trawl Survey to Begin May 6, 2024 (English, PDF 121.83 KB)
Open PDF file, 226.44 KB,  4/18/24: Vineyard Wind 1 Compensation Eligibility Period Reminder (English, PDF 226.44 KB)
04/18/24: New State Waters Commercial Trip Limit for Atlantic Mackerel 
04/18/24: Update on Rules for 2024 Commercial Summer Flounder Fishery 
04/17/24: Update on Rules for 2024 Commercial Striped Bass Fishery 
04/16/24: Update on 2024 Commercial Menhaden Management 
Open PDF file, 275.81 KB,  4/12/24: New Regulations Affecting the Harvest of Horseshoe Crabs (English, PDF 275.81 KB)
Open PDF file, 122.84 KB,  4/12/24: Scheduled Whelk Gauge Increases Temporarily Paused (English, PDF 122.84 KB)
4/5/24: Atlantic Sea Herring Board to Meet on April 24 to Discuss Area 1A Effort Controls for 2024 

March

Open PDF file, 229.53 KB,  3/28/24: Public Comment Sought on American Lobster Draft Addendum XXX (English, PDF 229.53 KB)
Open PDF file, 285.1 KB,  3/26/24: Reminder to Declare into the Atlantic Herring 1A Fishery (English, PDF 285.1 KB)
Open PDF file, 233.64 KB,  3/26/24: Expected 2024 Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass (English, PDF 233.64 KB)
3/6/24: Virtual Stakeholder Meeting on Reclassification of Buzzards Bay Shellfish Growing Areas 
3/1/24: Vineyard Wind 1 Compensatory Mitigation Program to Open on March 4, 2024 

February

2/21/24: Upcoming Public Hearings on Recreational and Commercial Lobster Fishing and Trap Fisheries 
Open PDF file, 248.13 KB,  2/20/24: South Fork Wind Direct Compensation Eligibility Period Open (English, PDF 248.13 KB)
Open PDF file, 233.15 KB,  2/20/24: Opportunity for Public Comment on Interstate Management of American Eel (English, PDF 233.15 KB)
2/9/24: NOAA Fisheries to Closure Massachusetts Restricted Area Wedge for Traps 
02/9/24: DMF to Host Stakeholder Meeting on Newburyport Depuration Plant 
02/09/24: Public Scoping for 2024 Recreational Rules - Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 
02/07/24: DMF to Host Public Hearings and Comment Period on Commercial Fishing Adjustments for 2024 
02/04/24: Striped Bass Management in 2024 Under Addendum 2 

January

1/31/24: Summer Flounder Trip Limit Reduced to 100 Pounds on February 6 
01/19/24: 1/19/24: DMF to Host Virtual Stakeholder Meeting for State Waters Mobile Gear Fishery 
Open PDF file, 231.71 KB,  1/10/24: Outlook for Recreational Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Regulations in 2024 (English, PDF 231.71 KB)
Open PDF file, 256.63 KB,  1/10/24: Applications Sought for New England Fishery Management Council (English, PDF 256.63 KB)

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