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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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December

12/19/24: New Rules Affecting Commercial and Recreational Lobster Fishers and Seafood Dealers
12/18/24: Commercial Summer Flounder Period I Trip Limit Reduction and Multi-State Program Suspension
12/05/24: Striped Bass Management Informational Webinar Tonight, Open PDF file, 173.63 KB (English, PDF 173.63 KB)
12/02/24: ASMFC Public Hearings on Spiny Dogfish Draft Addendum VII, Open PDF file, 224.03 KB (English, PDF 224.03 KB)

November

11/21/24: Public Comment Sought on In-Season Adjustments to Period I Summer Flounder Rules and Multi-State Program
11/13/24: Striped Bass Management Update: Opportunity for Public Comment on Upcoming Management Board Decisions in Response to 2024 Stock Assessment Results, Open PDF file, 139.41 KB (English, PDF 139.41 KB)
11/12/24: 2024 Atlantic Sea Herring Fishery in Area 1A to Close on November 12 at 9PM
11/7/24: Updates to Shellfish Growing Area Boundaries for Nantucket Coastal Region (NT 1, 7-8, 10, 12-14)
11/1/24: Reminder of Commercial Summer Flounder Industry Scoping Meeting for 6PM on November 4
11/1/24: Shellfish Advisory Panel Meeting Scheduled for 2PM on November 6

October

10/18/24: 2024 Horseshoe Crab Bait Fishery to Close on October 21
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
9/13/24: DMF’s Fall Trawl Survey Expected to Start on Sunday, September 15, Open PDF file, 210.34 KB (English, PDF 210.34 KB)
09/13/24: Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits Liberalized Effective September 15
9/9/24: ASMFC Public Hearing on American Lobster Draft Addendum XXXI, Open PDF file, 279.83 KB (English, PDF 279.83 KB)
9/6/24: Limited Entry Menhaden Fishery to Reopen at 25,000-pound Trip limit on September 9
9/3/24: ASMFC Public Hearings on Summer Flounder Draft Addendum XXXV, Open PDF file, 283.07 KB (English, PDF 283.07 KB)
9/16/24: Pilot Program to Allow Consecutive Daily Trip Limits in State Waters Groundfish Fishery

August

8/27/24: DMF’s Fall Trawl Survey Start Date Delayed, Open PDF file, 197.42 KB (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
8/21/24: DMF’s Annual Fall Trawl Survey to Begin September 3rd, 2024, Open PDF file, 232.77 KB (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
8/2/24: Commercial Striped Bass Fishery Open Days to Remain Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Open PDF file, 114.61 KB (English, PDF 114.61 KB)

July

7/31/24: Commercial Summer Flounder (Fluke) Fishery Trip Limits to Remain Unchanged, Open PDF file, 117.73 KB (English, PDF 117.73 KB)
7/31/24: Commercial Horseshoe Crab Bait Fishery Trip Limit to Remain at 300 Crabs, Open PDF file, 115.72 KB (English, PDF 115.72 KB)
7/30/24: Update on Commercial Striped Bass Fishing Days, Open PDF file, 120.39 KB (English, PDF 120.39 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, Open PDF file, 125.86 KB (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
6/10/24: Vineyard Wind 1 Fishermen Compensation Eligibility Period Extended - One Week Left to Apply, Open PDF file, 209.32 KB (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

5/23/2024: Vineyard Wind 1 Fishermen Compensation Eligibility- Two Weeks Left to Apply, Open PDF file, 300.92 KB (English, PDF 300.92 KB)
5/7/24: Fixed Gear Seasonal Closures and Small Vessel Speed Limit Lifted Effective Wednesday, May 8th (amended), Open PDF file, 127.7 KB (English, PDF 127.7 KB)
5/7/24: Commercial Trap Gear Fishery to Open and Small Vessel Speed Limit Lifted Effective Wednesday, May 8th, Open PDF file, 126.6 KB (English, PDF 126.6 KB)
5/6/24: BOEM Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) Public Meetings, Open PDF file, 278.81 KB (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
4/19/24: Annual Spring Trawl Survey to Begin May 6, 2024, Open PDF file, 121.83 KB (English, PDF 121.83 KB)
4/18/24: Vineyard Wind 1 Compensation Eligibility Period Reminder, Open PDF file, 226.44 KB (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
4/12/24: New Regulations Affecting the Harvest of Horseshoe Crabs, Open PDF file, 275.81 KB (English, PDF 275.81 KB)
4/5/24: Atlantic Sea Herring Board to Meet on April 24 to Discuss Area 1A Effort Controls for 2024

March

3/28/24: Public Comment Sought on American Lobster Draft Addendum XXX, Open PDF file, 229.53 KB (English, PDF 229.53 KB)
3/26/24: Reminder to Declare into the Atlantic Herring 1A Fishery, Open PDF file, 285.1 KB (English, PDF 285.1 KB)
3/26/24: Expected 2024 Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass, Open PDF file, 233.64 KB (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
2/20/24: South Fork Wind Direct Compensation Eligibility Period Open, Open PDF file, 248.13 KB (English, PDF 248.13 KB)
2/20/24: Opportunity for Public Comment on Interstate Management of American Eel, Open PDF file, 233.15 KB (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
1/10/24: Outlook for Recreational Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Regulations in 2024, Open PDF file, 231.71 KB (English, PDF 231.71 KB)
1/10/24: Applications Sought for New England Fishery Management Council, Open PDF file, 256.63 KB (English, PDF 256.63 KB)

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