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2025 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

12/22/25: In-Season Adjustment to Increase Commercial Summer Flounder Period I Trip Limit
12/16/25: Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery to Open for One Day on Tuesday, December 23
12/8/25: DMF Will No Longer Issue Shellfish Transaction Cards in 2026, Open PDF file, 187.08 KB (English, PDF 187.08 KB)
12/5/25: DMF Proposals Affecting the Period I Commercial Summer Flounder Fishery

November

11/19/25: Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery to Open on Monday, November 24
11/17/25: Atlantic Sea Herring Board to Meet on November 19 to Discuss Days Out Measures for Area 1A
11/7/25: 2025 Menhaden Episodic Event Set Aside Closure

October

10/31/25: Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery to Remain Closed
10/28/25: DMF Adopts Emergency Regulations to Establish Commercial Striped Bass Fishery as Limited Entry and Owner Operator
10/24/25: 2025 Commercial Summer Flounder Fishery to Close Effective Sunday, October 26 DMF
10/17/25: 2025 Commercial Black Sea Bass Fishery to Close Effective Tuesday, October 21
10/16/25: 2025 Commercial Tautog Fishery to Closure Effective Saturday, October 18
10/14/25: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) Seeks Public Input on Atlantic Mackerel Specifications for 2026 - 2027

September

9/30/25: Commercial Fisheries Commission to Meet at 9:00 AM on October 6 in Westborough
9/30/25: Increase to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits Effective October 1
9/26/25: Reminder to Outer Cape Cod Lobster Permit Holders that All Lobsters Possessed Must Comply with 1/8-Inch V-Notch Standard, Open PDF file, 224.76 KB (English, PDF 224.76 KB)
9/26/25: Commercial Scup Possession Limit for 2025 Winter II Period
9/24/25: Reminder to Seafood Dealers That All Lobsters Possessed Must Comply With 1/8-Inch V-Notch Standard
9/22/25: Reminder: Upcoming Massachusetts Public Hearings on Striped Bass Addendum III
9/22/25: New England Fishery Management Council Seeks Applicants for Advisory Panels
9/18/25: MA/NH Herring Spawning Closure in Effect September 23rd and Days Out Measures for Season 2 of the Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery
9/15/25: Commercial Fishing Permit Holder Electronic Reporting Requirement to Begin March 1, 2027
9/15/25: Commercial Mackerel Trip Limit Reduction Effective September 16
9/12/25: Increase to Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits Effective September 15
9/8/25: Seasonally Recurring Low Oxygen Zones Detected in Cape Cod Bay
9/5/25: ASMFC Public Hearing on Striped Bass Draft Addendum III
9/5/25: Commercial Fisheries Commission Meeting on September 8 to be Postponed
9/3/25: Commercial Fisheries Commission Scheduled to Meet on September 8 at 1 PM in Westborough

August

8/28/25: Increase to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits Effective September 1
8/27/25: Commercial Menhaden Fishery to Transition to Episodic Event Set Aside Fishery on August 28
8/26/25: DMF's Annual Fall Trawl Survey to Begin September 2, 2025, Open PDF file, 229.81 KB (English, PDF 229.81 KB)
8/20/25: Anglers Urged to Use Caution as Hurricane Erin Passes Offshore, Open PDF file, 238.42 KB (English, PDF 238.42 KB)
8/5/2025: Multi-Day Program for Black Sea Bass and Scup Potters Effective August 10 for the Remainder of 2025 Commercial Fishing Season
8/5/25: 2025 Season 1 Commercial Herring Closure for Area 1A
8/4/25: 2025 Commercial Striped Bass Fishery to Close Effective August 6

July

7/11/2025: Atlantic Sea Herring Area 1A Effort Controls 2025 - Fishery to Open July 27th

June

6/26/25: Reminder: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission to Meet on July 1, 2025 at 10 am via Zoom
6/23/25: Commercial Fisheries Commission Meeting Scheduled for 12:30 PM on June 27 in Westborough, MA
6/9/25: 2025 Commercial Striped Bass Fishery to Open on June 17
6/9/25: Limited Access Menhaden Trip Limit Reduced to 25,000 Pounds Effective June 10

May

5/23/25: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Meeting Scheduled for 9 am on May 29 in New Bedford, MA
5/13/25: Fixed Gear Seasonal Closures to Open and Small Vessel Speed Limit Lifted Effective Wednesday, May 14th, Open PDF file, 119.39 KB (English, PDF 119.39 KB)
5/12/25: Possession, Sale, and Use of Pacific Lugworms as Bait is Prohibited
5/9/25: Reminder: Seasonal Trap and Gillnet Gear Closure to Protect Right Whales is Still in Effect, Open PDF file, 202.4 KB (English, PDF 202.4 KB)
5/8/25: Management of the State Conch Pots in the Federal Zone
5/7/25: New Shark Fishing Rules for 2025
5/7/25: Prohibition on Use of Certain Devices to Deploy Bait When Shore Fishing
5/6/25: New Limits for Atlantic Bonito and False Albacore
5/5/25: Update on 2025 Commercial Summer Flounder Management
5/1/25: Update on 2025 Commercial Menhaden Fishery Management

April

4/30/25: Annual Spring Trawl Survey to Begin May 5, 2025
4/29/25: DMF Extends Small Vessel Speed Restriction for Cape Cod Bay to Protect Right Whales
4/29/25: Reminder: Seasonal Trap and Gillnet Gear Closure to Protect Right Whales Will Remain in Effect
4/29/25: Update on 2025 State Waters Groundfish Management
4/22/25: Measuring Striped Bass for Compliance with Size Limits
4/18/25: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Meeting Scheduled for 9 am on April 24 in Kingston, MA
4/18/25: Reminder on Buoy Line Marking, Configuration and Compliance Assistance for Commercial Lobster, Fish Pot, and Conch Pot Fishers
4/17/25: Vibrio Control Plan Meetings Scheduled
4/11/25: Right Whales Present in Large Numbers in Massachusetts Waters
4/11/25: Update on Recreational Lobster Rules for 2025
4/9/25: Reminder: ASMFC Public Hearing on Lobster Addendum XXXII Scheduled for April 10 at 6PM
4/7/25: Reminder to Commercial Fishers and Dealers on Rules Governing Sale and Transport of Shellfish
4/2/25: DMF to Renew Pilot Program Allowing Trawlers in State Waters Groundfish Fishery to Land Consecutive Daily Limits of Flounder Species
4/2/25: Commercial Fisheries Commission Scheduled to Hold First Meeting on April 8, 2025

March

3/28/25: Reminder to Declare into the Atlantic Herring Fishery in Management Area 1A
3/28/25: Bay Scallop Season Extended through April 30 in Edgartown (V21, V18, V13)
3/28/25: Bay Scallop Season Extended through April 30 in Aquinnah (V2)
3/28/25: Bay Scallop Season Extended through April 11 in Nantucket
3/25/25: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Meeting Scheduled for 9 am March 27 via Zoom
3/14/25: Shellfish Advisory Panel Meeting Scheduled for 3 pm on March 20 via Zoom
3/10/25: DMF to Host Gear Distribution Event on March 14 at Gloucester State Fish Pier

February

2/20/25: Clarification on Buoy Line Marking Rules for Massachusetts Commercial Trap Fishers
2/18/25: February 2025 Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Business Meeting Cancelled
2/14/25: DMF Announces Public Hearings and Comment Period for 2025 Commercial and Recreational Fishing Regulatory Changes
2/6/25: ASMFC/MAFMC Scoping Hearings on Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish, Open PDF file, 309.79 KB (English, PDF 309.79 KB)
2/6/25: ASMFC Initiates Draft Addendum to Repeal Pending Lobster Gauge and Vent Size Rules
2/5/25: Reminder on Lobster Bycatch Rules in Offshore Trawl Fisheries
2/5/25: ASMFC Public Hearings on Northern Shrimp Draft Amendment 4, Open PDF file, 276.94 KB (English, PDF 276.94 KB)
2/1/25: Massachusetts Restricted Area Wedge Closure to Trap/Pot Gear Upheld and Effective February 1 - Compliance Assistance Available, Open PDF file, 264.43 KB (English, PDF 264.43 KB)

January

1/29/25: Reminder on Rules Affecting State Waters Sea Scallop Fishing
1/18/25: Notice to Lobster Fishers and Mariners - Large Aggregation of North Atlantic Right Whales Present on Jeffreys Ledge, Open PDF file, 165.62 KB (English, PDF 165.62 KB)
1/7/25: Applicants Sought for New England Fishery Management Council, Open PDF file, 230.86 KB (English, PDF 230.86 KB)
1/7/25: ASMFC Public Hearings on Recreational Measures Setting Process Draft Addenda, Open PDF file, 203.63 KB (English, PDF 203.63 KB)

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