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Director's Declarations

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2026

07/27/26: Declaration into 2026 Episodic Event Set-Aside Menhaden Fishery
5/8/26: Area 1A (Gloucester/Rockport) Mobile Gear Closure
5/8/26: Fixed Gear Closure Lifted Effective May 9, 2026

2025

12/22/25: Director's Declaration: Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit Increase
8/27/25: Director's Declaration: Entry into Menhaden Episodic Event Set-Aside Fishery
4/29/25: Director's Declaration: Extension of Seasonal Vessel Speed Limits

2024

12/18/24: In-Season Adjustment to Reduce Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limits

2023

11/27/23: Director's Declaration to Decrease 2024 Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit
7/10/23: Reduce Mobile Gear Trip Limits for Horseshoe Crabs
7/10/2023: Increase Summertime Summer Flounder Trip Limits
07/10/2023: Increase Smooth Dogfish Trip Limits
05/07/2023: Vessel Speed Limit Rule Lifted for May 8
05/07/2023: Fixed Gear Closure Lifted for May 8
05/07/23: Area 1A Closed to Mobile Gear Fishing
05/02/23: Effort Controls for Atlantic Sea Herring in Management Area 1A During Season 1
05/01/23: Extension of Vessel Speed Limit in Cape Cod Bay

2022

12/21/22: Increase to the 2023 Summer Flounder Commercial Period I Trip Limit, Open PDF file, 235.92 KB (English, PDF 235.92 KB)
09/22/22: Commercial Summer Flounder In-Season Adjustment to Increase Trip Limit
06/22/22:Notification of Entry into 2022 Episodic Event Set Aside Program for the Commercial Menhaden Fishery, Open PDF file, 208.89 KB (English, PDF 208.89 KB)
6/14/22: Commercial Limited Access Menhaden Fishery Trip Limit Reduced to 25,000 Pounds, Open PDF file, 295.48 KB (English, PDF 295.48 KB)
06/07/22: Declaration Extending Small Mesh Trawl Fishing Season for Squid
4/29/2022: Seasonal Speed Limit Restriction Extension, Open PDF file, 246.48 KB (English, PDF 246.48 KB)

2021

12/2/21: 2022 Scup Winter I Limits, Open PDF file, 241.88 KB (English, PDF 241.88 KB)
09/23/21: Commercial Summer Flounder In-Season Adjustments
08/23/21: Commercial Black Sea Bass In-Season Adjustments
06/17/21: Notification of Entry into 2021 Episodic Event Set Aside Program for the Commercial Menhaden Fishery
06/11/21: Director's Declaration to Reduce Limited Access Menhaden Trip Limit to 25,000 Pounds
05/13/21: Director's Declaration to Rescind Seasonal Trap Gear Closure and Vessel Speed Restrictions
4/30/21: Seasonal Speed Limit Restriction Extension, Open PDF file, 197.87 KB (English, PDF 197.87 KB)
4/6/21: Commercial Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit Reduction, Open PDF file, 243.89 KB (English, PDF 243.89 KB)
03/24/21: Director's Declaration to Temporarily Lift April Groundfish Closure for 2021

2020

12/11/20: Increase to the 2021 Summer Flounder Commercial Period I Trip Limit, Open PDF file, 277.61 KB (English, PDF 277.61 KB)
12/11/20: 2021 Winter I Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 241.85 KB (English, PDF 241.85 KB)
10/29/20: Declaration to Increase Summer Flounder Trip Limits
09/29/20: Winter II Scup Possession Limit Declaration
08/21/20: Director's Declaration to Make In-Season Adjustments to 2020 Commercial Fishing Limits for Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, and Summer Flounder
06/27/20: Director's Declaration to Reduce Commercial Menhaden Trip Limit to 25,000 lbs for Limited Entry Participants, Open PDF file, 137.71 KB (English, PDF 137.71 KB)
04/30/20: Director's Declaration to Rescind Seasonal Fixed Gear Closure Extension
04/27/20: Director's Declaration to Extend Seasonal Fixed Gear Closure in Cape Cod Bay
04/27/20: Director's Declaration to Extend Seasonal Speed Limit Rule in Cape Cod Bay
02/21/20: Director's Declaration to Increase the 2020 Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit, Open PDF file, 228.63 KB (English, PDF 228.63 KB)
2/21/20: Director's Declaration to Suspend April 2020 State-Waters Commercial Groundfish Closure, Open PDF file, 215.96 KB (English, PDF 215.96 KB)
01/03/20: Director's Declaration of 2020 Winter I Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 270.92 KB (English, PDF 270.92 KB)

2019

10/18/19: Director's Declaration to Establish 2019 Winter II Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 154.62 KB (English, PDF 154.62 KB)
09/20/19: Director's Declaration to Adjust the 2019 Commercial Summer Flounder Fishing Limits
09/05/19: Director's Declaration to Reduce Limited Entry Menhaden Trip Limit to 6,000 Pounds, Open PDF file, 156.3 KB (English, PDF 156.3 KB)
8/16/19: Director's Declaration for In-season Adjustment to Commercial Summer Flounder Limits Effective 11/1/19, Open PDF file, 152.15 KB (English, PDF 152.15 KB)
08/15/19: Director's Declaration to Reduce Commercial Limited Access Menhaden Fishery Trip Limit to 6,000 lb, Open PDF file, 151.55 KB (English, PDF 151.55 KB)
08/08/19: Director's Declaration to Reduce Commercial Menhaden Trip Limits to 25,000 lbs for Limited Entry Fishery Participants, Open PDF file, 156.61 KB (English, PDF 156.61 KB)
06/07/19: Declaration to Extend Small Mesh Trawl Fishery for Squid, Open PDF file, 158.52 KB (English, PDF 158.52 KB)
05/17/19: Declaration to Establish Management Area 1A Effort Controls for Sea Herring, Open PDF file, 154.81 KB (English, PDF 154.81 KB)
05/14/19: Declaration to Establish 2019/2020 Spiny Dogfish Possession and Landing Limits, Open PDF file, 154.73 KB (English, PDF 154.73 KB)
05/09/19: Declaration to Rescind Seasonal Trap Gear Closure and Speed Limit Restriction Extensions, Open PDF file, 155.27 KB (English, PDF 155.27 KB)
05/06/19: Declaration to Extend Seasonal Large Whale Trap Gear Closure, Open PDF file, 155.61 KB (English, PDF 155.61 KB)
05/06/19: Declaration to Extend Seasonal Speed Limit Restriction, Open PDF file, 155.01 KB (English, PDF 155.01 KB)
04/26/19: Declaration to Extend Seasonal Large Whale Trap Gear Closure, Open PDF file, 155.54 KB (English, PDF 155.54 KB)
04/26/19: Declaration to Extend Seasonal Speed Limit Restriction, Open PDF file, 154.93 KB (English, PDF 154.93 KB)
03/26/2019: Declaration to Suspend April 2019 Groundfish Closure in MA Bay, Open PDF file, 155.01 KB (English, PDF 155.01 KB)
12/28/18: Declaration to Establish 2019 Winter I Period Scup Possession and Landing Limits, Open PDF file, 154.18 KB (English, PDF 154.18 KB)

2018

09/14/18: Declaration to Adjust Commercial Striped Bass Open Days, Open PDF file, 172.04 KB (English, PDF 172.04 KB)
07/30/18: Declaration to Reduce Commercial Menhaden Trip Limit to 25,000 Pounds, Open PDF file, 174.34 KB (English, PDF 174.34 KB)
04/30/18: Declaration to Set 2018/2019 Spiny Dogfish Trip Limits, Open PDF file, 92.42 KB (English, PDF 92.42 KB)
12/20/17: Declaration to Establish 2018 Winter I Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 77.63 KB (English, PDF 77.63 KB)

2017

10/13/17 Fishery Opening Notice: 2017 Commercial Tautog Fishery to Reopen , Open PDF file, 132 KB (English, PDF 132 KB)
10/4/17: 2017 Winter II Commercial Scup Limits
09/18/17: Declaration Adjusting Commercial Black Sea Bass Limits, Open PDF file, 77.38 KB (English, PDF 77.38 KB)
09/13/17: Declaration to Reduce Commercial Menhaden Trip Limit to 6,000 Pounds, Open PDF file, 77.02 KB (English, PDF 77.02 KB)
08/27/17: Temporary Surf Clam Dredge Closure Near in Western Cape Cod Bay, Open PDF file, 77.53 KB (English, PDF 77.53 KB)
4/25/17 2017 Commercial Spiny Dogfish Trip Limit Set at 6,000 lbs, Open PDF file, 68.72 KB (English, PDF 68.72 KB)
03/01/2017 Director's Declaration: Commercial Period I Summer Flounder Trip Limit Reduction, Open PDF file, 178.77 KB (English, PDF 178.77 KB)

2016

12/30/2016 Director's Declaration: 2017 Winter I Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 118.81 KB (English, PDF 118.81 KB)
09/29/2016 Director's Declaration: Commercial Menhaden Regulated Fishery Trip Limit Reduction, Open PDF file, 67.56 KB (English, PDF 67.56 KB)
09/19/2016 Director's Declaration: Summer Period (May 1 - October 31) and Winter II Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 65.19 KB (English, PDF 65.19 KB)
07/12/2016 Director's Declaration: Longfin Squid Possession Limit Adjustment, Open PDF file, 164.79 KB (English, PDF 164.79 KB)
04/29/2016 Director's Declaration: 2016/2017 Commercial Spiny Dogfish Possession Limits, Open PDF file, 78.68 KB (English, PDF 78.68 KB)

2015

12/21/2015 Director's Declaration: Winter I (January 1 - April 30) Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 64.22 KB (English, PDF 64.22 KB)
10/10/2015 Director's Declaration: Days-Out in the Atlantic Sea Herring Management Area 1A Fishery for Trimester 3, Open PDF file, 64.89 KB (English, PDF 64.89 KB)
10/9/2015 Fishery Opening Notice: 2015 Commercial Fluke Fishery to Repopen, Open PDF file, 63.83 KB (English, PDF 63.83 KB)
10/9/2015 Director's Declaration: Increasing the May - October Commercial Scup Possession Limits, Open PDF file, 64.21 KB (English, PDF 64.21 KB)
10/9/2015 Director's Declaration: Winter II (November 1 - December 31) Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 64.17 KB (English, PDF 64.17 KB)
9/10/15 Director's Declaration: Eliminating Closed Commercial Fishing Days in Summertime (May - October) Commercial Scup Fishery, Open PDF file, 64.48 KB (English, PDF 64.48 KB)
7/29/15 Director's Declaration: Commercial Menhaden Regulated Fishery Trip Limit Reduction, Open PDF file, 67.58 KB (English, PDF 67.58 KB)
6/4/15 Director's Declaration: Days-Out in the Atlantic Sea Herring Management Area 1A Fishery For Trimester 2 June 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015, Open PDF file, 128.92 KB (English, PDF 128.92 KB)
4/30/15 Director's Declaration of the 2015/2016 Spiny Dogfish Possession Limits, Open PDF file, 78.48 KB (English, PDF 78.48 KB)
1/5/15 Director's Declaration: 2015 Winter I Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 60.22 KB (English, PDF 60.22 KB)

2014

12/30/2014 Director's Declaration: Northern Shrimp Specification, Open PDF file, 66.74 KB (English, PDF 66.74 KB)
10/8/14 Director's Declaration: Days-Out in the Atlantic Sea Herring Management Area 1A Fishery for the Period of October 10, 2014 - December 31, 2014, Open PDF file, 60.86 KB (English, PDF 60.86 KB)
10/2/14 Winter II Commercial Scup Limits, Open PDF file, 60.16 KB (English, PDF 60.16 KB)
10/2/14 Increasing May-Oct Commercial Scup Possession Limits and Eliminating the Closed Commercial Fishing Days, Open PDF file, 60.54 KB (English, PDF 60.54 KB)
9/5/14 2014/2015 Spiny Dogfish Possession Limits Increase, Open PDF file, 60.67 KB (English, PDF 60.67 KB)
8/8/14 Interim Trip Limit: Longfin Squid Fishery, Open PDF file, 61.18 KB (English, PDF 61.18 KB)
5/19/14 Director's Declaration of Days Out in the Atlantic Sea Herring Management Area 1A Fishery, Open PDF file, 60.36 KB (English, PDF 60.36 KB)
4/30/14 Director's Declaration of the 2014/2015 Spiny Dogfish Possession Limits, Open PDF file, 60.4 KB (English, PDF 60.4 KB)

2013

Director's Declaration of Adjustment: Scup Possession and Landing Limits for the November-December Winter II Fishery, Open PDF file, 62.02 KB (English, PDF 62.02 KB)

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