All persons interested in submitting comments on the proposed regulations may do so in writing by the date indicated in the notice. Refer to the full notice for the mailing address for submitting comments. All comments received by the date indicated in the notice will be reviewed and considered.
Upcoming Public Hearings and Comment Periods
Public Hearing and Comment Period on Commercial Surf Clam Dredge Fishery Management
Under the provisions of G.L. c. 30A, and pursuant to the authorities found at G.L. c. 130, §§ 17A, 21, 52, and 80 the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is taking public comment on a series of draft regulations at 322 CMR 4.00, 6.00, and 7.00 to modernize the management of the commercial surf clam and ocean quahog dredge fishery.
This includes: (1) eliminating contour line closures and replacing them with mapped and published polygons defined by GPS coordinates that approximate the 12' contour line, provide a 200 foot buffer zone around all mapped eel grass beds; and are inclusive of existing closure and exemption areas. (2) maintains the existing closure north of Pt. Allerton in Hull; (3) extends the May 15 - October 15 closure off Manomet in Plymouth to include nearshore waters of southern Cape Cod Bay from Sandwich to Dennis; (4) closes Herring Cove from Race Point to Wood end from May 15 - October 15; (5) establishes a process to adjust closure boundaries to address user group conflicts; protect, restore, and sustain critical benthic habitats; and investigate and open additional areas to dredge fishing; (6) require electronic vessel tracking of all vessels actively participating in surf clam and ocean quahog dredge fisheries by January 1, 2027; (7) exempt surf clam and ocean quahog dredge vessels, excluding contaminated bait fishers, from the night closure from February 1 - April 30; and (8) clarify, enhance, and streamline existing regulatory language to improve readability.
DMF will accept written public comment through 5PM on Friday, June 12, 2026. Please submit written comments by email to marine.fish@mass.gov to the attention of Director McKiernan. DMF will also host a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 6PM via Zoom. Please use the links below to access additional information:
- Public hearing notice
- Registration for Zoom public hearing
- Strikethrough regulations
- Maps and coordinates for baseline closure areas
- 2025 Memorandum to MFAC
Public Hearing and Comment Period on Recreational Black Sea Bass, Recreational Gulf of Maine Haddock and Commercial and Recreational Atlantic Mackerel Limits
Under the provisions of G.L. c. 30A, and pursuant to the authorities found at G.L. c. 130, §§ 17A and 21, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is taking public comment on a series of recently enacted emergency regulations at 322 CMR 6.00 affecting recreational fishing limits for black sea bass and Gulf of Maine haddock and commercial and recreational limits for Atlantic mackerel.
This includes: (1) reducing the recreational Gulf of Maine haddock minimum size limit from 18" to 17"; (2) establishing recreational black sea bass open season from May 16 - October 14 with a 16" minimum size and a 4 fish bag limit during May 16-August 31 and a 2 fish bag limit during September 1-October 14; (3) increasing the recreational mackerel bag limit from 20 fish to 50 fish for anglers onboard a for-hire vessel during a for-hire trip and from 20 fish to 50 fish for all other anglers; and (4) increasing the state's commercial mackerel possession limit so it remains consistent with the federal open access limit.
DMF will accept written public comment through 5PM on Friday, May 22, 2026. Please submit all written comments by e-mail to marine.fish@mass.gov to the attention of Director McKiernan. DMF will also host a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 6PM via Zoom. Please use the links below to access additional information: