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The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is seeking public input on a range of options to manage the Commonwealth's 2024 recreational summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The interstate fishery management plan for these species requires a 28% recreational harvest reduction for summer flounder, a 10% recreational harvest reduction for scup, and status quo recreational harvest for black sea bass to achieve their coastwide recreational harvest targets in 2024. For more details about potential options for recreational fishing limits, read the full advisory.
Public input will be accepted on the range of options described below through 5PM on March 7, 2024. Written comment should be submitted by email to marine.fish@mass.gov and addressed to the attention of Director McKiernan. Comment is most informative when it includes the individual’s primary mode of fishing (from shore, private vessel, or for-hire vessel) and the reasons for supporting particular management measures. DMF will also host a virtual public meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, February 21 at 6:00 PM. To register and receive a link to join the public meeting, please visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OM_F3aObQZSgHPaqUUMYEA.
In addition, for-hire vessel operators and other interested individuals are invited to stay on the February 21 Zoom meeting to discuss the state’s for-hire vessel at-sea filleting allowance for striped bass. Under recently adopted changes to the interstate management plan (see prior Advisory on Addendum II for more information), all states that allow such filleting must require that the racks of filleted striped bass are retained during the fishing trip to help promote compliance and enforcement of size and possession limits. Input is sought on DMF’s implementation of this requirement, including crafting clear regulatory language and expectations about when and where retained racks may be disposed.
If you are unable to attend the public meeting but have questions about either of these issues before submitting written input, please email Nichola Meserve at nichola.meserve@mass.gov.
DMF and the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) will discuss these issues and the public input collected through this solicitation at the MFAC’s March 19, 2024 business meeting. The public will be notified as soon as possible thereafter on the selected set of recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass, as well as expectations for the striped bass for-hire filleting allowance. DMF will need to proceed with emergency rulemaking in order to meet the implementation deadlines for these coastwide management requirements.
For more information, please visit our website: www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.
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