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DMF is proposing changes to its commercial and recreational fishing regulations for the 2025 fishing season. The proposed amendments address: (1) total length measurement, commercial size limits, and gaffing in the striped bass fishery; (2) catch limits for false albacore and Atlantic bonito for all fishers; (3) commercial menhaden trip limit triggers and permitting; (4) groundfish catch limits and commercial permitting for the state-waters fishery; (5) commercial summer flounder seasonal allocations, trip limits, and trip limit triggers; (6) the use of conch pots in federal waters by state permitted fishers; (7) access to the commercial American eel fishery; (8) retention of oceanic whitetip sharks; (9) documentation to possess or sell dogfish fins; (10) restrictions on casting, shore-based chumming, and shore-based shark fishing; (11) the recreational fishing season for black sea bass; (12) reporting requirements for observed whale and sea turtle entanglements; and (13) the use and sale of non-native seaworms.
The details on these regulatory proposals can be found in the Public Hearing Notice with additional background and rationale provided in DMF’s recent memoranda to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) published on DMF’s proposed regulations website. DMF will accept written comment on these proposals through 5PM on Sunday, March 16, 2024. Written comment should be submitted by e-mail to marine.fish@mass.gov and addressed to the attention of Director Daniel McKiernan. Additionally, DMF will host two in-person public hearings. The dates, locations, and general timing of public hearing items follow. Please note, the times below are approximate and DMF will move onto the next public hearing item upon completion of the prior.
Monday, March 10, 2025—DMF’s Annisquam River Field Station, 30 Emerson Avenue, Gloucester
5:00PM – 6:00PM: Striped Bass
6:00PM – 7:30PM: Menhaden, Groundfish, Summer Flounder, Conch Pots, American Eel, Dogfish Fins, and Entanglement Reporting
7:30PM – 9:00PM: False Albacore, Atlantic Bonito, Shark and Shore-Based Fishing, Black Sea Bass, and Non-Native Worms
Tuesday, March 11, 2025—Maritime Academy, Admiral’s Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay
5:00PM – 6:00PM: Striped Bass
6:00PM – 7:30PM: False Albacore, Atlantic Bonito, Shark and Shore-Based Fishing, Black Sea Bass, and Non-Native Worms
7:30PM – 9:00PM: Menhaden, American Eel, Summer Flounder, Conch Pots, Groundfish, Dogfish Fins, and Entanglement Reporting
DMF will review and consider the input received at these hearings and during the written comment period in the development of final regulatory recommendations to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC). The MFAC is expected to discuss and vote on final DMF recommendations at their virtual March 27, 2025 business meeting. All information regarding this meeting will be published to the MFAC website at least 48 hours in advance.
Please visit our website: www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.
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