Tag Archives: Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission
Advisory: 2019 Commercial Fluke Trip Limit to Increase on November 1st
Effective November 1, 2019 through the end of the year, all commercial closed fishing days for summer flounder days will be eliminated thereby allowing commercial fishermen to fish for, possess and land summer flounder seven-days per week and the commercial trip limit will be increased to 1,000 pounds for all gear types (Declaration Notice). This will allow vessels fishing offshore to have greater access to the state’s remaining 2019 commercial summer flounder quota (about 240,000 pounds). >click to read< 15:37
A declaration to close Herring Area 1A – Effort Control Measures for June – September 2019
The Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), with the approval of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, has issued a declaration to close the commercial sea herring fishery in Management Area 1A during the period of June 1 – September 30 (Declaration Notice). During this period, it shall be unlawful to fish for, retain or land any sea herring taken from Management Area 1A without explicit authorization from DMF. The 2,000 pound incidental trip limit no longer applies. >click to read<15:50
Should Massachusetts ban commercial striped bass fishing?
YES – Rip Cunningham: Dover resident who fishes in the Plymouth area; active member, Stripers Forever; former editor, Salt Water Sportsman; former chairman, Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, and New England Fisheries Management Council.,, NO – Douglas Amorello: Plymouth resident, commercial lobsterman and multi-species fin fisherman, including for striped bass click here to read the story 15:52
Sanfilippo resigns from Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission
Longtime Gloucester fisherman Gus Sanfilippo has resigned from the state’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, leaving Arthur “Sooky” Sawyer as the only Gloucester resident on the commission. Sanfilippo, appointed to the commission in May 2016 as part of Gov. Charlie Baker’s wholesale purge of existing commission members, said he resigned so he could spend more time fishing.,, Sanfilippo’s resignation leaves Sawyer, who also serves as president of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, as the solitary Gloucester resident on the commission — though member Louis D. Williams, who resides in Salem, lists Gloucester as his principal port for lobstering. click here to read the story 11:44
Nantucket fishermen implore state to protect squid, DMF director balks!
For the past couple of years, Nantucket fishermen have had a hard time finding striped bass in the rips and alongshore where they were accustomed to catching them. They think they know why: no squid. “This was where all the bass were caught. Now, no bait, no fish, no stripers to speak of,” said Pete Kaizer, a charter boat captain and commercial tuna fisherman. Kaizer and other Nantucket fishermen petitioned the state Division of Marine Fisheries to prohibit fish draggers and scallopers that tow nets or large metal dredges along the ocean bottom from state waters, up to 3 miles out from shore all around the island. The ban would run from May 1 to Oct. 31 with the idea of protecting spawning longfin squid.,, The Nantucket fishermen have an online petition, signed by over 1,200 people, asking state DMF director David Pierce to enact the Nantucket fishing prohibition. Pierce said there was little science to back up the proposal, and said he opposed it and would not forward it to his state Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission for approval. Read the story here 07:40
Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association President Arthur “Sooky” Sawyer added to state Fisheries Advisory Commission
Gloucester will be doubling its representation on the state’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission when local lobsterman Arthur “Sooky” Sawyer joins the board this week. Sawyer, president of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, will join Gloucester’s Gus Sanfilippo on the board that advises the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker on fishing and marine issues. A longtime Gloucester groundfisherman-turned-lobsterman, Sawyer replaces Bill Adler on the commission. Adler, also a former MLA president, was not re-appointed by Baker following the expiration of his term in October. “I’m excited and looking forward to it,” Sawyer, 61, said Tuesday. “I have a lot of reading to do before my first meeting next week and I’m going to be doing a lot of listening to get up to speed on all the issues before the commission.” Sawyer’s appointment was strongly supported by local lobstermen and the MLA because of his grasp of issues related to lobstering and other Bay State fisheries. Read the rest of the story here 10:26
Massachusetts: More cuts for commercial striper fishermen
CHATHAM — Commercial striped bass fishermen will have to make do with a lot less this year as state fishing regulations for the summer season cut in half the number of days they can go fishing and the number of fish they can catch each day. State fishery officials at public,, Read more here capecodonline 08:46
Small boats face double fishing hit – Fed, state fishing rules sock small operators – unintended consequences
At the back of the groundfishery’s pecking order is a small group of small boat fishermen operating in the three-mile wide confines of state waters with state permits. Don King is one of them. In a Feb. 5 letter to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, Diodati explained that he would not allow the state boats greater access to intermittently closed areas because just outside the state waters, bigger boats — boats of a scale and equipped for the rigors of offshore Georges Bank — have been scooping up cod. Read more here
