Commercial fishermen endorsed to catch and land striped bass may do so through Wednesday, August 10, 2011. The fishery will close at 00:01 hours on Thursday, August 11, 2011. From that point forward, the landing of striped bass for commercial purposes will be prohibited until the 2012 season opens. Dealers are reminded that through August 15, 2011 all striped bass imported into Massachusetts must meet or exceed the 34” minimum size limit. Beginning on August 16, 2011 all striped bass imported into Massachusetts must be tagged designating the state of origin and must meet or exceed the minimum size in the jurisdiction of origin. Commercial fishermen are reminded that August 2011 trip-level reports are due no later than September 15, 2011, even if the permit was not fished. Failure to submit these reports for all months of the year in a timely manner may result in the non-renewal of your commercial permit and its endorsements in 2012. Trip level reports should be sent to DMF Statistics Project, 30 Emerson Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930. Blank forms and instructions were mailed out prior to the beginning of the 2011 commercial fishing season and additional copies can be obtained at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/commercialfishing/trip_level.htm. For further information on closures and reporting contact MarineFisheries at 617-626-1520 or visit our website at www.mass.gov/marinefisheries. Add Comment The DMF released their latest newsletter yesterday. You can download a PDF of the newsletter from their web site. The lead article is about new regulations for catching striped bass that are under consideration. BOSTON – June 15, 2011 - The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is responding quickly to damage incurred to the Georges Island pier over the past winter. Initial action plans have been put in place to ensure public access for the 2011 summer season. “Georges Island is a tremendous asset to the Commonwealth” said Commissioner Edward M. Lambert, Jr. “DCR is committed to providing access to the island throughout the 2011 season and has dedicated $400,000 to make the necessary repairs to the pier.” A floating dock will be installed by June 30, 2011. Once this is in place, the main pier will be temporarily closed for repairs. As a result, public ferries, recreational boaters, and private charters will see changes to boating access at the island. There will be no access on the north and south finger piers. In addition, as the main pier undergoes repairs, there will be no dock access. Public ferries and charter boats will access the temporary floating dock. The Boston Harbor Islands Partnership is looking into the possibility of providing additional moorings to ensure that private boaters will continue to have access to Georges Island. “I am impressed by DCR’s prompt and thorough response to address this issue” said Island Alliance President Tom Powers. “Thanks to quick action and ingenuity, community programming and subsidized transportation can continue, offering residents, visitors, and kids the opportunity to experience all that Georges Island has to offer.” The repairs to the pier will be ongoing throughout the 2011 season. “We are hopeful that we can incorporate the changes to the pier into the new construction design and finalize a more permanent solution” said Boston Harbor Islands Superintendent Bruce Jacobson. “We will be working very closely with all of our partners as we look to gain funding for a new pier.” The Department of Conservation and Recreation appreciates the patience of the public while working through these repairs. DCR’s commitment to providing citizens of the Commonwealth with access to its treasured resources is of the utmost importance. ### The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Edward M. Lambert Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visitwww.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us. Follow Secretary Sullivan on Twitter............................ twitter.com/massEEA View videos on You Tube.......................................... www.youtube.com/MassEEA View downloadable photographs on Flickr.................. www.flickr.com/photos/masseea/sets/ Visit the Energy Smarts blog..................................... www.mass.gov/blog/energy Visit The Great Outdoors blog.................................... www.mass.gov/blog/environment Visit our website........................................................ www.mass.gov/dcr 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02116 — (617) 626-1250 office / (617) 626-1351 (fax) November 4, 2010 (Washington, DC) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today denied a petition calling for a ban on the manufacture and use of lead based fishing gear. The Center for Biological Diversity, the American Bird Conservancy, the Association of Avian Veteranarians, Project Gutpile and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed the petition on August 3 to ban the production and sale of lead based ammunition and fishing tackle under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) of 1976. EPA sent a letter to the petitioners today (http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/pubs/SO.Frye.Sinker.Response.11.4.10.pdf) stating that they failed to demonstrate that the rule is necessary to protect against an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. The letter also states that the increasing number of limitations on the use of lead fishing gear on some federal and state lands, as well as various education and outreach activities, call into question whether a national ban on lead in fishing gear would be the least burdensome, adequately protective approach to address the concern, as called for under TSCA. EPA's letter also notes that there are non-lead alternatives currently in the marketplace. On August 27, EPA denied the portion of the petition relating to lead in ammunition because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under TSCA. Seventy-eight members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) in September signed a letter (HERE) sent to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agency to dismiss the petition. The CSC members state in the letter, “There are 60 million recreational anglers in America that contribute $125 billion to our economy annually, and penalizing these men, women and children that are the best stewards of our environment, as well as the financial backbone to fish and wildlife conservation in our country, would be a terrible and unnecessary injustice.” Read the rest at The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. NOAA Finalizes National Catch Share Policy 11/05/2010
November 4, 2010 | Posted by Amanda Leland in Catch Shares Amanda Leland, EDF Oceans Program - National Policy Director The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today released aresponsible policy to “encourage well-designed catch share programs to help maintain or rebuild fisheries, and sustain fishermen, communities and vibrant working waterfronts, including the cultural and resource access traditions that have been part of this country since its founding.” EDF applauds this policy because it will restore fisheries and improve fishermen’s lives and livelihoods. For too long the government has propped up a failed system of ocean fishery management. Conventional management has resulted in shrinking fishing seasons, fishery closures, and increased waste. Fishermen are faced with burdensome and ineffective regulations. Because of this today’s fishing jobs are dangerous, part-time, and relatively unstable1, and more than 60 federal fish stocks are classified as overfished or undergoing overfishing. Rebuilt fisheries could increase the dockside value of commercially-caught fish by $2.2B (54% above current value) in the US2... Read the rest at blog at The Environmental Defense Fund. Patrick urges US to raise fishing limits 10/07/2010
Governor Deval Patrick is asking the US commerce secretary to raise fishing catch limits by the end of next week. Patrick made his request in a letter yesterday to Gary Locke as a follow-up to Locke’s visit to Massachusetts last month. Patrick said fishermen are facing severe hardship because of unnecessarily low catch allotments, and he asked Locke to raise the limits by Oct. 15. The limits are intended to protect fish stocks, but fishermen say that more can be caught without hurting efforts to stop overfishing. Patrick also suggested that Locke use $2.1 million in fines collected from fishermen to pay for an assessment of the health of groundfish stocks. from the Boston Globe. Fishermen aim Vineyard protest at Obama 08/25/2010
By Richard Gaines / Gloucester Daily Times Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Leaders of the recreational and commercial fishing industry are planning a boat protest against federal policies Thursday outside the harbor of Vineyard Haven on Martha’s Vineyard, where President Obama and his family are summer vacationing.The protest is being organized after a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers -- including the core of the President’s Congressional base on banking and health care issues -- have given up hope of working productively with Obama’s top appointee for oceans and fisheries, Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... Read the rest at The Boston Herald. By Gintautas Dumcius, News Editor Aug. 12, 2010 C.F. Donovan's: Sold at auction today for $875,000 to owner of McKenna's Cafe.The site of the former C. F. Donovan’s restaurant was sold Thursday morning at a sidewalk auction to the owner of McKenna’s, the café across the street, and a local financial planner. The winning bid for the former restaurant, which longtime owner Arthur Donovan lost to foreclosure, was $875,000. The property comes with a liquor license, a tax lien from the state Department of Revenue, $6,297 in back taxes and outstanding water bills and sewer charges totaling $2,731. “We’re doing it for the neighborhood,” said Ken Osherow, president of At Home Real Estate Group, which is located next to McKenna’s café. Osherow, who is also planning to open an ice cream shop down the street, said the restaurant will have a “family” atmosphere... Read the rest at the Dorchester News. Lobstermen get reprieve on ban 07/23/2010
WARWICK, R.I. — Several dozen lobstermen felt their burdens lighten a little yesterday when a multistate board shelved a proposal for a five-year ban on lobstering south of Cape Cod. The American Lobster Management Board, made up of representatives from each of the Eastern Seaboard states with lobster fisheries, voted unanimously to explore other, less severe measures to manage the southern New England fishery... Read the rest in the Boston Globe. The Fishery Conservation Transition Act, introduced July 15 by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) as S.3594, has been designed to preserve the crucial conservation standards of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) while providing federal fisheries managers some much-needed tools to address critical fisheries issues. In particular the AFCTA provides marine fisheries managers the time, resources and specific direction to address current deficiencies in procedures mandated by the MSA. Under current provisions of the MSA, NOAA does not have the tools to address overfishing without resorting to drastic and disruptive closures, such as the total closure of fishing for all bottom species when only one species may require additional regulation... Read the rest of the article at Salt Water Sportsman. | DYCNews and commentary about boating and fishing ArchivesAugust 2011 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed
