INCIDENTAL TO THE NORMAL OPERATION OF VESSELS LESS THAN 79 FEET (sVGP)
Anyone with a passenger carrying vessel or commercial fishing vessel, you will need to get yet another federal permit this time:
- An EPA permit so we can operate bilge pumps. (No, seriously. I read the document).
- Any soaps used onboard now must now be non-toxic, phosphate free and biodegradable.
Section 2.8: FISH HOLD EFFLUENT - notice on page 7:
Essentially:
- Ice from fish boxes is to be removed and disposed of at shore facilities rather than dumping into water at the dock.
- No dumping of left over bait.
Don’t forgot your logbook too - upkeep, monitor, maintain checks as required within the permit.
A new Amendment to the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Tautog was adopted in October 2017 by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). This amendment was adopted in response to the 2016 tautog stock assessment update. This update showed that the Long Island Sound and New York Bight tautog populations are overfished, and overfishing is occurring. The amendment applies more restrictive fishing rules for both recreational and commercial fishers specific to each area.
DEC has adopted rules consistent with this new amendment that will help maintain the long term sustainability of the tautog fishery, while remaining in compliance with the ASMFC.
Effective April 1, 2018 in New York State, the commercial and recreational tautog fisheries will be split into two management regions with separate seasons and possession limits:
Long Island Sound Management Region: includes all marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI.
NY Bight Management Region: includes all marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Management Region.
Commercial Tautog Season Changes:
• Long Island Sound Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI): May 7 – July 31 and September 1 – November 23
• NY Bight Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Region): April 16 – Jan 25
• There is no change to the commercial possession limit or minimum size, which is 15 inches total length and 25 fish per vessel (except, 10 fish per vessel when fishing lobster pot gear and more than six lobsters are in possession). See a complete list of commercial fishing limits.
• Long Island Sound Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Pt, NY to Watch Hill, RI):
April 1 – 30 (2 fish) and
October 11 – December 9 (3 fish)
• NY Bight Management Region (Marine and coastal district waters lying outside of the Long Island Sound Region)
April 1 – 30 (2 fish) and
October 15 – December 22 (4 fish)
• There is no change to the recreational minimum size, which is 16 inches total length.
DEC has liberalized rules for recreational summer flounder and scup fishing for 2018. This relaxing of the rules is in response to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council increasing the recreational harvest limits for scup and summer flounder.
New York’s 2018 recreational summer flounder and scup fisheries will have the following changes:
• Scup: 9 inch minimum size limit. No change to possession limits or seasons
• Summer Flounder: Open Season is:
- May 4 – September 30 with 4 fish possession limit. No change to the minimum size limit.
Marine recreational anglers 16 years or older are reminded that they must register each year in New York's free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry online or by calling 1-866-933-2257.
Just in this afternoon and will be updated on the FEDERAL REGISTER SITE TOMORROW:
NOAA Fisheries announces three administrative changes to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s processes in setting catch limits though the Acceptable Biological Catch Omnibus Framework Adjustment:
1. The Council may now recommend multi-year Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) limits for Mid-Atlantic fisheries, which may bring greater stability and predictability to the fishing industry;
2. The Atlantic Bluefish, Tilefish, and Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plans will now automatically incorporate the best available scientific information in calculating ABCs (as all other Mid-Atlantic management plans do) rather than requiring a separate management action to adopt them; and
3. New language clarifies the process for setting ABCs for each of the four types of ABC control rules.
Questions?
Fishing Industry Contact: Erin Wilkinson, Headquarters Office, 301-427-8561
NOAA Fisheries has approved measures of the New England Fishery Management Council’s Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. This amendment updates the Essential Fish Habitat designations required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act with the latest scientific information, and minimizes the effect of fishing on that habitat while balancing the economic needs of the fishing industry.
• Revisions to the essential fish habitat designations for all New England Fishery Management Council-managed species and life stages;
• New Habitat Areas of Particular Concern to highlight especially important habitat areas;
• Revisions to the spatial management system within the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and the southern New England area to better align with scientific advice on how and where to protect essential fish habitat while balancing the economic needs of the fishing industry;
• Establishment of two Dedicated Habitat Research Areas, seasonal spawning protection measures, and a system for reviewing and updating the proposed measures.
The approved measures are effective on April 9, 2018.
Two important notes:
Closed Area I North will remain closed until April 15 to protect spawning.
This closure applies to all fishing vessels, except vessels in transit, vessels fishing with exempted gears, vessels fishing in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery, charter and party vessels, private recreational vessels, and scallop dredges.
The Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Closure will be closed April 15-30.
This closure applies to all vessels, except vessels without a federal northeast multispecies permit fishing exclusively in state waters, vessels fishing with exempted gears or in the mid-water trawl purse seine exempted fishery, scallop vessels on a day-at-sea, scallop vessels in the dredge exemption area, transiting vessels, and charter/party and private recreational vessels.
For more information, read the permit holder bulletin. Also, see the map of the final approved habitat areas ABOVE.
Contacts: Fishing Industry: Moira Kelly, Regional Office, 978-281-9218 or David Stevenson, Regional Office, 978-281-9118.
Note:
Blueline and later Golden Tilefish 2019-2021 Specifications
Note:
8 - 10 AM Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board
Review and Consider Northern Region Appeal of Addendum XXX to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan
10 - 10:15 AM Business Session Consider Noncompliance Recommendations (If Necessary)
10:30 - 11:30 AM Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board
Consider ISFMP Policy Board Recommendation Regarding Northern Region Addendum XXX Appeal, If Necessary
