2019 Regulatory Adjustments February 25, 2019 February 27, 2019 MA - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2019 Regulatory Adjustments February 25, 2019 February 27, 2019 MA Maritime Academy DMF Field Office Buzzards Bay Gloucester

Coming Soon: New MET Sponsored Striped Bass Plate How Can I Get A Plate? 750 vehicle owners need to sign up plate. Pre-production commitment will cost $40 per plate. Looking to enlist those who do not already support MET through other plates. Frequently Asked Questions: Proceeds from plate sales will be placed in a dedicated fund. Use of funds will be overseen by DMF and a Citizens Committee. Citizens Committee will include recreational and commercial anglers, academic researchers and ENGOs. Monies will finance striped bass and finfish conservation projects. Funds will also be used to assist in anadromous fish passage work and angler education and outreach. February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 2

Public Hearing Under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 30A and pursuant to the authority found at M.G.L. c. 130 §§ 2, 17A, 80 and 104, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission have scheduled public hearings and a public comment period to accept comment on draft regulatory proposals at 322 CMR §6.00. Written public comments will be accepted until 5:00 PM on Friday, March 1, 2019. Please address all comments to Director David Pierce. Comments are to be sent by e-mail to marine.fish@state.ma.us or by mail to 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114. February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 3

Proposals Striped Bass Conservation • Prohibit the use of a gaff to remove striped bass from the water; • Require the use of inline circle hooks beginning in 2020 when fishing with whole or natural cut baits. Commercial Striped Bass Mgmt • Open the commercial fishing season as early as June 13 (current opening date is June 23); • Have open fishing days on Mon. & Wed, rather than Mon. & Thurs. • Liberalize rules on importation of non-conforming sized fish from other jurisdictions by accommodating it during the commercial season. For-Hire Compliance: • Clarify that it is prohibited for patrons to fish commercially on for-hire trips, with exceptions for HMS managed species. • Enact new measures applicable to head boats during May 1 – June 30 scup and black sea bass fishery to enhance patron and head boat accountability. February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 4

Proposals (cont.) Scup Bycatch Limits During Small Mesh Squid Fishery • Consistent with recent MAFMC action, allow draggers fishing with mesh less than 5” diamond to retain up to 2,000 pounds of scup per trip during the period of April 15 – June 15 (spring squid fishery). Commercial Trip Limit and Quota Management • Clarify that the at-sea transfer of any trip limit managed species is prohibited, excepting the transfer of bait fish conducted under a bait dealer permit. • Allow buy boats working on behalf of a primary buyer to transfer multiple trip limits provided so authorized by DMF. • Clarify that commercial fisherman selling fish must sell only to a wholesale dealer who is a primary buyer, excepting sale of baitfish under bait dealer permit and sale of other species other retail boat permit. February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 5

More Details on Proposals to Follow: But first, a brief overview of the striped bass assessment . February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 6

Striped Bass Conservation Recent Assessment Findings: • Striped bass are overfished with overfishing occurring . • Assessment includes recalibrated MRIP data. • With recalibrated MRIP data, assessment suggests stock has been over fished with overfishing occurring for most of the past decade. • Recreational fishery is responsible for 90% of coast-wide mortality with release mortality responsible for more than half this mortality. MA Fishery Information: • MA is largely a catch and release recreational fishery. • In 2017 MA rec fishery caught about 13M fish. • Of those ~13M fish about 300,000 fish were kept. The remaining were released. • Applying 9% discard mortality rate, estimated over 1M fish were released dead. • Over past 5 years MA commercial fishery landed and sold average of about 900,000 pounds. At about 20 pounds per fish, this is approximately 45,200 fish. February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 14

Striped Bass Conservation Management Challenges: • With current status (overfished/overfishing) there is a need to reduce fishing mortality. • ASMFC will develop an Amendment to reduce mortality across all Atlantic states. This will likely involve cuts to the commercial quota and an increase in the recreational minimum size for 2020. • Given MA fishery is largely catch and release, minimum size increases will likely have limited impact on overall rec mortality. • While likely not part of ASMFC Amendment, MA needs to consider how to reduce discard mortality. Source: www.capecodtoday.com February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 15

Striped Bass Conservation Proposals Circle Hook Proposal In 2020, mandate the use of in-line circle hooks beginning in 2020 when fishing with natural whole or cut baits. This would not apply to baits affixed to an artificial lure that is to be jigged, trolled or casted and retrieved (e.g., bucktail and pork rind, tube and worm). Rationale  MD study found a 90% reduction in release mortality when using in-line circle hooks through reduction in gut hooking .  Broad application could substantially reduce release mortality in MA’s catch and release fishery.  Required in ME, NJ and MD Other Considerations Should commercial fishery be exempted? Should charter boat fishery be exempted? How does this impact bluefish fishing? February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 16

Striped Bass Conservation Proposals Gaffing Proposal Ban the use of gaffs to remove striped bass from the water beginning in 2019. Rationale  Gaffing fish greatly increases release mortality.  Reports of gaffing and releasing undersized fish in commercial and recreational fishery.  Prevalence of other gear to remove fish from the water.  Does not prohibit keeping a gaff on a vessel.  Prohibited in ME, NH, CT, MD and VA. Other Considerations Should commercial fishery be exempted? Should charter boat fishery be exempted? Source: Night Hawk Publications February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 17

Commercial Striped Bass Fishery Performance and Trends Year Quota Landings (Live lbs) 2013 997,869 1,004,459 2014 1,155,100 1,138,507 2015 869,813 866,041 2016 869,813 938,741 2017 800,885 823,409 2018 847,585 753,731 * SOURCE: SAFIS Dealer Reports * Preliminary February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 18

Commercial Striped Bass Fishery Performance and Trends Total Value = $3,130,000 Total Value: $4,750,000 180,000 $6.00 180,000 $6.00 2013 2014 180,000 $6.00 2013 160,000 160,000 160,000 140,000 140,000 $5.00 $5.00 140,000 $5.00 120,000 120,000 120,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 $4.00 $4.00 80,000 $4.00 80,000 80,000 60,000 60,000 60,000 $3.00 $3.00 40,000 40,000 $3.00 40,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 0 0 $2.00 $2.00 0 $2.00 06/23 07/13 07/16 06/27 07/19 07/01 07/22 07/05 07/25 07/09 07/28 07/13 07/31 07/17 08/03 07/21 08/06 08/09 07/25 08/12 07/29 08/15 08/02 08/18 08/06 08/21 08/10 08/24 08/14 08/27 08/18 08/30 09/02 08/22 09/05 08/26 09/08 08/30 07/13 07/16 07/19 07/22 07/25 07/28 07/31 08/03 08/06 08/09 08/12 08/15 08/18 08/21 08/24 08/27 08/30 09/02 09/05 09/08 Total Value: $ 3,810,000 Total Value: $ 3,580,000 120,000 $7.00 $7.00 120,000 2015 2016 100,000 100,000 $6.00 $6.00 80,000 80,000 $5.00 $5.00 60,000 60,000 $4.00 $4.00 40,000 40,000 $3.00 $3.00 20,000 20,000 0 $2.00 0 $2.00 06/26 06/29 07/02 07/05 07/08 07/11 07/14 07/17 07/20 07/23 07/26 07/29 08/01 08/04 08/07 08/10 08/13 08/16 08/19 06/24 06/27 06/30 07/03 07/06 07/09 07/12 07/15 07/18 07/21 07/24 07/27 07/30 08/02 08/05 08/08 08/11 08/14 08/17 SOURCE: SAFIS Dealer Reports * Confidential Data Not Displayed February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 19

Commercial Striped Bass Fishery Performance and Trends 120,000 $7.00 Total Value: $ 3,310,000 120,000 $7.00 Total Value $ 3,540,000 1 2018 2017 100,000 100,000 $6.00 $6.00 80,000 80,000 $5.00 $5.00 60,000 60,000 $4.00 $4.00 40,000 40,000 $3.00 $3.00 20,000 20,000 0 $2.00 0 $2.00 06/27 06/30 07/03 07/06 07/09 07/12 07/15 07/18 07/21 07/24 07/27 07/30 08/02 08/05 08/08 08/11 08/14 08/17 08/20 08/23 08/26 06/25 07/02 07/09 07/16 07/23 07/30 08/06 08/13 08/20 08/27 09/03 09/10 09/17 09/24 10/01 10/08 10/15 10/22 10/29 SOURCE: SAFIS Dealer Reports * Confidential Data Not Displayed 1 Preliminary February 22, 2019 Division of Marine Fisheries Slide 20