Massachusetts: Declaration for Spiny Dogfish Season 2014/2015

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries

Paul J. Diodati
Director

01. May 2014

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Director Declares 4,000 lb 2014/2015 Spiny Dogfish Trip Limit

Pursuant to 322 CMR 6.35, the Director hereby declares the following:

1.  Beginning May 1, 2014 it shall be unlawful for any commercial vessel or commercial permit holder to possess or land in excess of 4,000-lbs. of spiny dogfish per trip or per calendar day, whichever is longer; and
2.  Once the Director has determined that the northern states’ allocation (58%) of the ASMFC-approved quota has been reached, it shall be unlawful for commercial fishermen to land or possess any spiny dogfish.

For the 2014/2015 commercial spiny dogfish fishery, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Spiny Dogfish Board approved a 28.65 million pound quota and 4,000 pound trip limit for the Northern Region (ME-CT). On April 30, 2014 the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission approved the Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) recommended 4,000 pound daily commercial trip limit specification for spiny dogfish.

For more information regarding the commercial spiny dogfish fishery please visit our website (www.mass.gov/marinefisheries) or call the Division of Marine Fisheries at 617-626-1520.

Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts