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+--- Thread: Notice to Party & Charter Black Sea Bass Fishermen (/showthread.php?tid=834633)
Notice to Party & Charter Black Sea Bass Fishermen - FishNews - 07-27-2013
Black Sea Bass Fishery Monitoring Program
On April 17, 2013 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission revised slightly the<br />
recreational fishery harvest target for black sea bass for 2013. This revision in the target<br />
(+8%) makes approximately 9,000 more black sea bass available for harvest in<br />
Connecticut. This small change occurred too late in the season to include in the 2013<br />
Angler's Guide which is essential for effectively communicating recreational fishing<br />
regulations to more than 140,000 private marine anglers fishing in Connecticut.<br />
At the same time, it has become apparent that Connecticut party/charter vessel<br />
participation in the black sea bass fishery and consequent harvest of black sea bass is<br />
not being adequately captured in the federal Marine Recreational Information Program.<br />
In 2012, while the private angler harvest was estimated to be more than 110,000 fish,<br />
the party and charter mode harvest estimate was just 154 fish.<br />
To better account for the party/charter black sea bass fishery the department has<br />
developed a voluntary program for party/charter vessels that includes daily record<br />
keeping of black sea bass trips. The program provides for an 8 fish per paying passenger<br />
creel limit from June 15 through November 30 and is for 2013 only. Passengers on nonparticipating<br />
party/charter vessels will be bound by the creel limit and open season as<br />
published in the 2013 Angler's Guide.<br />
Party/charter vessel owners interested in enrolling in the program must complete an<br />
application - which will be mailed to current party/charter vessel registrants this week.<br />
Participants will be required to report daily black sea bass fishing activity from June<br />
through November in monthly logbooks. Logbooks must be submitted by the 10th of each<br />
month following the reporting month to remain eligible for this program.<br />
For further information, contact the DEEP Marine Fisheries Division by email at<br />
deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov, by mail at P.O. Box 719, Old Lyme, CT 06371 or by<br />
telephone at 860-434-6043 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday<br />
through Friday.<br />
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative<br />
Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the<br />
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at 860-418-5910<br />
or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid<br />
or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another<br />
language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint.