06-13-2005, 10:05 AM
[font "Times New Roman"]DEP Announces New Marine Recreational Fishery Management Measures[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the adoption of new fishery management measures for the winter flounder and monkfish fisheries. The new measures for winter flounder include a 10-fish creel limit and a 60-day open season that extends from April 1st through May 30th. Possession will be prohibited at other times of the year. The recreational minimum size will remain at 12 inches. The commercial fishery trawl net mesh size will be increased to 6-1/2" to allow escapement of most 12" (legal-sized) and many larger fish. The winter flounder measures become effective on August 1, 2005. In addition, the minimum length for monkfish (goosefish), in the recreational as well as commercial fisheries, is being reduced from 21 inches to 17 inches (total length). The monkfish measure becomes effective on July 7, 2005.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Winter flounder populations in southern New England and the mid-Atlantic are at very low levels and overfishing is occurring. To begin stock rebuilding, uniform coastwide conservation measures are being implemented under Amendment 1 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's fishery management plan (FMP) for winter flounder. These measures are intended to achieve approximately the same reduction in fishing mortality as in the offshore commercial fishery managed under the New England Fishery Management Council's plan to manage winter flounder and other groundfish species. Under the ASMFC plan, states from Massachusetts through Delaware are required to implement a 12" minimum size, a 10 fish creel limit and a 60-day open season, or a plan with equivalent conservation value. The Commission had initially proposed a two-month closed season in March and April for all states.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]"Recreational fishermen in other states were adamantly opposed to the March-April closure, so the Commission opted for a compromise in which states could have a two-month open fishing season with the dates of their choosing," said Eric Smith, Director of the DEP Marine Fisheries Division. "Connecticut's fishermen have recognized the poor condition of the resource and have shown genuine concern for the fishery."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]At a March public meeting, they advised the Department on the timing of a preferred 60-day open season. According to Smith, the new measures will be effective in all states from NY-MA, and an equivalent plan will be required in New Jersey. "Having consistent size and creel limits for marine fisheries makes sense from an enforcement standpoint as well as in helping to avoid confusion among anglers, who often fish close to or across the boundaries of adjoining states," Smith said. In addition to achieving catch reductions similar to those required of offshore groundfish fishermen, the commercial mesh size change is intended to provide for escapement on the bottom. This change will minimize discarding by allowing most fish at or near the minimum length to escape prior to being brought on deck."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]In support of Amendment 2 to the New England Fishery Management Council's Monkfish FMP, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented new regulations that became effective on May 1, 2005. Those regulations, in part, reduced the minimum length for monkfish from 21" to 17" (total length), and from 14" to 11" tail length for those fishermen who retain only the tail portion prior to landing. Connecticut is adjusting its regulations for consistency with federal regulations. The new minimum length applies both to the recreational and commercial fisheries. According to Smith, "monkfish are harvested principally in the offshore commercial fishery but while they are not commonly harvested from Connecticut waters or in the recreational fishery, we want to be sure that all Connecticut fishermen have the same opportunity to take monkfish as fishermen in other states."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Department is adopting these changes using its regulatory authority to adjust, by declaration, closed seasons, length limits, creel limits, trip limits and trip limit adjustment values to maintain its compliance with the provisions of fishery management plans of the ASMFC or the U.S. Department of Commerce (NMFS). A public hearing will be held within the next four months to receive comment on these changes and on any alternatives that have equivalent or greater conservation value.[/font][font "Times New Roman"] [center][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/center] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"]The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the adoption of new fishery management measures for the winter flounder and monkfish fisheries. The new measures for winter flounder include a 10-fish creel limit and a 60-day open season that extends from April 1st through May 30th. Possession will be prohibited at other times of the year. The recreational minimum size will remain at 12 inches. The commercial fishery trawl net mesh size will be increased to 6-1/2" to allow escapement of most 12" (legal-sized) and many larger fish. The winter flounder measures become effective on August 1, 2005. In addition, the minimum length for monkfish (goosefish), in the recreational as well as commercial fisheries, is being reduced from 21 inches to 17 inches (total length). The monkfish measure becomes effective on July 7, 2005.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Winter flounder populations in southern New England and the mid-Atlantic are at very low levels and overfishing is occurring. To begin stock rebuilding, uniform coastwide conservation measures are being implemented under Amendment 1 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's fishery management plan (FMP) for winter flounder. These measures are intended to achieve approximately the same reduction in fishing mortality as in the offshore commercial fishery managed under the New England Fishery Management Council's plan to manage winter flounder and other groundfish species. Under the ASMFC plan, states from Massachusetts through Delaware are required to implement a 12" minimum size, a 10 fish creel limit and a 60-day open season, or a plan with equivalent conservation value. The Commission had initially proposed a two-month closed season in March and April for all states.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]"Recreational fishermen in other states were adamantly opposed to the March-April closure, so the Commission opted for a compromise in which states could have a two-month open fishing season with the dates of their choosing," said Eric Smith, Director of the DEP Marine Fisheries Division. "Connecticut's fishermen have recognized the poor condition of the resource and have shown genuine concern for the fishery."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]At a March public meeting, they advised the Department on the timing of a preferred 60-day open season. According to Smith, the new measures will be effective in all states from NY-MA, and an equivalent plan will be required in New Jersey. "Having consistent size and creel limits for marine fisheries makes sense from an enforcement standpoint as well as in helping to avoid confusion among anglers, who often fish close to or across the boundaries of adjoining states," Smith said. In addition to achieving catch reductions similar to those required of offshore groundfish fishermen, the commercial mesh size change is intended to provide for escapement on the bottom. This change will minimize discarding by allowing most fish at or near the minimum length to escape prior to being brought on deck."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]In support of Amendment 2 to the New England Fishery Management Council's Monkfish FMP, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented new regulations that became effective on May 1, 2005. Those regulations, in part, reduced the minimum length for monkfish from 21" to 17" (total length), and from 14" to 11" tail length for those fishermen who retain only the tail portion prior to landing. Connecticut is adjusting its regulations for consistency with federal regulations. The new minimum length applies both to the recreational and commercial fisheries. According to Smith, "monkfish are harvested principally in the offshore commercial fishery but while they are not commonly harvested from Connecticut waters or in the recreational fishery, we want to be sure that all Connecticut fishermen have the same opportunity to take monkfish as fishermen in other states."[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Department is adopting these changes using its regulatory authority to adjust, by declaration, closed seasons, length limits, creel limits, trip limits and trip limit adjustment values to maintain its compliance with the provisions of fishery management plans of the ASMFC or the U.S. Department of Commerce (NMFS). A public hearing will be held within the next four months to receive comment on these changes and on any alternatives that have equivalent or greater conservation value.[/font][font "Times New Roman"] [center][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/center] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font][/font]
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