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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release: December 21, 2006
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM ANNOUNCES THAT APPLICATIONS FOR 2007 AGGREGATE LANDING PERMIT PROGRAM FOR SCUP AND SUMMER FLOUNDER NOW AVAILABLE

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management has announced that applications for the 2007 aggregate landing permit program for the commercial scup and summer flounder fisheries are now available. The permit conditions will take effect on January 1st for scup and on February 4th for summer flounder.

The program, now in its fourth year, is designed to reduce discards of scup and summer flounder and allows the fishing industry greater flexibility to meet the objectives of the management program. It also increases safety for fishermen during the winter months when poor weather is a factor.

Those who participate will be afforded the opportunity to harvest up to 1,000 pounds of summer flounder per vessel in any calendar day as long as the total landed by that vessel does not exceed 1,000 pounds of summer flounder in any calendar week period during the program time period. Participants can also harvest up to 30,000 pounds of scup per vessel in any calendar day as long as the total landed by that vessel does not exceed 30,000 pounds of scup in any two-week period during the program period. The program will remain in effect until 80 percent of the seasonal quotas are reached, or until April 7 for summer flounder or April 30 for scup, whichever comes first.

Those who choose not to participate can fish at a daily limit of 100 pounds of summer flounder with or without a summer flounder exemption certificate or 2,000 pounds of scup.

Specific criteria must be met in order to be eligible for the aggregate landing permit program, which was designed by DEM in consultation with the RI Marine Fisheries Council and other representatives of the local commercial fishing industry. In past years, it has attracted about 70 participants.

Information on eligibility and applications are available on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Fish and Wildlife" under "Offices and Divisions", and then clicking "Marine Fisheries". Information is also available by calling Nancy Scarduzio at DEM's Marine Fisheries Office at Fort Wetherill in Jamestown at 423-1927; applications are also available at that office.

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