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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSING REGULATIONS A total of 16 new quahog and 3 new restricted finfish endorsements on commercial fishing licenses will be available for 2008. The new quahog endorsements will allow for the commercial harvest of quahogs. The new restricted finfish endorsements will allow for the commercial harvest of any of the six species of restricted finfish: summer flounder, scup, striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, and winter flounder. Applications for the new endorsements must be filed with DEM by February 28, 2008. The applications will be screened, and the new endorsements awarded, on the basis of the priority selection process set forth in the regulations. Also, effective for the 2008 license year, there are two new gear endorsements: purse seine and mid-water/pair trawl. Any license holder who wishes to deploy either gear type must obtain an applicable endorsement for 2008. The application deadline is February 28, and the fee is $20 per endorsement. Anyone may apply for and obtain either endorsement, but holders must meet various terms and conditions before deploying the gear. The new endorsements are intended to aid in the management of the Atlantic menhaden and Atlantic herring fisheries. The amended regulations also establish a new soft-shell clam endorsement category governing the commercial harvest of soft-shell clams (aka "steamers"). For 2008, it will be illegal to harvest soft-shell clams commercially unless a soft-shell clam endorsement is held. For 2008, the new soft-shell clam endorsement will be available only to those who, in 2007, held either a Principal Effort License with a quahog or non-quahog shellfish endorsement or a Commercial Fishing License with a non-quahog shellfish endorsement. The application deadline is February 28. The new regulations also establish an "other shellfish" endorsement category, enabling the holder to fish commercially for any shellfish species other than quahogs and soft-shell clams. The "other shellfish" endorsement category will remain open to anyone without restriction. Multi-purpose license holders are unaffected by these changes involving shellfish. In advance of the expected implementation of the transfer component of the lobster trap allocation program during 2008, the amended regulations also provide for the issuance of a new Principal Effort License with a lobster endorsement to anyone who obtains a trap allocation. Finally, the amended regulations establish a December 31, 2007 control date for three of the above-noted fisheries: soft-shell clam, purse seine, and mid-water/pair trawl. According to DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, the establishment of the control date does not commit DEM to any particular management regime or criteria for limiting future access to any of the fisheries; it does, however, provide notice that further expansion of effort in the fisheries is a potential concern and could be subject to future effort-reduction proposals, based on participation through 2007, if overfishing becomes a problem. The amended licensing regulations, as well as the updated management plans for the shellfish, finfish, and crustacean fishery sectors, upon which the regulations are based, are available on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Marine Fisheries" under "Topics". Also available at that link (under "Director's Decision Documents/October 24, 2007") is a detailed memo issued by Director Sullivan providing the basis for all of the regulatory changes. Questions from fishermen may be directed to DEM's Office of Boat Registration and Licensing at 222-6647. -30- |
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