Yearly Regulation Amendments

Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Regulations
Minimum Sizes and Possession Limits

If you have questions, contact Pete Duhamel at 401-423-1927 or peter.duhamel@dem.ri.gov

4/26/2024
POSSESSION LIMIT MODIFICATION

1. Beginning 12:00 A.M. on Monday, April 29, 2024, the commercial possession limit for Menhaden Inside the Menhaden Management Area will be one-hundred twenty-thousand (120,000) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice; the commercial possession limit for Menhaden in state waters outside the Menhaden Management Area remains at one-hundred twenty-thousand (120,000) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice. 

   The opening of the Menhaden Management Area is based on DMF estimating that the weekly menhaden biomass has exceeded the biomass floor of 2 million pounds. Biomass estimates are updated twice per week; if at any time the biomass is estimated to drop below 1.5 million pounds, or the commercial biomass ceiling is projected to be harvested, or the state's commercial quota has been projected to be harvested, the commercial fishery may close.  Please refer to the commercial menhaden regulations (Part 3 - Finfish, section 3.24.2) for more information, or contact Nicole Lengyel Costa at 401-423-1940.

4/26/2024
POSSESSION LIMIT MODIFICATION

1. Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, April 28, 2024, the possession limit for Summer flounder for participants in the Winter I Program of the Aggregate Program for Summer Flounder will be one thousand (1,000) pounds per vessel per bi-week (permitted vessels only), until further notice or until the next sub-period begins on May 1, 2024 at two hundred (200) pounds per vessel per day.

4/12/2024
AMENDMENT TO EXISTING REGULATIONS

Please be advised that the following regulation amendments have been filed, resulting from the public hearing held on February 28^th and RI Marine Fisheries Council meeting held on April 1^st:

• Part 3 – Finfish (effective April 28, 2024):
  
  • New recreational striped bass filleting requirements
  • Amended seasons for 2024 commercial general category striped bass management
  • Amended frequency of reporting requirements for commercial striped bass floating fish traps  
  • Amended possession limit reduction trigger for commercial striped bass floating fish traps  
  • Clarification regarding when striped bass must be tagged (consistent with Part 7 filing described below)   
  • Clarification of language for commercial menhaden management in several sections in the rule; no changes to management
  • Amended minimum size for general recreational and party/charter modes for 2024 recreational scup management  
  • Amended minimum size, season, and possession limit for 2024 recreational summer flounder management   
  • Commercial possession limit clarification (several instances throughout rule)
• Part 5 – Lobsters, Crabs, and Other Crustaceans (effective April 28, 2024):  
  
  • Adoption of new rules requiring electronic tracking for federally permitted lobster and Jonah crab vessels
• Part 7 – Dealers (effective May 1, 2024): 
  
  • Clarification regarding when striped bass must be tagged (consistent with Part 3 filing described above)

3/29/2024
POSSESSION LIMIT MODIFICATION

1. Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, March 31, 2024, the possession limit for Summer flounder for participants in the Winter I Program of the Aggregate Program for Summer Flounder will be two thousand (2,000) pounds per vessel per bi-week (permitted vessels only); until further notice or until the next sub-period begins on May 1, 2024 at two hundred (200) pounds per vessel per day;
2. Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, March 31, 2024, the possession limit for the Black Sea Bass will be one thousand five hundred (1,500) pounds per vessel per week; until the next sub period begins on May 1, 2024, at one hundred (100) pounds per vessel per day;

3/1/2024
POSSESSION LIMIT MODIFICATION

1. Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, March 3, 2024, the possession limit for Summer flounder for participants in the Winter I Program of the Aggregate Program for Summer Flounder will be three thousand (3,000) pounds per vessel per bi-week (permitted vessels only); until further notice or until the next sub-period begins on May 1, 2024 at two hundred (200) pounds per vessel per day;
2. Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, March 3, 2024, the possession limit for the Black Sea Bass will be seven hundred fifty (750) pounds per vessel per week; until the next sub period begins on May 1, 2024, at one hundred (100) pounds per vessel per day;

12/29/2023
POSSESSION LIMIT MODIFICATION

1. Black sea bass:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession will be five hundred (500) pounds per vessel per week, until further notice.
2. Scup - general category:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit will be fifty thousand (50,000) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice.
3. Scup - floating fish traps:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit will be fifty thousand (50,000) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice.
4. Striped bass - general category:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial fishery remains closed until further notice (public hearing planned for February 2024).
5. Striped bass - floating fish traps:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial fishery remains closed, until reopening April 1, 2024 @ Unlimited possession limit (public hearing planned for February 2024).
6. Summer flounder - vessels without a Summer Flounder Exemption Certificate:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit will be one hundred (100) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice.
7. Summer flounder - vessels with a Summer Flounder Exemption Certificate:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit will be one hundred (100) pounds per vessel per day, until further notice.
8. Winter I Aggregate Program for Summer Flounder:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the Winter I Aggregate program remains closed.  Beginning 12:00AM on Sunday, January 7, 2024, the possession limit will be four thousand (4,000) pounds per vessel per bi-week (permitted vessels only) until further notice.
9. Summer/Fall Aggregate Program for Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the program remains closed.  The program will re-open on May 1, 2024 @ a weekly possession limit equal to seven times (7X) the daily possession limit (both species, permitted vessels only).
10. Bluefish:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit will be one thousand (1,000) pounds per vessel per bi-week, until further notice (public hearing planned for February 2024).
11. Menhaden - Menhaden Management Area:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the fishery remains closed until further notice (public hearing planned for February 2024).
12. Menhaden - State Waters outside the Menhaden Management Area:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the commercial possession limit remains @ 120,000 pounds per vessel per day until further notice (public hearing planned for February 2024).
13. Tautog:  Beginning 12:00AM on Monday, January 1, 2024, the fishery remains closed, until reopening 12:00AM on April 1, 2024, @ 10 fish per person or per vessel per day (public hearing planned for February 2024)