Andy

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that four amendments to commercial and recreational fishing regulations have been filed and will take effect on January 1.

The first alters the commercial management plan for summer flounder by decreasing possession limits during the Winter I fishing period, which runs from January 1 to April 30. Specifically, the daily possession limit will decrease from 700 pounds to 100 pounds; and for participants in the aggregate landing program, the limit will decrease from 5,000 pounds over two weeks to 1,000 pounds per week.

The decreases in the summer flounder possession limits were recommended by industry and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. They are being implemented in response to a significant cut in the coastwide total allowable landings (TAL) limit, mandated by the federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). Pursuant to the stock rebuilding requirements set forth by the Magnuson Act, the National Marine Fisheries Service recently set the 2007 TAL for the summer flounder fishery in federal waters at 12.98 million pounds ? down, significantly, from the 2006 TAL limit of 23.59 million pounds. And last week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) moved forward in a consistent manner by approving an initial TAL limit of 12.98 million pounds for all state waters.

In a related development, on December 9 Congress passed the long-awaited reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and the President responded by signaling his intent to sign the reauthorization bill into law. The new Act includes a specific provision relating to the summer flounder fishery ? namely, a 3-year extension to the 10-year rebuilding plan, establishing a new deadline of 2013 by which the stock must be fully rebuilt. In accordance with that new provision, the 2007 TAL is expected to increase to 17.11 million pounds. The ASMFC anticipates that this upward adjustment in the quota will occur before March 1, 2007. When that happens, DEM expects to be able to increase the possession limits, proportionately, for the Winter I fishing period, and finalize the commercial regulations for the remainder of the year.

Just the tip of the iceberg wait until they past out the rec quota's

74Formula233

Oh Boy,

Just what we've been waiting for.......:confused1:

So, 7 fish per person at 17.5" will now probably be much less at a bigger size. :cwm21:

Guess it's time for me to learn how to make Smoked-Scup-Pate........

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Capt Neil Faulkner

Happy New Year!

The rumors, remember rumors, down here in NY says 1 fluke at 19" and a short season per day. They say we over fished 2006 in NYS by 30% and that will come off our 2007 quota. AGH!!!

Where will it ever end???

I attended the ASMFC meeting in New York City. Stood for 3 hours and left at the lunch break as they were going on to other stuff after the break. My crystal ball shows many more rec poachers on the water this year.

Capt Neil

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