Bill > H2015

This bill, titled "Relative to inshore resource depletion," proposes to amend Chapter 130 of the General Laws by adding a new section, 95A, which grants the director authority to establish rules and regulations for the herring fishery within Massachusetts waters. Specifically, the director will be empowered to implement regulations that prohibit the use of midwater trawl and pair trawling methods for herring fishing, establish rules compatible with regional efforts to rebuild groundfish resources (fish like cod, haddock, and flounder), set limits on vessel size for coastal fishing, create buffer zones along the coast for herring fishing, minimize the accidental capture and death of other valuable species such as groundfish, bluefin tuna, and striped bass, increase the presence of observers on fishing vessels to monitor activities, and implement a weight-based system for accounting for herring landings by all vessels targeting this species. These provisions aim to manage the herring fishery in a way that supports the recovery of other important marine populations and reduces the overall impact of fishing on the marine ecosystem.