Bill > H260

This bill amends existing law to prohibit the commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass in the Commonwealth, meaning fish caught in the wild cannot be sold by commercial fishermen. For recreational anglers, the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, with approval from the marine fisheries advisory commission, will establish rules for catching and keeping striped bass, but these rules will not allow the taking or possession of fish shorter than 20 inches or between 26 and 40 inches in length; instead, legal fish must be whole and either between 20 and 26 inches or 40 inches or longer. Anglers will also be limited to keeping only one striped bass per day. Any striped bass raised through aquaculture and sold in the Commonwealth must be tagged by the grower or distributor. Violations of these regulations will result in escalating fines, starting at $200 per fish for a first offense, increasing to $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 per fish or up to 60 days in jail for subsequent offenses, with no fines being waived. Additionally, the bill specifies that Massachusetts's share of the Atlantic striped bass quota from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an interstate body that manages fisheries, will not be combined with recreational fishing limits and will instead be reserved for conservation efforts, with the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries tasked with ensuring this quota remains with the Commonwealth for striped bass conservation.