Bill > S492

This bill aims to conserve the striped bass population in Massachusetts. It includes the following key provisions: 1. Commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass will be permitted only for individuals who owned commercial licenses as of December 31, 2012 and have averaged an annual landing and sale of more than 1,000 pounds of striped bass over the preceding 5 years. The Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries can provide hardship relief from this limit. 2. The commercial catch limit will be calculated based on the 5-year average annual landings and sales of pounds of striped bass by the eligible commercial fishermen. 3. If a commercial license holder retires their license, the total commercial take allowed will be reduced by the average landings of that individual for the previous 5 years. 4. No new commercial licenses will be granted, and existing licenses cannot be transferred or sold. 5. Commercial fishermen who fail to report no catch or zero striped bass catch for two consecutive years will not have their licenses renewed. 6. All commercial fishermen must report their catch to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries within 90 days after the close of the commercial striped bass season, or face non-renewal of their license. 7. The Director of Marine Fisheries or the Marine Fisheries Advisory Board can limit, curtail, or suspend recreational or commercial catching and landing of striped bass if the fishery conditions worsen and the fishery is in jeopardy of sustaining itself. 8. The issuance of commercial striped bass licenses will cease as of January 1, 2025.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S492