Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 322 CMR - Division of Marine Fisheries › Title 322 CMR 8.00 - Coastal Fisheries and Conservation Management › Section 8.04 - Winter Flounder Spawning Area Closures

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
			 Except as provided for in
			 322 CMR
			 8.04(2) and (3), the
			 following waters shall be closed to commercial fishing for any finfish between
			 the dates of February 1st through May
			 31st, in all of the waters shoreward of an area
			 bounded by an imaginary line beginning at a point 42 E 02.0' N latitude and 70
			 E 10.2'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a point at 42 E 00.7'
			 N latitude and 70 E 06.4'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a
			 point at 41 E 56.3' N latitude and 70 E 05.9'W longitude; thence following an
			 imaginary line to a point at 41 E 48.9' N latitude and 70 E 10.9'W longitude;
			 thence following an imaginary line to a point at 41 E 46.4' N latitude and 70 E
			 09.8'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a point at 41 E 45.1'W
			 latitude and 70 E 16.5'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a
			 point at 41 E 47.1'N latitude and 70 E 28.1'W longitude; thence following an
			 imaginary line to a point at 41 E 55.2'N latitude and 70 E 30.4'W longitude;
			 thence following an imaginary line to a point at 41 E 59.9'N latitude and 70 E
			 35.1'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a point at 42 E 05.6'N
			 latitude and 70 E 36.5'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a
			 point at 42 E 16.4'N latitude and 70 E 44.8'W longitude; thence following an
			 imaginary line to a point at 42 E 18.6'N latitude and 70 E 50.1'W longitude;
			 thence following an imaginary line to a point at 42 E 21.9'N latitude and 70 E
			 52.2'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a point at 42 E 24.7'N
			 latitude and 70 E 54.4'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line to a
			 point at 42 E 27.6'N latitude and 70 E 50.3'W longitude; thence following an
			 imaginary line to a point at 42 E 32.8'N latitude and 70 E 45.9'W longitude;
			 thence following an imaginary line to a point at 42 E 34.3'N latitude and 70 E
			 39.9'W longitude; thence following an imaginary line drawn to Thatcher's Island
			 Light to a point along said line where it intersects with the boundary line
			 separating the towns of Rockport and Gloucester; thence following the
			 Rockport/Gloucester boundary southeasterly to a point 42 E 35.5'N, 70 E 34.6'W;
			 thence following an imaginary line 31 E true to a point at 42 E 37.8'N, 70 E
			 32.8'W; thence following an imaginary line 360 E true to a point at 42 E
			 39.5'N, 70 E 32.8'W; thence following an imaginary line 340 E true to a point
			 at 42 E 40.8'N, 70 E 33.5'W; thence following 314 E true to a point at 42 E
			 43.8'N, 70 E 37.6'W; thence following an imaginary line in a southerly
			 direction 193 E true to a point one nautical mile from the shoreline; thence
			 following an imaginary line drawn in such a manner that each point on it is one
			 nautical mile from the shoreline to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire
			 boundary.
(2)
Exemptions
. The following fishing activities are
			 exempted from the winter flounder spawning areas described at
			 322 CMR
			 8.04(1).
(a)
Sea Herring
.
			 Commercial fishing for sea herring is permitted provided that a special permit
			 is obtained pursuant to
			 322 CMR
			 7.01(4)(a):
Regulated Fishery Permit Endorsement
.
(b)
Cod
. Line
			 trawling for cod is permitted provided that only hook sizes with a gape of not
			 less than 
			 11 /16 inch
			 measured from the point of the hook to the inside of the shank or circle hooks
			 (so-called) with a gape of not less than ½ inch may be used, and
			 provided further that the area is open to groundfish as set forth in
			 322 CMR
			 8.05.