National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region
Telephone Numbers & New Regulations
Edited November 11, 1998
Tim Tower in the office.
Under Amendment 7 to New England Fishery Management Plan (FMP), party/charter boats will have a minimum size increase to 20 inches on cod and haddock in the first year of the plan (starting May 1996) and 21 inches during the second year (starting May 1997). Pollock will remain at 19 inches, redfish will remain at 9 inches and winter flounder will remain at 12 inches. There will be no size limits on the hakes, cusk, wolffish, mackerel or bait fish. Along with the increased minimum size, there will be a prohibition on the selling of party boat caught fish and a two hook per line limit (a treble hook is considered one hook) while engaged in fishing. A party/charter boat with a federal permit has no bag limit when fishing for multispecies (groundfish in New England). A recreational boat without a permit is limited to 10 cod and/or haddock per angler per day. There is only a bag limit on cod and haddock. Recreational boats without a permit are required to follow all the same rules as party/charter boats with respect to length limits, no sale provisions and hook limits per angler.
For permit information/applications you can write or call:
National Marine Fisheries Service
Permit Office
One Blackburn Dr.
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298
Telephone: 978-281-9370
For specific questions on other fishery related issues, the following phone numbers were provided by Dr. Andrew A. Rosenberg, the Regional Director of NMFS:
Northeast Regional Director, John Rittger: 978-281-9370
Northeast Fisheries Information Line: 978-281-9278
American Lobster Fishery: 978/281-9273
Atlantic Tunas Regulations: 978/281-9260
Tuna Information Permit Packages: 888-USA-TUNA
Tuna Quota, Landings & Closure Info: 978-281-9305
Atlantic Tunas Permit Change (only possible between Jan. 1st & May 15th): 978-281-9370
Law Enforcement Hotline: 800/780-7742
Law Enforcement "Drop A Dime Hotline": 800-853-1964
Exemption Programs or Experimental Fisheries: 978/281-9288
NE Multispecies Fishery (groundfish): 978/281-9288 or 978/281-9244
Rules and Regulations: 978/281-9315
Sea Scallop Fishery: 978/281-9273
Squid, Mackerel, or Butterfish Fishery: 978/281/9104
Summer Flounder (Fluke) Fishery: 978/281/9221
Scup Emergency Action Through June 25, 1996: 978/281-9221(Regina Spallone)
Surf Clams or Ocean Quahog Fishery: 978/281/9104
Vessel Transfers and Replacements (Bonnie Rayl): 978/281-9244
Vessel Logbook Reporting: 978/281-9246 or 978/281-9145
Data Center (for checking receipt of vessel trip reports): 978-281-9149
FAX Number at Permit Office: 978/281-9333
Back To Home Page, Deep Sea Fishing Maine