DMF Proposed Regulation Changes on Opening of Rivers for River Herring Harvest

Hello River Herring Network members,

The MA Division of Marine Fisheries is proposing a regulation change to allow individual rivers to be open for harvest of river herring if they have an ASMFC approved sustainability management plan and specific permitting, harvest and identification requirements. This is one of 18 different regulation changes being proposed. DMF is now accepting written comments, and will hold four public hearings in February. Please see the information below for all the details.

Public Hearing Notice: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/pubhearings/public-hearing-notice-011317.pdf
Item # 4. Opening Individual River Herring Runs (322 CMR 6.17). This proposed regulation would provide DMF with the authority to open individual rivers to the harvest of river herring if they have an ASMFC approved sustainability management plan and specific permitting, harvest and identification requirements. The Nemasket River may be the first run to potentially open under this authority.

Exact wording of the proposed changes to 322 CMR 6.17 - Scroll to page 19
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/pubhearings/winter-2017-public-hearing-strikethrough-langauge-011317.pdf

Primer for Winter 2017 DMF Public Hearings - River Herring start on slide 19
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dfg/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/dmf-public-hearing-primer-160120.pdf

Instructions for Written Comments
Written public comments will be accepted until 5:00 PM on February 17, 2017. Please address all comments to Director David Pierce. Comments can be sent by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114. To obtain a full copy of the draft regulations or the public hearing primer document, please visit our website or contact Jared Silva by phone (617-626- 1534) or through e-mail ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

Public Hearing Schedule

Monday, February 6, 2017
6:00 PM
DMF Annisquam River Station 30 Emerson Avenue Gloucester, MA 01930

Wednesday, February 8, 2017
10:00 AM
Tisbury Town Hall Katharine Cornell Theater 51 Spring Street Tisbury, MA 02568

Wednesday, February 8, 2017
6:00 PM
MA Maritime Academy Admiral's Hall 101 Academy Drive Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

Monday, February 13, 2017
11:00 AM
Nantucket Police Station Meeting Room 4 Fairgrounds Road Nantucket, MA 02554

Thank you,
Abigail Archer