Commercial Fishery Possession Limit Adjustment
September 24, 2019
NOTICE
Scup:
Effective 0001 hours Wednesday, September 25, 2019, the commercial fishery possession limit for Scup License Endorsement holders will be increased to 2,000 pounds. For Restricted Commercial Fishing License holders NOT holding a Scup License Endorsement the limit remains 60 fish;
Scup:
Effective 0001 hours Wednesday, September 25, 2019, the commercial fishery possession limit for Scup License Endorsement holders will be increased to 2,000 pounds. For Restricted Commercial Fishing License holders NOT holding a Scup License Endorsement the limit remains 60 fish;
Menhaden:
Effective 0001 hours Wednesday, September 25, 2019 the directed fishery for menhaden is closed in Connecticut. The incidental fishery remains open with a 6,000 pound possession limit.
Effective 0001 hours Wednesday, September 25, 2019 the directed fishery for menhaden is closed in Connecticut. The incidental fishery remains open with a 6,000 pound possession limit.
REMINDERS
American lobster: The closed season (both commercial and personal use) for lobster is September 8 through November 28. The minimum length is 3-3/8 inches.
American eel: No possession limit. Minimum length is 9 inches.
Black sea bass: 100 pounds. Black Sea Bass License Endorsement required.
Bluefish: 1,200 pounds
Jonah crab: In the commercial fishery no Jonah crab less than 4.75 inches carapace width may be possessed or sold. Possession of egg bearing Jonah crabs or crabs from which the eggs have been removed is prohibited. Jonah crabs must also be landed whole. Landing claws only is prohibited. Possession of more than two loose claws per body is prohibited. The possession limit in non-trap fisheries is 1,000 crabs. There is no possession limit in the lobster pot fishery. (Connecticut licensing statutes do not allow crabs to be taken by pots other than lobster pots.) In the recreational fishery, there is a 50 crab daily possession limit and possession of egg bearing crabs or crabs from which the eggs have been removed is prohibited. There is no minimum size limit in the recreational fishery.
Smooth dogfish: 2,000 pound possession limit. The fishery will close when 100% of the quota has been landed. Commercial fishermen in state waters and in possession of a valid state commercial fishing license can eviscerate and remove the head and all shark fins of smooth dogfish while at sea provided smooth dogfish make up at least 25 percent, by weight, of total catch on board at the time of landing. Such fishermen may retain other sharks on board provided the fins of other shark species remain naturally attached to the carcass through offloading.
Spiny dogfish: 6,000 pounds. Spiny dogfish are managed under a regional annual quota. The fishery will close when 100% of the regional quota has been harvested.
Summer flounder: 150 pounds – Summer Flounder License Endorsement required.
Tautog is currently closed. On October 8th the limits will be 10 fish for Principal and General Commercial Fishing License holders and 3 fish for Restricted Commercial Fishing License holders.
The tautog season is closed September 1 – October 7.
Weakfish: 100 pounds all year
Winter flounder: 50 pounds or 38 fish unless the fish were taken in federal waters under a federal groundfish permit.
All of the possession limits listed above apply to the aggregate of all persons on board the vessel per trip or per day whichever is the longer period of time. Transfer of these species between vessels at sea is prohibited. In any instance where there is a violation of the possession limit on board a vessel carrying more than one person when the catch is commingled, the violation shall be deemed to have been committed by the owner of the vessel, or the operator of the vessel, if the owner is not on board. When any person on a vessel is commercial fishing, the commercial possession limit applies to the entire vessel and no person on that vessel may also possess fish under a recreational creel limit.
For current commercial fishery trip limits and quota status:
Call 860-434-6374 24/7 for a recorded message of current possession limits, or see: www.ct.gov/deep/TL.
The Department monitors landings and adjusts trip limits according to Department regulations in an attempt to provide fishing opportunity throughout the year for all participants in the commercial fishery. In addition, the Department strives to provide advance notification of trip limit changes, although this may not always be possible due to rapidly escalating or unanticipated landings. In such circumstances, only a short notification period may be possible.
The information provided in this notice is a summary of possession limits and other general rules only. For complete information on commercial fishing regulations please see: www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/fishing/saltwater/marinecirc.pdf, or contact the DEEP Marine Fisheries Program by email at deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov, by mail at PO Box 719, Old Lyme, CT 06371 or by telephone at 860.434.6043 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at 860.418.5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint.
(N19-11)
American lobster: The closed season (both commercial and personal use) for lobster is September 8 through November 28. The minimum length is 3-3/8 inches.
American eel: No possession limit. Minimum length is 9 inches.
Black sea bass: 100 pounds. Black Sea Bass License Endorsement required.
Bluefish: 1,200 pounds
Jonah crab: In the commercial fishery no Jonah crab less than 4.75 inches carapace width may be possessed or sold. Possession of egg bearing Jonah crabs or crabs from which the eggs have been removed is prohibited. Jonah crabs must also be landed whole. Landing claws only is prohibited. Possession of more than two loose claws per body is prohibited. The possession limit in non-trap fisheries is 1,000 crabs. There is no possession limit in the lobster pot fishery. (Connecticut licensing statutes do not allow crabs to be taken by pots other than lobster pots.) In the recreational fishery, there is a 50 crab daily possession limit and possession of egg bearing crabs or crabs from which the eggs have been removed is prohibited. There is no minimum size limit in the recreational fishery.
Smooth dogfish: 2,000 pound possession limit. The fishery will close when 100% of the quota has been landed. Commercial fishermen in state waters and in possession of a valid state commercial fishing license can eviscerate and remove the head and all shark fins of smooth dogfish while at sea provided smooth dogfish make up at least 25 percent, by weight, of total catch on board at the time of landing. Such fishermen may retain other sharks on board provided the fins of other shark species remain naturally attached to the carcass through offloading.
Spiny dogfish: 6,000 pounds. Spiny dogfish are managed under a regional annual quota. The fishery will close when 100% of the regional quota has been harvested.
Summer flounder: 150 pounds – Summer Flounder License Endorsement required.
Tautog is currently closed. On October 8th the limits will be 10 fish for Principal and General Commercial Fishing License holders and 3 fish for Restricted Commercial Fishing License holders.
The tautog season is closed September 1 – October 7.
Weakfish: 100 pounds all year
Winter flounder: 50 pounds or 38 fish unless the fish were taken in federal waters under a federal groundfish permit.
All of the possession limits listed above apply to the aggregate of all persons on board the vessel per trip or per day whichever is the longer period of time. Transfer of these species between vessels at sea is prohibited. In any instance where there is a violation of the possession limit on board a vessel carrying more than one person when the catch is commingled, the violation shall be deemed to have been committed by the owner of the vessel, or the operator of the vessel, if the owner is not on board. When any person on a vessel is commercial fishing, the commercial possession limit applies to the entire vessel and no person on that vessel may also possess fish under a recreational creel limit.
For current commercial fishery trip limits and quota status:
Call 860-434-6374 24/7 for a recorded message of current possession limits, or see: www.ct.gov/deep/TL.
The Department monitors landings and adjusts trip limits according to Department regulations in an attempt to provide fishing opportunity throughout the year for all participants in the commercial fishery. In addition, the Department strives to provide advance notification of trip limit changes, although this may not always be possible due to rapidly escalating or unanticipated landings. In such circumstances, only a short notification period may be possible.
The information provided in this notice is a summary of possession limits and other general rules only. For complete information on commercial fishing regulations please see: www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/fishing/saltwater/marinecirc.pdf, or contact the DEEP Marine Fisheries Program by email at deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov, by mail at PO Box 719, Old Lyme, CT 06371 or by telephone at 860.434.6043 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at 860.418.5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint.
(N19-11)