DEEP Marine Fisheries Public Hearing
September 23, 2019
The DEEP Marine Fisheries Program is holding a public hearing on a proposed addition to the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies concerning commercial fishery possession limits. The purpose of the proposed regulations is to allow qualifying commercial fishers to simultaneously carry summer flounder possession limits for Connecticut and cooperating states during the same fishing trip through the implementation of a Cooperative Multi-State Possession and Landing Program, limited to commercial summer flounder Winter Period 1 (January 1 through April 30, inclusive). The proposed Program permits qualifying commercial fishers to simultaneously carry summer flounder possession limits for Connecticut and cooperating states during the same fishing trip, but does not permit fishers to exceed Connecticut summer flounder landing limits; fishers will only be permitted to land summer flounder in Connecticut up to an amount equivalent to the Connecticut possession limit. The proposed program in no way supersedes the annual quota that determines total allowable annual commercial landings of summer flounder (i.e. it does not allow for an increase in total annual commercial harvest of summer flounder). The objectives of the proposed program are to: a) increase efficiency of commercial fishing operations by allowing qualifying fishing vessels to land more summer flounder during individual fishing trips; b) increase safety of commercial fishing operations by allowing fishers to make fewer fishing trips to land similar amounts of summer flounder during the winter fishing season; c) decreasing fuel consumption and carbon emissions by commercial fishing operations by allowing similar amounts of summer flounder to be landed from fewer fishing trips; and d) decrease the number of summer flounder discarded dead overboard during commercial fishing trips by allowing retention of greater numbers of fish on each trip.
The hearing will be held at:
7:00 PM, Wednesday, October 16, 2019
DEEP Marine Headquarters Boating Education Center (rear building)
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, CT 06371
DEEP Marine Headquarters Boating Education Center (rear building)
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, CT 06371
Please Note: The hearing will start promptly at 7:00 PM and adjourn at 9:00 PM or earlier if the last person signed in to provide comment has spoken.
Written Comments:
In addition, interested persons are invited to provide written comment on the proposal. Comments are due not later than 9:00 p.m. on October 16, 2019 via the eRegulations System (
Written Comments:
In addition, interested persons are invited to provide written comment on the proposal. Comments are due not later than 9:00 p.m. on October 16, 2019 via the eRegulations System (
https://eregulations.ct.gov – Go to “Regulations in Progress”, then select Case No. PR2019-011, then select “Comment Now”); by U.S. mail to the attention of Tatiana Abreu, DEEP Office of the Commissioner, 79 Elm Street, 4th floor, Hartford, CT 06106-5127; or by electronic mail to tatiana.abreu@ct.gov.
Availability of Additional Information:
The proposed regulations, statement of purpose, a small business impact statement and a fiscal impact analysis indicating no additional expense to the state or municipal governments to implement these proposed regulations are posted and available in the eRegulations system (https://eregulations.ct.gov) under Case No. PR2019-011. Copies of the proposed regulations, statement of purpose, small business impact statement and fiscal note are also available for public inspection during normal business hours from Tatiana Abreu at the contact information for Ms. Abreu identified above.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any person with a disability who may need information in an alternative format may contact the agency's ADA Coordinator at 860-424-3194, or at deep.hrmed@ct.gov. Any person with limited proficiency in English, who may need information in another language, may contact the agency's Title VI Coordinator at 860-424-3035, or at deep.aaoffice@ct.gov. Any person with a hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. Discrimination complaints may be filed with DEEP's Title VI Coordinator.
Availability of Additional Information:
The proposed regulations, statement of purpose, a small business impact statement and a fiscal impact analysis indicating no additional expense to the state or municipal governments to implement these proposed regulations are posted and available in the eRegulations system (https://eregulations.ct.gov) under Case No. PR2019-011. Copies of the proposed regulations, statement of purpose, small business impact statement and fiscal note are also available for public inspection during normal business hours from Tatiana Abreu at the contact information for Ms. Abreu identified above.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any person with a disability who may need information in an alternative format may contact the agency's ADA Coordinator at 860-424-3194, or at deep.hrmed@ct.gov. Any person with limited proficiency in English, who may need information in another language, may contact the agency's Title VI Coordinator at 860-424-3035, or at deep.aaoffice@ct.gov. Any person with a hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. Discrimination complaints may be filed with DEEP's Title VI Coordinator.
(N19-10)