2019 Maine Fishermen’s Forum
February 28th thru March 2nd
Samoset Resort - Rockland, ME
The largest event of its kind in New England, the 2019 Maine Fishermen’s Forum will be held from February 28th through March 2nd at the Samoset Resort in Rockland.
The event offers fishermen, clammers, lobstermen, aquaculturalists, and other seafood industry stakeholders opportunities to meet on neutral ground with fisheries managers, state representatives, Congressmen and Senators.
Information will be available on all things fishing: markets, resource status, regulations, technology, the environment, and other topics.
The Forum provides three days of free seminars for fishermen covering a wide range of topics such as the health of the lobster resource, commercial fishing safety, upcoming regulatory actions, and more.
Over 120 suppliers of commercial fishing equipment and services exhibit at the Forum. If it’s of interest to the fishing industry, chances are it will be on hand.
For more information, visit mainefishermensforum.org
Related Information
Maine Commercial Fishing
Showing posts with label maine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maine. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
2012 Gulf of Maine Recreational Cod Regs
Recreational fishermen that fish for Atlantic cod in the Gulf of Maine received notice concerning 2012 regulations on April 2. NOAA announced that that a total of 6,700 metric tons (mt) of GOM cod would be available to commercial and recreational fishermen for the 2012 fishing year, down from 8,000 mt in 2011.
In 2011, a stock assessment found that the cod biomass was much smaller than presumed, and that a cutback in the range of 90% would ultimately be needed. For 2012, NOAA accepted a 22% reduction in the total allowable catch, but predicted that a much more stringent reduction would likely need to be implemented for
the 2013 fishing year.
2012 Gulf of Maine recreational Atlantic cod regulations will include a reduced daily possession limit from 10 cod to nine, and a smaller minimum size (19 inches). The new minimum size is intended to reduce the number of cod discarded by anglers attempting to reach their nine-fish limit, thus reducing discard mortality.
In 2011, a stock assessment found that the cod biomass was much smaller than presumed, and that a cutback in the range of 90% would ultimately be needed. For 2012, NOAA accepted a 22% reduction in the total allowable catch, but predicted that a much more stringent reduction would likely need to be implemented for
the 2013 fishing year.
2012 Gulf of Maine recreational Atlantic cod regulations will include a reduced daily possession limit from 10 cod to nine, and a smaller minimum size (19 inches). The new minimum size is intended to reduce the number of cod discarded by anglers attempting to reach their nine-fish limit, thus reducing discard mortality.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Maine Saltwater Angler Registry
In July, 2011, Maine Governor Paul LePage signed into law LD 210, "An Act Regarding the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry," which simplifies the requirements for both resident and non-resident anglers who wish to fish in the state's coastal waters.
The new registry, effective immediately, replaces Maine's fee-based license program that was implemented on January 1st. The Maine registry meets the standards established by the federal government to exempt anglers from the federal registry.
The bill, sponsored by state Senator David Trahan (R-20), contains several unique provisions. One allows owners of private docks and piers (such as waterfront hotels and restaurants) to obtain a free "umbrella" operator's license that will cover all anglers wishing to fish from that property. Charter and party boat operators, as well as smelt camp owners, can get a similar free permit. Another provision allows anyone who purchases a Maine freshwater fishing license to sign up for the saltwater registry at the same time at no additional charge.
Maine residents can fish in salt water on Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, and Labor Day weekend without registering, and non-residents who are licensed to fish in salt water in any other state, or with the federal registry, will not need to register in Maine.
Pete Moumouras of Saco Bay Tackle in Saco, the state's largest saltwater bait and tackle shop, felt the new registry would be good for his business. "It's a huge relief to get rid of that $15 non-resident fee," he explained. "All that did was discourage visitors from going fishing. Now we can advertise that Maine saltwater fishing is virtually free through the registry, and for folks who are licensed elsewhere. It's a big pull for the state."
Although the $5 resident and $15 non-resident fees to target striped bass and other anadromous fish associated with the previous license program have been eliminated, as have the $50 charter/party operator and smelt camp fees, the minimal $1 or $2 agent fees (depending on how anglers register) must by law remain in effect.
Anglers can register online at: www.maine.gov/saltwater
Registration will also be available through electronic agents of Maine's Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife as well as tackle shops and town offices.
source: RFA
The new registry, effective immediately, replaces Maine's fee-based license program that was implemented on January 1st. The Maine registry meets the standards established by the federal government to exempt anglers from the federal registry.
The bill, sponsored by state Senator David Trahan (R-20), contains several unique provisions. One allows owners of private docks and piers (such as waterfront hotels and restaurants) to obtain a free "umbrella" operator's license that will cover all anglers wishing to fish from that property. Charter and party boat operators, as well as smelt camp owners, can get a similar free permit. Another provision allows anyone who purchases a Maine freshwater fishing license to sign up for the saltwater registry at the same time at no additional charge.
Maine residents can fish in salt water on Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, and Labor Day weekend without registering, and non-residents who are licensed to fish in salt water in any other state, or with the federal registry, will not need to register in Maine.
Pete Moumouras of Saco Bay Tackle in Saco, the state's largest saltwater bait and tackle shop, felt the new registry would be good for his business. "It's a huge relief to get rid of that $15 non-resident fee," he explained. "All that did was discourage visitors from going fishing. Now we can advertise that Maine saltwater fishing is virtually free through the registry, and for folks who are licensed elsewhere. It's a big pull for the state."
Although the $5 resident and $15 non-resident fees to target striped bass and other anadromous fish associated with the previous license program have been eliminated, as have the $50 charter/party operator and smelt camp fees, the minimal $1 or $2 agent fees (depending on how anglers register) must by law remain in effect.
Anglers can register online at: www.maine.gov/saltwater
Registration will also be available through electronic agents of Maine's Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife as well as tackle shops and town offices.
source: RFA
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Maine Alewife Life Cycle Remains a Mystery
 |
| Alewives | Credit: NOAA |
Alewives are currently making their annual spawning runs from the ocean to freshwater lakes. Despite their historical commercial and cultural importance to Maine communities, there is still much to be learned about alewife ecology.
While the alewife run in Maine is in full swing, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) and the University of Southern Maine (USM) are collecting alewife samples as part of an effort to unlock some of the mysteries surrounding this important forage species. Study locations include more than 20 river systems and lakes along the Gulf of Maine coast.
Alewife populations along the Atlantic coast have exhibited dramatic declines over the past 20 years despite efforts to remove dams and restore waterways.
It is unclear where alewives migrate to after leaving freshwater for the ocean or whether the fish born in a particular lake continue to school together or mix with other alewives in the ocean.
Many communities lease permits to alewife harvesters, and most of the catch is sold as lobster bait. The sheer numbers of alewives that run up rivers provide protection for returning adult Atlantic salmon running up these same rivers and for Atlantic smolts that are moving downstream to the ocean at this time of year. Alewives are also a food source for osprey, herons, otters, cod, haddock, and other animals.
Maine's alewife population is relatively healthy compared to other states, but scientists do not know why. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Carolina and Virginia have closed their alewife fisheries, and Maine may be forced to do the same unless the fisheries are proven to be sustainable.
source: Gulf of Maine Research Institute
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