In a public hearing in last month the Rhode Island Marine fisheries Council has passed the rule to change commercial fishing licence regulations. Based on that the Department of Environmental Management announces many regulatory changes to the commercial fishing licensing program, which would be apply to new and renewed licences for 2008.
As per the changes a total of 16 new quahog and 3 new restricted finfish endorsements on commercial fishing licenses would be made available for the current year. It also allows the commercial harvest of quahogs. The commercial harvest of finfish of any species would be allowed this year. The Department of Environmental Management has put a deadline of February 28, 2008 for the applications. After screening the applications new endorsement will be awarded as per the basis of the priority selection process mentioned in the regulations, explained DEM.
Besides, there are two new gear endorsements namely purse seine and mid-water/pair trawl licence are effective from 2008. According to DEM the new endorsements are allowed to help the management of the Atlantic menhaden and Atlantic herring fisheries.
Under new regulations it will be illegal to harvest soft-shell clam commercially. Te new regulations also state that “other shellfish” endorsement has a separate category which will enable the holder to fish commercially for any shellfish species other than quahogs and soft-shell clams. Whereas multiple licence holders remained out of the purview of the shellfish changes under new regulations, informed DEM.
DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, the new regulations further expands the effort in fisheries to minimize the problem of over fishing.
