At its 17 July 2007 meeting, the Marine Resources Advisory Council recommended to DEC that it institute the following set of management measures affecting the fishery for and commercial trade in blackfish (tautog)..

Recreational Fishery Proposals

1. Set bag limits and seasons to meet reductions in mortality called for in Addendum IV. (Season: October 16-April 30, bag limit: 5, 14”fish)
2. Set bag limits and seasons to account for current changes in wave/effort distribution to prevent huge swings in landings.
3. Set bag limits and seasons to ensure equal access to all recreational modes.
4. Prohibit recreationally landed tautog from being kept alive.
5. Prohibit the use of tautog as bait in any form.
6. Institute mandatory, timely reporting requirements for the charter/head boat industry for any trip in which tautog are landed.
7. Recommend the highest fines possible for violators to include license revocation for third offenses.

For-hire Fishery Proposal

1. Require for-hire vessels in New York waters without federal permits that engage in the tautog fishery to fill out Vessel Trip Reports (VTR's)

Commercial Fishery Proposals

1. Institute a commercial license sticker to identify legitimate commercial fishers (accomplished)
2. Prohibit the retention of live tautog by anyone other than licensed commercial fishermen (already proposed)
3. Establish mandatory tautog dealer registration with adequate reporting requirements; include restaurants maintaining/selling live animals under this requirement
4. If possible, require tags with individual identifiers to be carried by all live tautog for sale.
5. If a tag system is devised, tags should be non-reusable and only issued monthly based upon maximum usage during that month.
6. Maintain the hook and line retention limit at 25.
7. Maintain the trawl retention limit at 25.
8. Maintain the 10 fish possession limit for vessels with 6 lobsters on board
9. Maintain the current pound net retention limit at 25, with the requirement that owners of pound nets who have reported landings register the location of theses nets and no other new locations are created without prior DEC approval.
10. Establish dedicated enforcement actions on well know avenues of abuse.
11. Federal (EEZ) regulations should, as soon as possible, reflect those of the states.
12. Prohibit vessels with only “landing permits” from landing tautog in New York taken from federal waters.
13. Recommend the highest fines possible for violators to include license revocation for third time offenders.

Recommended General Pot Requirements

1. All pots (fish, crab, lobster) should be marked with owner information, both on the pot and buoys.
2. All pot gear must have floats/buoys.
3. No pots may be fished without buoys (grappled.)
4. The location of any lost gear should be immediately reported to the DEC.
5. Pot fishermen should not be allowed hook and line gear aboard unless the hauling apparatus is stowed (leave the hauling block at the dock.)
6. If delayed release mechanisms are allowed, require that the location of such gear is reported to the DEC.

 

Page last modified Tuesday, September 18, 2007 by George E. Carroll