department of natural resources and environmental control

Division of Fish and Wildlife

Statutory Authority: 7 Delaware Code, Section 903(e)(2)a (7 Del.C. §903(e)(2)a)

7 DE Admin. Code 3507

PROPOSED

3507 Black Sea Bass Size Limit; Trip Limits, Seasons; Quotas

1. TYPE OF ACTION:

Amend Tidal Finfish Regulation 3507 Black Sea Bass Size Limit; Trip limit; Seasons; Quotas

2. PURPOSE OF ACTION:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Management Board for Black Sea Bass is in the process of developing an Addendum to the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan. The Addendum will recommend management strategies necessary to reduce recreational harvest to levels recommended by the National Marine Fisheries Service to prevent overfishing. The Department’s Start Action Notice was initiated with specific management recommendations in the form of seasons, minimum size limits, and creel limits. Since that time, the ASMFC has taken an alternate approach that may result in a variety of options for States to consider rather than the original set of regulations and guidelines. It is anticipated that these State or Regional-specific management measures will be defined and available for public comment by the time of the public hearing. The Department will present the approved options that will allow the State to remain in compliance with the interstate management plan at the public hearing or as soon as they are available.

3. STATUTORY BASIS:

Title 7 Delaware Code §903(e)(2)a

4. LIKELY AFFECTED PUBLIC:

Recreational fishermen; bait and tackle dealers; party and head boat operators.

5. NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT:

Individuals may present their comments or request additional information by contacting the Fisheries Section, Division of Fish and Wildlife, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, (302) 739-9914. A public hearing on the proposed amendment will be held on March 24, 2011 at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control auditorium beginning immediately following the summer flounder public hearing that begins at 6 PM, located at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

6. REVIEW COMMITTEE:

Advisory Council on Tidal Finfisheries

7. RESPONSIBLE STAFF MEMBER(s):

Richard Cole (office) 302-735-2960; (fax) 302-739-6780; email richard.cole@state.de.us

Craig Shirey (office) 302-739-9914; (fax) 302-739-6157; email craig.shirey@state.de.us

3507 Black Sea Bass Size Limit; Trip Limits, Seasons; Quotas

(Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §936(b)(2))

1.0 It shall be unlawful for any commercial person to have in possession any black sea bass (Centropristis striata) that measures less than eleven (11) inches, total length excluding any caudal filament.

2.0 It shall be unlawful for any recreational person to have in possession any black sea bass that measures less than twelve and one-half (12.5) (TBD) inches total length excluding any caudal filament.

6 DE Reg. 1230 (3/1/03)

6 DE Reg. 1360 (4/1/03)

12 DE Reg. 1430 (05/01/09)

3.0 It shall be unlawful for any commercial fisherman to land, to sell, trade and or barter any black sea bass in Delaware unless authorized by a black sea bass landing permit issued by the Department. The black sea bass landing permit shall be presumed to transfer with the vessel whenever it is bought, sold, or otherwise transferred, unless there is a written agreement, signed by the transferor/seller and transferee/buyer, or other credible written evidence, verifying that the transferor/seller is retaining the vessel’s fishing and permit history for purposes of replacing the vessel.

4.0 The black sea bass pot fishery and the black sea bass commercial hook and line fishery shall be considered separate black sea bass fisheries. The total pounds allocated to each fishery by the Department shall be as follows: 96 percent of the State’s commercial quota, as determined by the ASMFC, for the pot fishery; 4 percent for the commercial hook and line fishery.

5.0 The Department may only issue a black sea bass landing permit for the pot fishery to a person who is the owner of a vessel permitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service in accordance with 50 CFR §§ 648.4 and who had applied for and secured from the Department a commercial food fishing license and has a reported landing history in either the federal or state reporting systems of landing by pot at least 10,000 pounds of black sea bass during the period 1994 through 2001. Those individuals that have landing history only in the federal data base must have possessed a state commercial food fishing license for at least one year during the time from 1994 through 2001.

6.0 The Department may only issue a black sea bass landing permit for the commercial hook and line fishery to a person who has applied for and secured from the Department a commercial food fishing license and a fishing equipment permit for hook and line and submitted landings reports in either the federal or state landing report systems for black sea bass harvested by hook and line during at least one year between 1994 and 2001.

1 DE Reg.1767 (5/1/98)

2 DE Reg. 1900 (4/1/99)

3 DE Reg. 1088 (2/1/00)

4 DE Reg. 1665 (4/1/01)

4 DE Reg. 1859 (5/1/01)

5 DE Reg. 2142 (5/1/02)

6 DE Reg. 348 (9/1/02)

6 DE Reg. 1230 (3/1/03)

7.0 Any overage of the State's commercial quota will be subtracted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission from the next year's commercial quota.

Any overage of an individual’s allocation will be subtracted from that individual's allocation the next year and distributed to those individuals in the appropriate fishery that did not exceed their quota.

8.0 Each participant in a black sea bass fishery shall be assigned a equal share of the total pounds of black sea bass allotted by the Department for that particular fishery. A share shall be determined by dividing the number of pre-registered participants in one of the two recognized fisheries into the total pounds of black sea bass allotted to the fishery by the Department. In order to pre-register an individual must indicate their intent in writing to participate in this fishery.

9.0 Individual shares of the pot fishery quota may be transferred to another participant in the pot fishery. Any transfer of black sea bass individual pot quota shall be limited by the following conditions:

9.1 A maximum of one transfer per year per person.

9.2 No transfer of shares of the black sea bass pot fishery quota shall be authorized unless such transfer is documented on a form provided by the Department and approved by the Secretary in advance of the actual transfer.

10.0 Individual shares of the commercial hook and line fishery quota may be transferred to another participant in the commercial hook and line fishery. Any transfer of black sea bass individual commercial hook and line quota shall be limited by the following conditions:

10.1 A maximum of one transfer per year per person.

10.2 No transfer of shares of the black sea bass commercial hook and line quota shall be authorized unless such transfer is documented on a form provided by the Department and approved by the Secretary in advance of the transfer.

11.0 Each commercial food fisherman participating in a black sea bass fishery shall report to the Department, via the interactive voice phone reporting system operated by the Department, each days landings in pounds at least one hour after packing out their harvest.

12.0 It shall be unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession or to land any black sea bass beginning at 12:01a.m. January 1, and ending midnight May 21, and beginning at 12:01 a.m. October 12 and ending mid-night October 31 (TBD).

12.1 It shall be unlawful for any recreational fisherman to have in possession more than 25 (TBD) black sea bass at or between the place where said black sea bass were caught and said recreational fisherman’s personal abode or temporary or transient place of lodging.

7 DE Reg. 1575 (5/1/04)

6 DE Reg. 1230 (3/1/03)

8 DE Reg. 1488 (4/1/05)

9 DE Reg. 1759 (5/1/06)

11 DE Reg. 1662 (06/01/08)

14 DE Reg. 113 (08/01/10)

14 DE Reg. 856 (03/01/11) (Proposed)