Coast Guard sets ice condition three for Maryland-National Capital region

 BALTIMORE — The Captain of the Port Maryland National-Capital Region set ice condition three Monday and cautions mariners to be aware of ice formation within the Sector Maryland-NCR COTP zone. Ice condition three is set when weather conditions are favorable for the formation of ice in navigable waters. Within the Sector Maryland-NCR COTP zone, navigable […]

Coast Guard sets ice condition three for Maryland-National Capital region

 BALTIMORE — The Captain of the Port Maryland National-Capital Region set ice condition three Monday and cautions mariners to be aware of ice formation within the Sector Maryland-NCR COTP zone. Ice condition three is set when weather conditions are favorable for the formation of ice in navigable waters. Within the Sector Maryland-NCR COTP zone, navigable […]

PERMITS FOR 2017 ARE NOW AVAILABLE

 This notice outlines the procedure for obtaining a 2017 Atlantic Tunas Permit, which allows you to commercially fish for and/or retain Atlantic bluefin, yellowfin, skipjack, albacore, and bigeye tunas; a Swordfish General Commercial Permit, which allows you to commercially fish for and/or retain Atlantic Swordfish; an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit, which allows […]

Atlantic bluefin tuna: General category limit & transfer for January 2017

 NMFS transfers 16.3 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the 24.3-mt General category December 2017 subquota period to the January 2017 subquota period, and adjusts the Atlantic tunas General category BFT daily retention limit from the default of one to three large medium or giant BFT (measuring 73” or greater) per […]

2017 Recreational Atlantic Tunas Retention Limits

 Effective January 1, 2017, the bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limit is the default limit of 1 school, large school, or small medium BFT (27 to <73"). This default limit applies to both HMS Angling category-permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat category-permitted vessels, and is effective for all areas except the Gulf of Mexico. The recreational […]

Coast Guard fully reopens Port of Virginia

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — After evaluating the port conditions following the passage of Winter Storm Helena, the Captain of the Port (COTP) has fully reopened the Port of Virginia.  “The port is back open without restrictions,” said Lt. Ian King of Sector Hampton Roads’ Prevention Department. “However, we urge mariners to be cautious of and to […]

Coast Guard to close Port of Virginia for Winter Storm Helena

 PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Captain of the Port will close the Port of Virginia Friday at midnight in anticipation of Winter Storm Helena.   Commercial vessels will be prohibited from entering and departing the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, movement within the Port of Virginia will be closed to vessel traffic 5,000 gross tons or greater unless […]

NOAA Fisheries Announces Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Catch Limits for 20

  NOAA Fisheries announces the 2017 catch limits for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries and provides projected status quo quotas for 2018.   Fishing year 2017 (January 1-December 31, 2017) quotas are 3.4 million bushels for Atlantic surfclams, 5.3 million bushels for ocean quahogs, and 100,000 Maine bushels for Maine ocean quahogs.    […]

Antis pushing Obama for more canyon sanctuaries

Recreational Fishing Alliance  Contact:  Jim Donofrio/ 1 888 564-6732       For Immediate Release October 7, 2016 New Gretna, NJ –  On the heels of the Obama Administration creating a near 5,000 square mile national marine monument in New England, several campaigns have materialized in the past week that propose to nominate extremely popular recreational […]

Congress members push for Fluke assessment

Members of Congress Push for Benchmark Assessment of Summer Flounder in 2017 New Gretna, NJ – In a bipartisan letter submitted to Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Eileen Sobeck on Thursday, members of the House of Representatives stressed the importance of scheduling a benchmark assessment for summer flounder in 2017.  Citing the socioeconomic value of the […]