Code of Maine Rules
13 - DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES
188 - MARINE RESOURCES - GENERAL
Chapter 34 - GROUNDFISH REGULATIONS
Section 188-34-06 - Recreational Groundfish Restrictions

Universal Citation: 13 ME Code Rules ยง 188-34-06

Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024

A. Prohibited species

Charter, Party and Recreational vessels and/or recreational fishermen are prohibited from retaining, killing or landing Windowpane flounder, Ocean pout and/or Atlantic Wolffish.

B. Restrictions on Sale

It is unlawful to sell, barter, trade, or otherwise transfer for a commercial purpose, or to attempt to sell, barter, trade, or otherwise transfer for a commercial purpose, groundfish caught or landed by charter, party, or recreational fishing vessels.

C. Recreational Size Limits

1. Persons aboard charter, party and recreational fishing vessels are subject to the following minimum fish sizes:

Minimum Fish Sizes (TL)

Species

Size Inches (cm)

Cod..................................................................

23 (58.4 cm)

Haddock...........................................................

18 (45.7 cm)

American plaice (dab)..............................

14 (35.6 cm)

Monkfish..........................................................

17 (43.2 cm)

Redfish......................................................

9 (22.9 cm)

Summer Flounder...........................................

20 (50.8 cm)

Winter Flounder (blackback)...........................

12 (30.5 cm)

Witch Flounder (gray sole)..............................

14 (35.6 cm)

Yellowtail Flounder.........................................

13 (33.0 cm)

2. Exceptions

Vessels may possess fillets less than the minimum size specified, if the fillets are taken from legal-sized fish and are not offered or intended for sale, trade or barter. This exception shall not apply to Atlantic Halibut.

D. Recreational Limits and Restrictions

1. Winter Flounder

Each person on board a charter, party or recreational fishing vessel may not possess more than 8 Winter Flounder.

2. Haddock

Each person on board a charter, party vessel, or recreational fishing vessel board a recreational fishing vessel may not possess more than 15 haddock per day.

Each person on board a charter, party, or recreational fishing vessel shall comply with the following restrictions:

(a) For purposes of counting fish, fillets will be converted to whole fish at the place of landing by dividing the fillet number by two. If fish are filleted into a single (butterfly) fillet, such fillet shall be deemed to be from one whole fish.

(b) Haddock harvested by charter, party, or recreational fishing vessels with more than one person aboard may be pooled in one or more containers. Compliance with the possession limit will be determined by dividing the number of fish on board by the number of persons aboard. If there is a violation of the possession limit on board a vessel carrying more than one person, the owner or operator shall be responsible for the violation.

(c) Haddock must be stored so as to be readily available for inspection.

(d) Haddock may not be possessed on board a charter, party or recreational fishing vessel from March 1 through March 31 inclusive.

3. Summer Flounder

Recreational Effort Restrictions: Summer Flounder creel limit and season

It shall be unlawful to take, catch, kill, or possess more than two (2) Summer Flounder per day.

4. Cod

Each person on board a charter, party or recreational fishing vessel may not possess more than 1 cod per day. Cod may not be possessed on board a charter, party, or recreational fishing vessel from November 1 through August 31, inclusive.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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