Code of Massachusetts Regulations
322 CMR - Division of Marine Fisheries
Title 322 CMR 4.00 - Fishing and Shellfish Equipment
Section 4.12 - Use of Nets for Taking Striped Bass (Morone Saxatalis) or Shad (Alosa Sapidissima)

(1) It is unlawful to offload onto any vessel within waters under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts or to offload or land onto any pier, wharf or other structure within Massachusetts any striped bass or shad which was harvested, caught or taken by any net.

(2) It is unlawful for any vessel registered under the laws of the state as that term is defined in M.G.L. c. 130, § 1 to harvest, catch or take any striped bass or shad by any net in any waters under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts or in those waters within the United States 200 miles exclusive economic zone bounded in such a way that the inner boundary is a line coterminous with the seaward boundary of each coastal state and the outer boundary is a line drawn in such a manner that each point on it is 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured, as depicted on nautical charts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(3) It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, restaurant, supermarket or other retail or wholesale distributor of fish or fish products to possess any striped bass or shad harvested, caught, or taken by nets except striped bass or shad lawfully harvested, caught, taken or possessed in jurisdictions other than Massachusetts.