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Brook Trout Habitat Restoration Celebration In Pepperell, Public Invited

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:45:15 -0400

The Massachusetts Outdoor Heritage Foundation invites interested conservationists to a Brook Trout Habitat Restoration event on Wednesday, October 5 at 11AM at the Gulf Brook Conservation Area located at the intersection of Oak Hill and Chestnut Streets in Pepperell.

BOATERS! REPORT ENTANGLED MARINE ANIMALS AT SEA

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:55:13 -0400

Massachusetts coastal waters are home to endangered marine animals including sea turtles and whales. Entanglement in marine debris and fishing gear such as rope, netting, and hooks are leading causes of serious injury and mortality for these animals. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS) ask all boaters to immediately report sightings of entangled marine animals, alive or dead, by calling the Marine Animal Entanglement Hotline at 1-800-900-3622 or 866-755-NOAA or by hailing the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. An entanglement response team at PCCS is on-call and committed to providing safe and effective disentanglement of marine animals in the waters off Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Boaters Report Entangled Marine Animals At Sea

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:50:17 -0400

HELP STOCK SALMON FRY!

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:45:58 -0400

Volunteers from high schools, sporting clubs, civic groups, colleges, and other people with a passion for rivers, fish, or fishing are needed to assist the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) personnel in stocking 1.5 million salmon fry (juvenile fish) as part of the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon restoration program. According to Dr. Caleb Slater, DFW’s Anadromous Fish Project Leader, stocking begins in April through early May to release salmon fry into dozens of Connecticut River tributaries. The fry will come from MassWildlife's Roger Reed Hatchery in Palmer and the White River National Fish Hatchery in Bethel, Vermont. Fry will be trucked to meeting sites where volunteers will gather and caravan to release sites. The tiny fish will then be moved from truck to water by bucket using volunteer man- and womanpower. The Fry Stocking Schedule and details on meeting locations and stocking tips are posted at www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/fisheries/anadromous/salmon_fry_stocking.htm.

Spring Into Trout Stocking

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:44:51 -0400

Bay State anglers with cabin fever and their 2011 freshwater fishing license can look forward to over 529,800 feisty brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout being stocked this spring. These are sizeable fish; 71% of the fish average 12 inches or longer. "We have some high quality fish this spring," observes Chief Fish Culturist Dr. Ken Simmons. "We had to deal with severe drought conditions last summer and early fall resulting in reduced water flows at two hatcheries. The prolonged, severe snow and ice conditions from this winter were also a challenge at all our facilities, but the hatchery crews did an excellent job with the fish."

Massachusetts Man Wins $15,000 FLW Fantasy Fishing Event

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:01:11 -0500

MINNEAPOLIS (March 9, 2011) - Steven Luce of Dracut, Massachusettts, couldn't believe it when he was told that he won $15,000 by playing FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk held in conjunction with the Walmart FLW Tour. Luce correctly picked his favorite, Chevy pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C., to win the Walmart FLW Tour event on Beaver Lake.

WINTER FISH KILLS

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:26:32 -0500

This season’s cold and record snowfall make it hard for wildlife, but for fish, mussels, plants and other aquatic life, but on some water bodies a severe winter can be fatal. As ponds and lakes freeze over and snowfall piles up on the ice, the fish and their fates are sealed, literally, under a layer of ice. Winter fish kills (or winterkill) are the result of significant decline in oxygen levels in a water body during a long period of ice and snow cover. Snow-covered ice blocks sunlight, greatly decreasing the amount of oxygen plants and algae once produced. Oxygen levels drop further because all aquatic life, including the fish, are consuming what little oxygen is left in the water. In these conditions, a complete winterkill can occur. This condition is natural and rarely the result of pollution such as illegal dumping, sewage or a chemical spill.

New Bedford top money fishing port in America

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:49:07 -0400

NEW BEDFORD — The city is No. 1, again.

For the 10th consecutive year, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Bedford is ranked first in the nation in revenue gained from fish landings.

Important Wildlife Reminders and Upcoming Events

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:50:20 -0400

July 16--Antlerless Deer Permit Deadline—There are only a couple of days left for deer hunters to apply for an antlerless deer permit! Hunters who bought their hunting or sporting license via computer must go to the MassOutdoors website (www.mass.gov/massoutdoors) to apply for their antlerless deer permit. Hunters with licenses purchased at a license vendor will find their permit application attached to their license. Fill it out (and include your name) and send it to the Westborough address on the back. Applications must be postmarked by July 16, 2010 or hand-delivered to the Westborough Field Headquarters by 4:30PM on that date. Applications postmarked or delivered after July 16 will not be accepted.

Fish & Boat Commission Schedules Public Hearing on Striped Bass Draft Addendum II

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:58:49 -0400

Washington, DC – Atlantic coastal states from Maine through North Carolina have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings

DFW FOREST CERTIFICATION PUBLIC COMMENTS AND AGENCY RESPONSES ONLINE

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:59:03 -0500

As part of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) forest re-certification efforts, a summary of the public comments received and the agency’s responses to those comments have been posted on the agency’s website at www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/management/bdi/forest_mgt/response_public_comment.htm.

TROPHY ANGLERS TO BE HONORED FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:58:24 -0500

Anglers of all ages are invited to attend the Division’s Freshwater Sportfishing Awards ceremony honoring the 2009 Angler of the Year and the 2009 Gold Pin Winners. The ceremony takes place at the Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition February 13, 2010 at 4:00 PM at the DCU Centre in Worcester where Massachusetts Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin will join with Division Director Wayne MacCallum and other Division staff to present the annual Freshwater Sportfishing Awards. For over 40 years MassWildlife has sponsored the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program designed to recognize anglers who have caught exceptional freshwater fish from waterbodies which are open to the public. Bronze pins are sent to anglers who catch fish meeting certain minimum weight requirements for 22 types of fish. Gold pins and a plaque are awarded at the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards ceremony to adult and youth anglers catching the largest fish in 22 species categories. 2009 Gold Pin Award winners are posted at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/awards/2009_sportfish_winners.htm.

SALTWATER ANGLERS MUST REGISTER IN 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:57:45 -0500

The Division of Marine Fisheries is alerting saltwater anglers to new saltwater fishing registration requirements that are occurring in 2010 and 2011. A new federal law that took effect January 1, 2010 requires most Massachusetts recreational saltwater fishermen 16 years old and older to register with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) either online via www.countmyfish.noaa.gov or by calling (888) MRIP-411 [(888) 674-7411]. There is no fee for federal registration in 2010. People fishing on saltwater charter or head-boats will not be required to register. Private boat or family registrations are not available. This year, non-residents planning saltwater fishing trips in Massachusetts must possess a saltwater fishing permit from any state or from the federal saltwater registration system.

245-ACRE LAND ACQUISITION IN WAREHAM AND

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:57:03 -0500

Recently, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles announced the purchase of 245 acres of land on Red Brook in Wareham and Plymouth that will protect one of the most diverse fish and wildlife habitats in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) acquired the land, known as Century Bog, from A.D. Makepeace Company for $3 million. The acquisition – through conservation and ongoing ecological restoration – will protect the Red Brook watershed and protect habitat for 11 rare species, several kinds of fish and other wildlife.

DCR SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON DRAFT RECCOMENDATIONS ON FOREST STEWARDSHIP

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:51:31 -0500

As part of DCR’s Forest Futures Visioning Process, a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) has met over a period of ten months to arrive at a draft version of recommendations that they will make to DCR on forest stewardship. Both the TSC and DCR encourage interested stakeholders to review the recommendations and provide comment. The public comment period closes on February 22. The TSC draft recommendations are located on the DCR website at http://dcr.env.govt.state.ma.us:81/news/publicmeetings/tsc_draft_recommendations.htm.