Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report
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Department of Fish and Game Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report 1 South Street Fishing Pier, Bass River, Yarmouth Department of Fish and Game Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charles D. Baker Lieutenant Governor Karyn E. Polito Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew A. Beaton Department of Fish and Game Commissioner George N. Peterson, Jr. Deputy Commissioner Mary‐Lee King Division of Marine Fisheries Director David E. Pierce, Ph.D. Deputy Director Daniel J. McKiernan Chief Financial Officer Kevin Creighton www.mass.gov/marinefisheries January 1–December 31, 2016 Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report 2 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Frequently Used Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................. 6 FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SECTION ................................................................................................................. 7 Fisheries Policy and Management Program .................................................................................................. 7 Personnel ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Advisory Groups ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Fisheries Management Actions ................................................................................................................ 9 Conservation Engineering Project ......................................................................................................... 18 Other Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Fisheries Statistics Program ........................................................................................................................ 24 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 24 Program Activities .................................................................................................................................. 24 SHELLFISH AND HABITAT SECTION ................................................................................................................. 30 Shellfish Sanitation and Management Program ......................................................................................... 30 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 31 Shellfish Sanitation and Public Health Protection Project ..................................................................... 31 Shellfisheries Management Project ....................................................................................................... 38 Environmental Protection Activities ...................................................................................................... 46 Aquaculture Project ............................................................................................................................... 47 Vibrio Management ............................................................................................................................... 51 Other Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 52 Habitat Program .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 53 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 53 Technical Review Project ....................................................................................................................... 53 Fisheries Habitat Research Project ........................................................................................................ 56 Climate Change Project .......................................................................................................................... 61 Offshore Wind & Ocean Planning .......................................................................................................... 61 FISHERIES BIOLOGY SECTION .......................................................................................................................... 62 Fish Biology Program ................................................................................................................................... 62 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 62 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 62 Age and Growth Project ......................................................................................................................... 62 Fisheries Dependent Sampling Project .................................................................................................. 64 Special Fisheries Research Projects ....................................................................................................... 67 Striped Bass Research Project ................................................................................................................ 72 Other Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 74 Assessment and Survey Program ................................................................................................................ 75 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 75 Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 2016 Annual Report 3 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 75 Resource Assessment Project ................................................................................................................ 76 Invertebrate Fisheries Project................................................................................................................ 77 Protected Species Project ...................................................................................................................... 82 Stock Assessment and Management Support Project ........................................................................... 83 Recreational and Diadromous Fisheries Program ....................................................................................... 85 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 85 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 85 Recreational Fisheries Project ............................................................................................................... 86 Large Pelagics Research Project ............................................................................................................. 88 Diadromous Fisheries Project ................................................................................................................ 90 ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................................................................................... 99 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................... 99 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 99 Budget .................................................................................................................................................. 100 Staffing ................................................................................................................................................. 101 Revenue