Cape Cod Fishermen Apply for Exempted Fishing Rule Breaks
Published Date: 12/23/2025
Notice
Summary
The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance wants special permission to fish in ways usually not allowed by federal rules. This could help certain fishing boats work more easily and safely, especially when handling surfclams and ocean quahogs. If you have thoughts, speak up by January 7, 2026, because your comments matter!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Allow small boats to use smaller landing containers
If approved, three federally permitted day‑boat vessels based around Cape Cod would be allowed to land Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs in alternative, smaller containers instead of the standard 32‑bushel cages. The EFP would authorize 16‑bushel fish vats (44" x 39" x 27", 0.85 m3) and pallets of ten 1.5‑bushel totes (total 16 bushels), with vats and pallets limited to a maximum weight of 1,424 pounds. The project can run up to 105 one‑day trips and would end on 2026‑12‑31 if issued.
Use 16‑bushel equivalent tags instead of 32‑bushel tags
The EFP would let participants use cage tag denominations in 16‑bushel increments instead of the standard 32‑bushel (60 ft3) tags. The applicant proposes converting up to 500 32‑bushel ocean quahog tags and up to 270 32‑bushel surfclam tags into 16‑bushel tags, and acknowledges a loss of 1 bushel per pallet when using wrapped pallets of totes.
Pilot showed better safety and product quality
Past testing and a partial 2025 season showed positive results: between July 11, 2025 and September 30, 2025, 11 trips landed over 2,500 bushels with no safety incidents, broken clams dropped from 30% to 9%, and participants sold almost half the catch to live and specialty markets at higher prices. The EFP would continue to collect trip, price, weight, and processor quality data to evaluate these benefits.
Temporary, limited experiment through 2026
The exemptions would be temporary and limited: the EFP, if issued, would authorize only three vessels, allow up to 105 one‑day trips (up to 105 total days), and would end on December 31, 2026 unless modified or extended. Any fishing outside the approved EFP scope would be prohibited.
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