Commercial fishermen in Connecticut have until March 31 to renew their moratorium fishing licenses, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced.
Moratorium licenses, which must be renewed annually, include commercial lobster fishing, otter trawling and general finfish licenses and are only available to fishermen who were actively fishing between 1995 and 2003.
David Simpson, director of the state Marine Fisheries Division, said moratorium Licenses not renewed by this month”™s deadline will be retired. “This will allow us to identify licenses that are no longer in active use and to eventually reissue a portion of those licenses to newcomers to commercial fishing.”™
“It has been 20 years since the moratorium on commercial fishing licenses was imposed. It has been a long wait for many would-be commercial fishermen,” Simpson added.
State lawmakers in 2015 when reforming fishing license system created a small-scale commercial rod and reel license and a 50-trap-maximum commercial lobster license. Simpson said those new restricted commercial licenses are available to the general public, including any former commercial fishermen who do not choose to renew their more expensive moratorium licenses,” said Simpson.
Legislators also reduced the fee for the personal use lobster fishing license from $120 to $60. For more information, contact the marine fisheries division at 860-434-6043. The division office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
