Public Hearing on Re-Adopting Fis 602.12 Regarding Lobster Legal Length, and Re-Adopting Fis 603.01 and Adopting Fis 604.05 Regarding River Herring

CONTACT:
Marty Mobley (603) 271-1138
November 21, 2024

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (NHFG) will hold a public hearing on river herring rules on Monday, December 9, at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, NH. The hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m.
This proposal will modify existing rules to set a new legal length for lobster and modify existing rules and adopt new rules to allow for a regulated season on river herring. Proposed changes include:

• Sets a new minimum length of 3 5/16 inches for lobster taken, effective July 1, 2025, pursuant to federal regulations.
• Opening the season for the harvesting of river herring with the exception of the period between sunrise on Wednesday and sunrise on Thursday each week.
• Requiring that any river herring harvested or trapped during these proposed 24-hour closed periods be immediately released.
• Closing the Cocheco River for the taking of any river herring.

The public is invited to attend to provide feedback or submit comments via e-mail to: comments@wildlife.nh.gov. The proposed rules can be viewed ahead of the meeting by visiting https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/legislative/proposed-rules.html.