PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s commercial summer flounder fishery will be closed until the end of the calendar year, effective Tuesday, after the state hit its yearly quota for summer flounder, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced this week.
The closure coincides with the state’s closure of the summer flounder fishery to state-permitted vessels and dealers, also effective Tuesday.
According to the announcement, “Dealers issued federal dealer permits for summer flounder may not purchase summer flounder from federally permitted vessels that land in Rhode Island for the remainder of the calendar year. Vessel owners issued federal permits must continue to complete and submit vessel logbooks for all other species landed. Federally permitted dealers must also continue to report all fish purchases from any vessel.”
