Atlantic Sturgeon Prohibition

(1) Definition. Atlantic Sturgeon means that species of fish known as Acipenser oxyrhynchus. (2) Purpose. Massachusetts needs to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Atlantic Sturgeon Management Plan that requests states to adopt either an elimination of all sturgeon harvest or a minimum size of seven feet. Since there is no directed fishery for sturgeon in Massachusetts and the state has already declared the sturgeon an endangered species, a prohibition on the landing and possession of sturgeon is appropriate. Now, both the Atlantic sturgeon and the endangered short-nosed sturgeon cannot be landed or possessed. (3) Prohibition. It is prohibited and unlawful for any person to land or possess any Atlantic sturgeon.