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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Rhode Island, DEM is adopting policies to minimize gatherings and lines. In keeping with this,
<b><span style="text-transform:uppercase">whelk pot and tautog</span></b> <b>TAGS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP AT THE DIVISIONS OF MARINE FISHERIES AND COASTAL RESOURCES OFFICES BEGINNING TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18<sup>th</sup>, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. </b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Because some fishermen have not received their tags yet, and the rules requiring these tags begin on April 1<sup>st</sup>,
<b>DEM will temporarily not enforce the following commercial tagging requirements</b>:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt">WHELK POT TAGS:</span></u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
<a href="https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/250-90-00-4">Rule</a> requires that tags be on all commercial pots deployed beginning April 1, 2020. This requirement is postponed until May 1, 2020.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt">TAUTOG TAGS:</span></u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
<a href="https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/250-90-00-3">Rule</a> requires that tautog commercially harvested and sold be tagged beginning April 1, 2020. This requirement is postponed until May 1, 2020.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">All reporting requirements and other marine fisheries regulations remain in effect.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The staff of DEM’s Division of Marine Fisheries and Coastal Resources office are still working and remain committed to serving customer needs.<b> </b>At present, information and customer services are being
provided by phone, mail, or email. Additionally, we are working on a method to issue the tags via mail. Further guidance will be sent on this in a subsequent listserve message. It is strongly recommended that you call or email the office with any questions.
Notification will be provided via listserve as more information becomes available on the resumption of our normal services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Division of Marine Fisheries</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(401) 423-1923</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Division of Coastal Resources
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(401) 783-5551
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><a href="mailto:DEM.MarineFisheries@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#1083A6">DEM.MarineFisheries@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Thank you for your cooperation and patience. We will continue to update you via this listserve on any changes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">You are receiving this notice from the RIDEM Division of Marine Fisheries (rimarinefisheries listserve).
<b><u>This is an automated message system; please do not reply to this email</u>.</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">If you need to get in contact with the owner of the list, (if you have trouble unsubscribing) send email
to <</span></i><a href="mailto:rimarinefisheries-owner@listserve.ri.gov"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">rimarinefisheries-owner@listserve.ri.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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