The Secretary of Maryland Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the Code of Maryland Regulations 08.02.05.22, announced that effective immediately the commercial scup fishery in Maryland waters is closed. The National Marine Fisheries Service is projecting that the scup commercial quota for the November through December period will be fully harvested before the end of the quota period and federal waters will be closed effective December 9, 2009. The commercial fishery for scup in Maryland waters will reopen when the scup commercial fishery in federal waters is opened.

John R. Griffin
Secretary
Maryland Department of Natural Resources