Rehoboth Beach, DE – The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section approved initiation of an addendum to explore additional options to control harvest in Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine). Five specific measures will be considered for inclusion in the final draft: (1) monthly or bimonthly quotas with payback and carry over; (2) determination of landing and fishing days; (3) no fishing prior to June 1; (4) timely reporting of state-registered landings; and (5) restricted harvest of juvenile fish.
Currently, effort in Area 1A is controlled through a days at sea restriction. However, a 25 percent decrease in the Area 1A total allowable catch and a federal mid-water trawl ban from June 1 – September 30 have significantly changed the fishery since Amendment 2 implementation, limiting the overall effectiveness of the days at sea restriction to control harvest and effort. The new addendum will seek to identify additional management tools to better control effort in the fishery.
The Section will seek input from its Technical Committee, Advisory Panel, and the Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee on the five measures and provide guidance to the Plan Development Team at the next Section meeting, scheduled for February 2009. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or (202) 289-6400.