University of Massachusetts program aims to avoid NOAA shutdown of Nantucket Lightship scallop access area
The Nantucket Lightship scallop access area was opened to scallop harvesting on Monday June 28th at 12:01 a.m.
The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) and the SMAST Fishermen's Steering Committee are concerned that this opened area could be shut down by the NOAA Fisheries before the scallop target is reached because of yellowtail flounder by-catch. This has happened in previous seasons in the Nantucket Lightship and Closed Area II scallop fisheries.
SMAST has devised a yellowtail by-catch avoidance system wherein the scallop fleet can voluntarily provide real-time yellowtail catch data via email, SMAST compiles the fleet information, and emails the locations of yellowtail "hotspots" back to the fleet.
SMAST has started its 2010 yellowtail flounder by-catch avoidance program in the Nantucket Lightship. This web link displays a map of the area and an example of the daily message that will be sent out to the fleet.
SMAST will update the map to indicate areas of high and low yellowtail catches and include a daily message for the fleet.
Please direct any questions to Cate O'Keefe, program manager. Contact information follows.
Contact:
Cate O'Keefe
Program Manager
Marine Fisheries Field Research Group
School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST)
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
200 Mill Road, Suite 325
Fairhaven, MA 02719
Phone: 508-910-6340
Fax: 508-910-6374
Email: cokeefe@umassd.edu