May 21, 2024 — The following was released by New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council took final action during its April 2024 meeting on a joint framework adjustment to reduce the bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the large-mesh gillnet fisheries for monkfish and spiny dogfish.
The New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils jointly manage both fisheries. The two Councils each took final action in April on:
• Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan, for which the New England Council has the lead; and
• Framework Adjustment 6 to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan, for which the Mid-Atlantic has the lead.
Approved Measures: Here are the measures the Councils selected as preferred alternatives and submitted to NOAA Fisheries for approval and implementation.
A year-round low-profile gear requirement in the New Jersey bycatch hotspot polygon for federal gillnet fishing vessels targeting monkfish (colored magenta at right); and
An overnight soak time prohibition from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for vessels targeting spiny dogfish in (1) the New Jersey bycatch hotspot polygon in May and November, and (2) the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia (DE/MD/VA) bycatch hotspot polygons from November through March – with an exemption for federal vessels using <5.25” mesh in the DE/MD/VA polygons (colored blue in the map at right).