NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is closing the Eastern U.S./Canada Area, effective immediately, to limited access NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels and prohibiting the harvest, possession, and landing of GB yellowtail flounder by all federally-permitted vessels within the entire U.S./Canada Management Area for the remainder of the 2009 fishing year (through April 30, 2010).
NE multispecies DAS vessels that have declared their intent to fish exclusively in the U.S./Canada Management Area, departed on a trip, and crossed the vessel monitoring system (VMS) demarcation line to start their trip prior to 1615 hr April 20, 2010, may possess and land yellowtail flounder up to 5,000 lb per trip, on that trip.
For more information see attached permit holder letter which was issued today.