Federal fishing regulators are increasing catch limits on 12 New England groundfish stocks, including Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod and other commercially important species.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrator Jane Lubchenco says the hikes come as stocks begin to rebound. "The increase in catch limits is a result of the rebuilding process underway and is one of many steps we are taking to grow economic opportunity in diverse, working waterfronts that support fishing jobs in the Northeast," Lubchenco says in a statement.
Lubchenco says the new regulatory framework known as "sector management" or "catch shares" that most groundfishermen in Maine have signed on to in the past year is helping rebuild depleted stocks, despite bitter complaints from some about too-low catch limits on some species, including yellowtail flounder.
Read the complete story from The Maine Public Broadcasting Network.