Research by James Sulikowski, Ph.D., associate professor of marine sciences at University of New England, and John Mandelman, Ph.D., research scientist at the New England Aquarium, contributed to a recent emergency action by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to revise an existing policy and increase the amount of skate that fishermen can land this year.
NOAA announced it has increased the amount of skate that fishermen can land this year from 31 million to 48 million pounds, based on new scientific information showing an increase in the overall skate population. The 56-percent quota increase becomes effective November 28th, and remains in effect through the end of the current fishing season, which ends on April 30, 2012.
At its June meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council reviewed updated 2008-2010 trawl survey data from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, which shows significant improvements in the overall skate population.
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