June 1, 2020 — Commercial fishing for Atlantic cod is limited by closures off the coast of New England this spring, federal fishing managers said.
Cod were once the subject of one of the largest fisheries in the country, but it has collapsed after years of overfishing and is much smaller than it once was. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said cod protection closures in the Gulf of Maine are taking place throughout May and June. More are scheduled in the fall.
May 29, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
We are seeking public comment on an action that would set or adjust catch limits for groundfish stocks for the 2020 fishing year (May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021), including the three stocks managed jointly with Canada. These revised catch limits are based upon the results of stock assessments conducted in 2019.
Framework 59 would also adjust the allocations of the total quota between the commercial and recreational fishery for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. The proportion of quota allocated to the recreational fishery would increase from 33.7% to 37.5% for Gulf of Maine cod, and would increase from 27.5% to 33.9% for Gulf of Maine haddock.
Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the online portal. Comments are due by June 15, 2020.
May 27, 2020 — Scallop fishing off New England will be subject to limitations for about the next 10 months, federal regulators have said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it has closed the northern Gulf of Maine fishing area, which means vessels fishing under federal regulations can’t fish for or possess scallops in the area until March 31.
The closure is necessary because of projects that the total allowable catch for the area has been spent, NOAA said.
May 26, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The Gulf of Maine (GOM) Cod Protection Closures, sometimes referred to as “rolling closures,” remain in place. There are five of these seasonal closures, which are active during different times of the year.
Closed to All Common Pool and Sector vessels
Closed to Common Pool vessels, except Handgear A vessels
Each of these areas are closed to Common Pool and/or Sector vessels on a groundfish trip.
Maps and coordinates for each GOM Cod Protection Area are available on the Northeast Multispecies Closed Area Regulations webpage.
May 22, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries is closing the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area to all federally permitted limited access general category scallop vessels effective 0001 hr, on May 23, 2020.
As of May 23, 2020, no scallop vessel fishing under federal scallop regulations may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area. The scallop regulations require that we close this area once we project that 100 percent of the 2020 default total allowable catch for this area will be taken. The closure will be in effect until the end of the fishing year, March 31, 2021.
If you have declared a trip into the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area using the correct Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) code and have crossed the VMS demarcation line before 0001 hr, May 23, 2020, you may complete the trip and retain and land scallops caught from the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area.
May 12, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries is temporarily waiving the requirement for all vessels with Greater Atlantic Region fishing permits to carry a fishery observer or at-sea monitor. The waiver is currently in effect through May 16, 2020, and future extensions of this waiver will be evaluated weekly.
Herring midwater trawl vessels may not fish in Groundfish Closed Areas while this waiver is in effect. Groundfish Closed Areas include Cashes Ledge Closure Area, Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area, Closed Area I North (February 1 – April 15), and Closed Area II. Midwater trawl vessels issued Atlantic herring permits are required to carry a NOAA Fisheries-certified observer onboard as a condition of fishing in a Groundfish Closed Area. Therefore, a herring midwater trawl vessel not carrying an observer onboard may not fish in a Groundfish Closed Area.
April 22, 2020 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) confirmed on Monday that they have approved a range of alternatives in Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan.
The vision of Amendment 21 is a “fleet made up of relatively small vessels, with possession limits to maintain the historical character of this fleet and provide opportunities to various participants, including vessels from smaller coastal communities.” The Council said that they have approved a range of alternatives that will be further analyzed for consideration in Amendment 21. This includes Northern Gulf of Maine management area issues; the limited access general category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IQF) trip limit; and the potential one-way transfer of IQF from limited access vessels that hold IQF to LAGC IFQ-only vessels. Preferred alternatives will be selected during the Council’s June meeting.
April 20, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council covered several important scallop-related issues during its April 14-15, 2020 meeting, which was held by webinar. Current COVID-19 restrictions on travel and public gatherings prevented the Council from meeting in person. Here’s a recap of the scallop highlights.
Amendment 21: The Council approved the range of alternatives that will be further analyzed for consideration in Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. This amendment is being developed to address:
April 16, 2020 — Gulf of Maine fishermen this week asked three New England governors and federal officials for a six-month delay in planning for offshore wind energy development in those waters, as the seafood industry grapples with the upheaval of coronavirus.
In deeper waters of the gulf, wind power will be achieved only with the use of floating turbines. The extensive anchoring and cabling that would be required means “lease areas will become de facto closures to fishing,” the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance wrote in an April 14 letter the governors of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
“Technology is evolving to minimize the footprint of the base of an offshore wind platform, but current proposed technologies still have mooring lines and flexible cabling that will make any type of fishing – fixed or mobile gear – incredibly unlikely within a wind energy area.” According to the alliance, a coalition of fishermen, coastal communities and related businesses.
Meanwhile, “the fishing industry has been hit especially hard by the pandemic, forcing the commercial fishing sector to divert time and effort to addressing the current crisis, and leaving insufficient opportunities for engagement in offshore wind siting and other planning,” the alliance said in a news release accompanying the letter. “A six-month pause would not only demonstrate good faith to the fishing industry, but also allow for additional research on offshore wind’s impact on marine ecosystems and better data sharing that will benefit offshore development moving forward.”
April 15, 2020 — The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance – a lobbying group formed in January 2018 to represent the East Coast fishing industry in discussions over offshore wind energy development – has called for all a six-month pause in the regulatory process pertaining to offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The call for a delay came via a letter sent to governors of New England states, including Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Janet Mills of Maine, and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. The letter was also sent to Walter Cruickshank, the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The letter sites the importance of public participation in regulatory decisions, which is hampered by measures many states are taking to prevent transmission of COVID-19.