Area 1A herring TAC may be further slashed

February 01, 2007

Commercial Fisheries News
February 2007
By Janice Plante

GLOUCESTER, MA The inshore Gulf of Maine herring fishery is about to undergo profound change on several fronts.

For one, it’s now certain that midwater trawlers will be prohibited from fishing in Area 1A from June through September. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced that decision on Dec. 6 although, at press time, it had yet to release the final rule for this and other Amendment 1 actions, including the controversial limited-entry program for the fishery.

Furthermore, the Area 1A total allowable catch (TAC) for herring will be significantly reduced over the next three fishing years-possibly beyond what industry had expected.

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