November 20, 2014 — NOAA Fisheries issued emergency measures last week to protect Gulf of Maine cod. On the heels of this emergency action, the New England Fishery Management Council has recommended new restrictions to address the depleted cod population, as it finalizes next year’s fishing management measures for several fish.
The new management plan would go into effect next May, after NOAA Fisheries reviews and approves those recommendations first. Between now and then, the emergency measures are in effect, because the cod stock in the Gulf of Maine is at an all-time low, according to the latest data.
Christopher Brown, president of the Rhode Island Commercial Fishermen’s Association, reassures none of these fishing restrictions will have a direct impact on Rhode Island fishermen.
“The cod fish that we catch are not considered to be Western gulf of Maine cod,” said Brown. “The cod we catch are considered to be Georges Bank cod. It’s a different stock complex.”
Bob Ballou, assistant to the director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, agrees with Brown. He said Rhode Island fishermen target a range of fish species, whereas fishermen in the Gulf of Maine primarily rely on groundfish. And they don't have the flexibility to switch to other species, such as squid, butterfish, or scallops, to make up for the inability to harvest groundfish.
Read the full story at Rhode Island Public Radio