February 1, 2017 — Interstate fishing regulators are considering new rules to help the herring fishery run more smoothly in the future.
The Atlantic herring is an important bait fish that’s caught off of several East Coast states, especially Massachusetts and Maine. The fishery suffered from supply issues last summer, which caused a bait shortage in the lobster fishery.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is looking at new ways to manage the fishery. Options include limiting the amount of herring a vessel can land per week.