The Council Report summarizes the major issues voted on or discussed at the recent meeting on June 22-25 in Portland, ME including groundfish, monkfish, herring, and fisheries habitat. The council also received a report from its Scientific and Statistical Committee.
…In a watershed decision last week, the New England Council approved an amendment to its Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that gives fishermen the opportunity to participate in a catch share-based program that will allow more flexibility for fishing businesses while promoting greater accountability as fish stock rebuild.
Seventeen new groundfish “sectors” were authorized, and modifications were made to the two existing sectors. Permitted vessels that do not enter a sector will be compelled to operate under effort control measures that are similar to those in place now, but include several important changes. Days at sea will be counted in 24 hour increments, Category A days-at-sea will be reduced by 50 percent from the allocations provided in Framework Adjustment 42, the differential days-at-sea counting areas will be eliminated and trip limits will be increased for a number of stocks…