April 23, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council will not be developing a limited entry program for party/charter vessels that participate in the recreational groundfish fishery. The decision was made during the Council’s April 13-15, 2021 webinar meeting.
The Council debated a motion to move ahead with limited entry and thoroughly discussed the advantages and potential drawbacks of using limited entry to manage the for-hire groundfish fleet. The final vote was 7-to-7 with two abstentions. Therefore, the motion failed for lack of a majority and, as such, the Council will not pursue work on a limited entry amendment. Here is a recap of how the Council got to this point.