NOAA Fisheries will propose to exempt the scallop fishery from accountability measures for any Georges Bank yellowtail flounder catch below their initially allocated 2012 catch limit of 307.5 metric tons.
WASHINGTON — Sept. 27, 2012 — According to NOAA, this will help prevent inequitable and potentially significant negative economic impacts to the sea scallop fishery that could result due to the unanticipated reduction in their 2012 allocation. In a previous action, also at the request of the Council, NOAA revised both the scallop and groundfish industry Georges Bank yellowtail flounder allocations for 2012. The groundfish industry allocation was adjusted upward by 150.6 metric tons to 368.3 metric tons, while the scallop industry allocation was adjusted downward by the same amount to 156.9 metric tons.
NOAA also stated that to help ensure continued protection of the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder stock from overfishing, an existing accountability measure will remain in effect. This requires that, if the total Georges Bank yellowtail flounder catch exceeds the Fishing Year 2012 total allocation, the 2013 U.S./Canada allocation will be reduced by the amount of the overage.