May 9, 2023 — The following was released New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council met April 18-20, 2023 in Mystic, Connecticut and covered a dozen different topics ranging from monkfish to skates, scallops to habitat, groundfish to Atlantic sturgeon, Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management, and more. Here are the highlights.
MONKFISH: One of the Council’s 2023 priorities is to consider recommendations from the Research SetAside (RSA) Program Review and develop measures to improve the Monkfish RSA Program’s effectiveness. The charge is two-fold: (1) revisit the use of RSA days-at-sea and the ability to flip to an RSA day while at sea; and (2) form a workgroup of fishermen, NOAA Fisheries and Council staff members, Monkfish Committee members, and others as needed to “discuss the Monkfish RSA Program and identify potential improvements.” The Monkfish RSA Program has seen limited use for many years now, which prompted the Council’s request to undertake the review as a 2023 Council Priority
THE RESULT: The Council viewed this presentation and approved the proposal for establishing a workgroup to improve the Monkfish RSA Program. The workgroup will meet June 5, 2023.
PROTECTED RESOURCES – ATLANTIC STURGEON: The Council received an update on efforts underway to reduce bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the large-mesh monkfish and spiny dogfish fisheries. The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils jointly manage the two fisheries. New England has the administrative lead for monkfish and the Mid-Atlantic Council has the lead for dogfish. The two Councils are collaborating on a joint sturgeon action as outlined in this draft 2023 work plan.
THE RESULT: For its part, the New England Council initiated Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan. The measures in the framework will be based on recommendations from NOAA’s Action Plan to Reduce Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch in Federal Large-Mesh Gillnet Fisheries. Large mesh is defined as “greater than or equal to 7 inches” in this action.