NEW BEDFORD — Canadian negotiators agreed Wednesday to allow U.S. fishermen to catch 18 percent more yellowtail flounder in the fishing year starting May 1, a major boost for the groundfishing industry, according to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank.
Meanwhile, federal regulators announced increases in catch limits for 11 species in the new year that Frank, D-Mass., called "another piece of good news." The three biggest increases, 40 percent or more, are for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder, witch flounder and Southern New England winter flounder.
The increase in the deal with Canada, which amounts to 2.5 million pounds, relaxes the grip yellowtail flounder had on the ability of New England fishermen to catch all species of groundfish and scallops. The new limit is 44 percent higher than what had been proposed for Georges Bank yellowtail in the coming year.
As a "choke species," yellowtail is sharply limited, and, when the limit is reached, the scallopers and the groundfishing within a "sector" must stop entirely. The new limits, if approved by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, will allow boats to keep fishing longer and get a greater percentage of the total allowable catch in all species, said Frank aide Bruno Freitas.
Dr. Brian Rothschild, of the UMass School of Marine Science and Technology, who also chairs the mayor's fishery council, said: "It looks like everything that people have been saying is having an effect. The congressmen, the senators and everybody pushing this is having a positive effect."
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