The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) met today to discuss the future of several fish stocks including Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, Georges Bank (GB) cod, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder.
WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) January 30, 2013 — The Council recommended cutting Cod fishing limits in the Gulf of Maine by 77% and in George's Bank by 55%.
Saving Seafood has posted audio highlights of today's meeting.
The NEFMC was given a summary of the recent Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee (SAW/SARC 55) meetings by Dr. James Weinberg of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. The Council also heard from Jack Kritzer, the acting chair of the NEFMC's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), regarding acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for all three stocks for fishing years (FY) 2013-2015.
The afternoon portion of the meeting examined measures proposed by the Groundfish Committee that may be adopted either through a specification package or an additional framework adjustment. These measures regarded ABCs and annual catch limits (ACL) for fishing year 2013, as well as proposals for a revised SNE/MA winter flounder rebuilding plan and alterations to the landings prohibition on this stock.
See additional continuing coverage of this issue from the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, the Standard-Times, Maine Public Radio, WLBZ, and the Kennebec Journal.