December 10, 2021 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
During its December 7-9, 2021 webinar meeting, the New England Fishery Management Council selected preferred alternatives for Framework Adjustment 63 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan. The Council then voted to submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA Fisheries) for review, approval, and implementation. The target implementation date is May 1, 2022, the start of the next groundfish fishing year.
The framework contains revised fishery specifications for several stocks, including:
• Gulf of Maine cod for fishing years 2022 through 2024;
• Georges Bank cod for fishing year 2022, marking a sharp reduction from previous catch limits;
• Georges Bank yellowtail flounder for fishing years 2022 and 2023; and
• White hake for fishing year 2022, consistent with the new rebuilding plan for this stock.
In addition, the framework includes 2022 total allowable catches (TACs) for three resources on Georges Bank that the U.S. shares with Canada – Eastern Georges Bank cod, Eastern Georges Bank haddock, and Georges Bank yellowtail flounder. The Council signed off on the U.S./Canada TACs during its September meeting. All other groundfish stock specifications remain unchanged from what the Council adopted in Framework 61.
Read the full release from the New England Fishery Management Council