February 5, 2020 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council voted on January 29 to send Draft Groundfish Monitoring Amendment 23 out for public comment. The amendment contains numerous proposals, and the Council selected several “preferred alternatives” to help guide the public in supplying feedback. The hearings will take place this spring, likely in late March and April. The Council then will review all oral and written comments and take final action during its June 23-25 meeting in Freeport, ME.
The Council developed the amendment “to improve the reliability and accountability of catch reporting in the commercial groundfish fishery to ensure there is precise and accurate representation of catch.” Catch is defined as both landings and discards.