February 5, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council received a progress report during its January 2024 meeting on an action that’s being developed to reduce the bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the large-mesh gillnet fisheries for monkfish and spiny dogfish.
The New England Council is working on the measures with the Mid-Atlantic Council because the two Councils jointly manage both fisheries. The Councils are expected to take final action during their respective April Council meetings.
The proposed alternatives focus on time/area closures and/or gear modifications, which include soak time limitations for dogfish gillnets and net modifications for monkfish gillnets. The measures would apply only to the commercial fishery. Here is the draft document.
Once finalized by the Councils in April, the measures will be submitted to NOAA Fisheries for review and implementation as:
• Framework Adjustment 15 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan, which the New England Council has the lead for; and
• Framework Adjustment 6 to the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan, which the MidAtlantic Council has the lead for.