April 3, 2012 – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has set an interim 2012 catch limit of 6,700 metric tons for Gulf of Maine cod for the fishing year that's set to begin May 1 — essentially affirming the lower end of the range recommended in February by the New England Fishery Management Council.
The announcement — coming Monday as NOAA, the council and the fishing industry all wrestle with the findings of a 2010 assessment that showed dramatically lower levels of Gulf of Maine cod stocks than had been reported in 2008 — sets the limit 22 percent below the current limit of 8,500 metric tons.
The figure is, however, higher than limit of 4,000 metric tons that had been sought by the Conservation Law Foundation, one of the leading fishery environmental nonprofit groups.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.