October 4, 2018 — Fisheries managers in New England are asking the federal government to take action to try to reduce the possibility of overfishing in the herring fishery.
Herring is an important small fish on the East Coast, and recent assessments of the stock show that it is in decline.
The New England Fishery Management Council recently approved a host of new restrictions for the fishery, voting to supplement severe rollbacks of herring quotas with a new inshore buffer zone aimed specifically at preventing mid-water trawlers — such as Gloucester-based Cape Seafoods’ 141-foot boats, Challenger and Endeavour — from fishing within 12 miles of shore in most areas of the Northeast.
In some areas around Cape Cod, the buffer zone expands to 20 to 25 miles.
The council also has requested the National Marine Fisheries Service set catch limits for next year’s fishery. If approved, 2019 catch levels will be capped at 21,226 metric tons — less than half of the 50,000 metric tons allowed in 2018.
The council says swift action by the federal agency is needed to “reduce the probability of overfishing.”