May 1, 2018 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries is allocating 2018 quotas to 17 of 19 groundfish sectors based on catch limits approved in Framework 57 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan.
We are not allocating quota to Northeast Fishery Sectors 7 and 9, as we are still reviewing changes to their sector rosters for fishing year 2018, including related operational and overage payback issues.
We are also approving a new regulatory exemption that allows Day gillnet sector vessels to fish up to 150 gillnets in the Gulf of Maine if at least 50 of those nets are 10-inch or larger mesh and fished east of 70 degrees West longitude. Sectors requested this exemption to allow sector vessels to better target monkfish while on sector trips.
Read the final rule as filed in the Federal Register.