NOAA announced today that it is seeking public comment on 19 Northeast multispecies (groundfish) sector operations plans and contracts for fishing year 2012.
The Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan requires sectors to submit their operations plans and contracts to NOAA for approval or disapproval. Approval of a sector operations plan and contract is necessary for that sector to be allocated fish, and allows the sector members to be exempted from certain effort control regulations. The deadline for public comment is March 1, 2012.
NOAA is also notifying the public that deadline to join a sector for fishing year 2012 has been extended through through April 30, 2012.
Visit Hot News off of the Northeast Regional Office webpage http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/hotnews/.