April 12, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Effective at 0845 hours on April 12, 2019, statistical areas 512, 513, 514, 515, 521, 522, and 525 are closed for the remainder of Trimester 3, through April 30, 2019. During this closure, common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear may not fish for, harvest, land, or possess regulated multispecies in or from this area. The closure is required because 90 percent of the Trimester 3 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for witch flounder is projected to have been caught. This area will reopen at the beginning of fishing year 2019, at 0001 hours, May 1, 2019.
If you have crossed the vessel monitoring system demarcation line and are currently at sea on a groundfish trip, you may complete your trip in all or part of the closed areas.
For more information read the rule as filed in the Federal Register or the bulletin as posted on our website.