September 12, 2014 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:
The Maine Department of Marine Resources has implemented an emergency regulation to prevent potential gear conflict between herring fishermen and lobstermen working in an area off the coast of Mount Desert Island.
The rule, which went into effect Friday, September 12, will create a temporary exception to a three lobster trap trawl limit outlined in department regulation. The exception will apply to an area northeast of Mount Desert Rock to minimize gear conflicts that could arise between the herring fishery and the high density of lobster gear in this area.
The regulatory trawl limit was implemented in this area, as well as others along to coast, in response to lobster industry requests. By limiting the number of traps on a single line, known as a trawl, gear conflicts among lobstermen in areas of high fishing concentration are minimized. However the trawl limit also results in more trawls and vertical lines which can become entangled by the herring fishermen who will be following the anticipated migration of herring into these waters in the coming weeks.
“By giving lobstermen in this discrete area the option to fish longer trawls during this time, lobstermen can take steps to minimize the potential for gear loss, while continuing to fish the same amount of gear in the area,” said Marine Patrol Colonel Joseph Fessenden.
“The Department and Maine Marine Patrol have received recent indications that the herring fishery will be in this area shortly and are concerned with lobster trap gear conflict,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “We put this rule into place as an emergency measure so it will take effect in time to help ensure the success of both fisheries.”
Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is the primary bait used in Maine’s lobster fishery. It is also an important forage species for predators such as seabirds, marine mammals, and a variety of larger fish species. In 2013, Atlantic herring was Maine’s fourth most valuable fishery, worth more than $15 million in landed value, and the second highest in terms of landings with 98 million pounds landed. Maine’s lobster fishery was the most valuable, worth more than $378 million.
According to the rule, in all waters within the described area that lies due south and seaward of a line drawn between latitude 44’ 1.335 N and longitude 68’ 13.845 W and latitude 44’ 9.481 N and longitude 67’ 57.56 W, lobstermen will be allowed to have more than three traps on a trawl line. All areas north of this line within the Hancock County Trawl Limit Area as described by DMR Regulation Chapter 25.04(B)(3) will be limited to three traps per trawl per current rule. This emergency rule will expire on December 10, 2014.
A public hearing will be held in the affected area if requested of the Commissioner in writing by five people. The hearing will be held within 30 days of the Commissioner receiving the written requests.
A copy of the emergency rule can be found on the Department of Marine Resources at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/25.04trawllimitweb091214.pdf. A map of the area can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/TrawlLimits2014.pdf.