PORTSMOUTH, NH – Framework Adjustment 50 to the federal groundfish plan contains a new, industry-supported approach for dealing with Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder.
On Jan. 30, the New England Fishery Management Council unanimously approved four motions related to this stock.
First, it adopted a new 10-year rebuilding program. Second, it endorsed an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 1,676 metric tons (mt) for the 2013- 2015 fishing years, which will result in a highly desirable 968-mt allocation to groundfish sectors. Third, it agreed to allow fishermen to land SNE/MA winter flounder – also known as blackbacks – for the first time since 2009. And fourth, it signed off on new accountability measures to prevent fishermen from exceeding the quota.
From left, NH fishermen Carl Bouchard and Jim Ford at the New England council meeting on Jan. 30.
Read the rest and much, much more in the March issue of Commercial Fisheries News. Download a pdf for immediate access and future reference.
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