ATLANTIC SEA HERRING SPAWNING CLOSURE EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST.

Effective 0001 hours on Wednesday, September 21st, it shall be unlawful to possess or land sea herring caught from the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Spawning Area (322 CMR 9.00). This closure expires on October 19th, but may be extended by the Director if MarineFisheries sampling of herring landings indicates that spawning is ongoing. This is one of a few spawning closures in the Gulf of Maine timed to anticipate when herring begin their autumn spawning.

Exceptions:

During the closure it will be lawful to land herring taken from this area provided "spawn" herring comprise less than 20% of the amount of herring in possession.
For incidental catch in other fisheries, no more than 2,000 lbs. per trip of sea herring in any spawning condition may be caught from this area.

Please note that the Friday and Saturday prohibition on landing and possession of herring, regardless of spawning condition, caught in Management Area 1A is still in place (322 CMR 9.04).

Definitions:
Spawn herring means mature sea herring in gonad stages V and VI.

Spawning area boundaries begin at the intersection of 43°30' N latitude and the Maine coast, then in a SW direction along the coast to the intersection of 70°00' W longitude with the Cape Cod shoreline, then north along 70°00'W to its intersection with 43°30' N latitude, then along the 43°30N line back to the coast.