The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) will extend its seasonal fishing closure in that portion of Massachusetts Bay known as the Cod Conservation Zone (CCZ). This area was set to reopen on January 16, 2007, but the closure will be continued through February 28, 2007
(322 CMR 8.15).

MarineFisheries believes this year’s extended closure is warranted in order to maintain a reduced rate of harvest for Gulf of Maine cod. Commercial cod landings from Massachusetts state waters that occurred outside the federal days-at-sea management program declined from 1.4 million pounds in the 2004 fishing year (May-April) to 0.9 million pounds in 2005. This 33% decrease is largely due to the state’s December -February 2005 closure of this area, and is consistent with the percent reduction in federal landings expected from the federal management program.

Additionally, MarineFisheries will continue to conduct research in the CCZ to determine wintertime patterns in distribution and abundance of cod.