On May 14, 2012 the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission approved the 2012 Atlantic sea herring Management Area 1A days out schedule as specified on April 17, 2012 by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Sea Herring Section (consisting of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts Commissioners). Pursuant to the authority at 322 CMR 9.05(1), the Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries hereby declares the below days out specification for the 2012 Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring directed fishery:
- June 1, 2012 – June 30, 2012
During this period, vessels in the directed Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring fishery are authorized to land Atlantic sea herring only on Mondays and Tuesdays and will take 5 days out, Wednesdays-Sundays. It shall be unlawful for any vessel participating in the Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring fishery to land sea herring more than once per day on any authorized fishing day and in excess of 2,000 total pounds of bycatch on any day out.
- July 1, 2012 – July 15, 2012
During this period, vessels in the directed Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring fishery are authorized to land Atlantic sea herring only on Mondays through Thursdays and will take 3 days out, Fridays-Sundays. It shall be unlawful for any vessel participating in the Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring fishery to land sea herring more than once per day on any authorized fishing day and in excess of 2,000 total pounds of bycatch on any day out.
- July 15, 2012 – Further Notification
During this period, vessels in the directed Management Area 1A Atlantic sea herring fishery are authorized to land Atlantic sea herring seven days per week; there are no days out. Vessels may only land once per day.
|
 |
The ASMFC’s Atlantic Sea Herring Section will meet on July 2, 2012 and July 25, 2012 to review catch rates and effort in Management Area 1A. Based on their findings, the previously approved days out schedule may be subject to change.
For further information regarding Atlantic sea herring management lease visit the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission website (www.asmfc.org) and our website at (www.mass.gov/marinefisheries).
