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NOAA Fisheries is proposing the New England Fishery Management Council’s recommended catch specifications for the 2021-2023 small-mesh multispecies fishery. These proposed catch limits would increase annual quotas for southern whiting and both red hake stocks, and decrease the quota for northern silver hake. Specifications for fishing years 2022 and 2023 are projected to be the same as the proposed 2021 limits.
Proposed Small-Mesh Multispecies Specifications for Fishing Years 2021-2023 (metric tons), with the Percent Change in the TAL from Fishing Year 2020.
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Overfishing Limit
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Acceptable Biological Catch
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Annual Catch Limit
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Total Allowable Landings (TAL)
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Percent Change
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Northern Red Hake
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N/A
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3,452
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3,278
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1,405
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+413%
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Northern Silver Hake
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39,930
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20,410
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19,387
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17,457
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-34%
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Southern Red Hake
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N/A
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1,505
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1,429
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422
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+89%
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Southern Whiting
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72,160
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40,990
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38,941
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28,742
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+99%
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This proposed rule would also increase the possession limit for whiting (silver hake and offshore hake) on trips using gear with less than 3-inch mesh to 15,000 lb, and reset the in-season adjustment trigger for northern red hake to 90 percent of the annual quota from the current trigger of 37.9 percent to reduce regulatory discards.
For more details on the proposed specifications, read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register today. The comment period is open through June 28. Submit your comments through the e-rulemaking portal.
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