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Under a federal Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP #22002), the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Gear Research Team is collaborating with up to 30 federally permitted commercial lobster vessels to test on-demand (also called ropeless) fishing gear in the federal waters of two areas that are otherwise closed to fishing with static vertical lines.
The EFP provides an exemption from federal lobster gear marking requirements and allows participating vessels to test alternatives to static vertical lines in trap/pot fisheries. On these trips, participating vessels will use both on-demand gear and the digital gear-marking system that allows the gear to be relocated and recovered by the owners.
We are also interested in feedback from other mariners in the area who are using EdgeTech Trap Tracker app, which allows anyone within 5 nm of the gear to "see" its location on a chart in order to avoid it. The app is inexpensive and works on any smartphone or tablet.
For more information on the project and regular updates on study activity, visit us here.
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