Effective July 24, 2024
Today, NOAA Fisheries is issuing a final rule that includes regulation changes for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock for the 2024 fishing year. This recreational fishery is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The FMP provides the Regional Administrator authority, in consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, to develop recreational management measures to ensure that the recreational catch limits for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock are achieved, but not exceeded. Similarly, the Regional Administrator has authority to modify George Bank cod measures to prevent an overage of the recreational catch target for that stock.
After consultation with the Council, NOAA Fisheries is implementing changes to the recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock as recommended by the Council. The existing Gulf of Maine cod open season and 1-fish bag limit will remain in place, while increasing the minimum fish size from 22 to 23 inches. Additionally, the Gulf of Maine haddock open season will remain unchanged while increasing the haddock minimum fish size from 17 inches to 18 inches for private recreational vessels and increasing the Gulf of Maine haddock possession limit from 10 fish to 15 fish for private recreational vessels. These measures are expected to adequately constrain recreational catch of Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock based on the bio-economic model estimates. The Georges Bank cod recreational measures remain the same in 2024 as they were in 2023.
More information on the new 2024 measures can be found in the final rule and our bulletin. Measures in the rule are effective July 24, 2024.
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