Everyone should know where they are and how big they are. There has been a lot of study as to the effectiveness of having closed areas. These aren't MPAs. Some user groups and fisheries are allowed in them. I like the idea of having some closed bottom out there--but if you going to close it to one user group it should be closed for all.

Are those the closed areas for scalloping?
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Everyone should know where they are and how big they are. There has been a lot of study as to the effectiveness of having closed areas. These aren't MPAs. Some user groups and fisheries are allowed in them. I like the idea of having some closed bottom out there--but if you going to close it to one user group it should be closed for all.

how can you truly close an area for ALL user groups?

aren't the closings species related, and if so, wouldn't that make them user related? if you mean for all entities for the specific area, then i wholeheartedly concurr. fish grabs SUUUUUCK!!

not sure that i am on board with closing of any kind, since it seems like a foot in the door for MPA's. our season already gets closed for 6-7 mths, organically by the migration principle, for stripers. and to add a closure within the SHORT 5 mths that we do get them seems unreasonable for inshore waters. perhaps it makes sense where there have been massive ###'s taken ~~offshore??

hopefully, there is good science behind a decision of this magnitude!

These are the closed areas for groundfish and scallops. But the entire country has been watching closely what New England will do with these closed areas--they've been here since 1998 or so. Also the Obama Administration through his Ocean Policy Task Force is looking into dividing up the ocean. That means--possibly--Marine Protection Reserves on the edges of Fishing areas and Wind Farms and Shipping Lanes and LNG. Could be crazy. There are a lot of people high up the ladder at NOAA who are very interested in this multiply use management plan.

I don't mind the idea of rolling closures. Open then closed. But full-blown MPAs I find difficult to imagine here in New England. This ain't California. But who knows.

Hmmmm
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Snore bore let's go fishing.

Too much management talk makes Goosefish a dull boy.