Pair Trawlers Banned from Inshore GOM Waters

[Offshore]

Day before yesterday, the NE Fisheries Management Council banned pair- trawlers from fishing for any type Herring in the the Gulf of Maine Closed areas effective May 1st. The ban was done to protect Alwife/River Herring which often mix with Sea Herring inshore and are taken in the trawls. The areas are closed to groundfishing, but the Herring Trawlers had an exemption until now even though the commercial Cod fishermen claimed for years they were taking large hauls of Cod in their trawls and discarding them.

This action compliments the recent Alwife/River Herring run closures and ban on taking, possessing,transporting or selling Alwife/River Herring in Mass or Conn. RI, NH and Maine are expected to close their runs also before the season which begins May 1.