The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted the following recommendation to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in January for the 2017 Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and haddock regulations for recreational anglers. This is just a recommendation and the NMFS has the final say in the eventual regulations.
Gulf of Maine Cod: ZERO possession
Gulf of Maine Haddock: A 12-fish per-person bag limit, 17-inch minimum length and two closed seasons as follows:
- September 17, 2017 through October 31, 2017
- March 1, 2018 through April 14, 2018
Recreational fishermen have exceeded their 2016 sub ACLs for both stocks, and three months remain in the fishing year. Preliminary figures indicate that 192% of the GOM cod sub-ACL has been harvested and 115% of the recreational fisher’s GOM haddock sub ACL has been taken.
Therefore, based on the scientific advice available, the Council agreed to recommend a zero cod possession for 2017 on all recreational trips by both private and for-hire vessels.
The Council then focused on trying to maximize recreational fishing opportunities on haddock while avoiding impacts on cod.
