On April 18, NOAA Fisheries filed a proposed rule that includes changes for Georges Bank cod and Gulf of Maine cod and haddock in the 2023 fishing year. While saltwater anglers in the New Jersey, Delaware region might not see New England fisheries management as impactful on a local basis, guess again.
The recreational fishery for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) which provides authority to NOAA Fisheries – in consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) – to develop recreational management measures to ensure that the recreational catch limits for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock are achieved, but not exceeded. Similarly, the Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries has authority to modify Georges Bank cod measures to prevent an overage of the recreational catch target for that stock.
NOAA Fisheries projects that current measures for Gulf of Maine cod can be liberalized somewhat, while measures for Georges Bank cod (and Gulf of Maine haddock) must be tightened to ensure overfishing is not occurring. As part of the regulatory change to Georges Bank cod, that would mean a limit in federal waters of a five fish cod limit with a minimum size limit of 23 inches, with an open season from May 1-31, and September 1 through April 30, meaning June, July, and August would be closed to any federal cod harvest this summer.
Members of the NEFMC appeared at both the January and March meetings of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council to appeal to the state of New Jersey to adopt similar limits in state waters to remain consistent with the FMP. Thus far the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council has yet to act on voting for new cod limits in state waters, but that could come at the next meeting on Thursday, May 11 at 5 p.m. at the Stafford Township Administrative Building at 260 East Bay Avenue in Manahawkin.
