Update on Framework Adjustment 58 to the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan
Due to the 35-day partial federal government shutdown resulting from a lapse in appropriations, there was a delay in the rulemaking process for Framework 58. On April 19, 2019, we published a proposed rule in the Federal Register seeking comment on the proposed Framework 58 measures. The public comment period is open through May 6, 2019. As explained in more detail below, if approved, Framework 58 would change several management measures for the 2019 fishing year, including catch limits for several stocks.
Initial Fishing Year 2019 Catch Limits
Last year, Framework 57 set catch limits for all groundfish stocks except Eastern Georges Bank (EGB) cod for fishing years 2018 – 2020. These quotas will be in effect on May 1, 2019. The U.S./Canada quotas are shown in Table 1 and the quotas for all groundfish stocks are shown in Table 2 below. The EGB cod catch limit will be set at 35 percent of the 2018 catch limit from May 1 through July 31, unless replaced by the catch limit proposed in Framework 58. If Framework 58 is approved, the 2019 catch limits for Georges Bank (GB) cod, Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, GB haddock, GB yellowtail flounder, witch flounder, GB winter flounder, GOM winter flounder, and Atlantic halibut will change. The GOM cod ACL was exceeded in fishing year 2017 and Framework 58 implements the pound-for-pound reduction required for sectors and the common pool to pay back this overage. Catch limits for GB cod, GB haddock, witch flounder, and GB winter flounder will increase, and catch limits for GOM cod, GB yellowtail flounder, GOM winter flounder, and Atlantic halibut will decrease. There will be no changes for the remaining 12 stocks.
Because vessels may drop from sector rosters and join the common pool through April 30, 2019, the sector and common pool allocations included in this bulletin may change. Also, after we finalize fishing year 2018 catch information, we will subtract any sector or common pool overages. Any necessary adjustments to the 2019 catch limits will be made in a future management action as close to May 1 as possible.
Table 1. Initial 2019 Fishing Year U.S./Canada Groundfish Total Allowable Catches (TACs)
| Stock | TAC (mt) |
| Eastern GB Cod | 90 |
| Eastern GB Haddock | 15,600 |
| GB Yellowtail Flounder | 291 |
Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access Program
The Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access Program (SAP) is closed to targeting yellowtail flounder in fishing year 2019. Vessels are not allowed to fish in this SAP using flounder trawl nets. Northeast multispecies vessels may fish in this SAP in 2019 to target haddock, but must fish with a haddock separator trawl, a Ruhle trawl, or hook gear. For common pool vessels, this SAP is open from August 1, 2019, through January 31, 2020. For sector vessels, this SAP is open from May 1, 2019, through January 31, 2020.
Table 2. Fishing Year 2019 Catch Limits (mt, live weight)
| Stock | Total ACL | Groundfish sub-ACL | Preliminary Sector sub-ACL | Preliminary Common Pool sub-ACL | Recreational sub-ACL | Midwater Trawl Fishery | Scallop Fishery | Small-Mesh Fisheries | State Waters sub-component | Other sub-component |
| GB Cod | 1,519 | 1,360 | 1,316 | 44 | 16 | 143 | ||||
| GOM Cod | 666 | 610 | 379 | 11 | 220 | 47 | 9 | |||
| GB Haddock | 46,312 | 44,659 | 43,996 | 663 | 680 | 487 | 487 | |||
| GOM Haddock | 11,803 | 11,506 | 8,218 | 94 | 3,194 | 116 | 91 | 91 | ||
| GB Yellowtail Flounder | 291 | 239 | 232 | 7 | 47 | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder | 66 | 32 | 26 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 17 | |||
| CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder | 490 | 398 | 378 | 20 | 51 | 41 | ||||
| American Plaice | 1,532 | 1,467 | 1,437 | 31 | 32 | 32 | ||||
| Witch Flounder | 948 | 849 | 831 | 18 | 40 | 60 | ||||
| GB Winter Flounder | 787 | 731 | 701 | 30 | 0 | 57 | ||||
| GOM Winter Flounder | 428 | 357 | 339 | 17 | 67 | 4 | ||||
| SNE/MA Winter Flounder | 700 | 518 | 447 | 71 | 73 | 109 | ||||
| Redfish | 11,208 | 10,972 | 10,918 | 53 | 118 | 118 | ||||
| White Hake | 2,794 | 2,735 | 2,715 | 20 | 29 | 29 | ||||
| Pollock | 38,204 | 37,400 | 37,159 | 242 | 402 | 402 | ||||
| N. Windowpane Flounder | 86 | 63 | 63 | 18 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| S. Windowpane Flounder | 457 | 53 | 53 | 158 | 28 | 218 | ||||
| Ocean Pout | 120 | 94 | 94 | 3 | 23 | |||||
| Atlantic Halibut | 100 | 77 | 77 | 21 | 2 | |||||
| Atlantic Wolffish | 84 | 82 | 82 | 1 | 1 |
1Updated catch limits based on final sector rosters and 2018 catch information will be announced as soon as possible in the 2019 fishing year.
GB = Georges Bank, GOM = Gulf of Maine, SNE/MA = southern New England/mid-Atlantic, CC/GOM = Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine, N = northern, S = southern.
Seasonal Closed Areas
Commercial vessels remain subject to groundfish year-round and seasonal closed areas. As a reminder, seasonal closed areas are shown in Figure 1, below. The GOM Cod Protection Closures are shown in Figure 2 below. More information on groundfish closed areas can be found in the Closed Area Regulations Northeast Multispecies Information Sheet.
Figure 1. Seasonal Closed Areas
GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area “Whaleback”
The GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area is closed from April 1 through June 30 to all fishing vessels with the following exceptions: charter and party or recreational vessels, provided that pelagic hook and line gear is used, and there is no retention of regulated Northeast multispecies or ocean pout; and vessels fishing with exempted gears (spears, rakes, diving gear, cast nets, tongs, harpoons, weirs, dip nets, stop nets, pound nets, pots and traps, purse seines, surf clam/quahog dredge gear, pelagic hook and line, pelagic longlines, single pelagic gillnets, shrimp trawls (with properly configured grates)).
Recreational and commercial vessels are allowed to transit the GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area, provided all gear is stowed in accordance with the regulations as described in 50 CFR 648.2.
Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area
The Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area depicted above is closed from April 15 through April 30 to all fishing vessels, with the exception of charter/party, private recreational vessels, and vessels fishing with exempted gear. Additionally, vessels participating in the purse seine exempted fishery may fish in the Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area.
Charter and party vessels fishing in the Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area with gear capable of catching Northeast multispecies must have a Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the Regional Administrator to enter or fish in these areas (additional requirements also apply). An LOA may be obtained by calling the Permit Office at (978) 281-9370.
Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area
The Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area depicted above is closed from November 1 through January 31 to all fishing vessels, with the following exceptions: charter and party or recreational vessels, provided that pelagic hook and line gear is used, and there is no retention of regulated Northeast multispecies or ocean pout; and vessels fishing with exempted gears.
Closed Area I North Seasonal Closure
The Closed Area I North Seasonal Closure depicted above is closed from February 1 to April 15 to all fishing vessels, with the following exemptions: vessels fishing with exempted gears; vessels participating in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery; and vessels using sea scallop dredge gear when under a scallop day-at-sea (DAS), or vessels lawfully in a scallop dredge exemption area.
Figure 2. Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closures
