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Atlantic Herring Management Plan

New England
Mid-Atlantic

About

The Atlantic herring fishery in the Northeastern United States operates from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and from inshore to offshore waters on the edge of the continental shelf. The herring fishery uses predominantly single and paired mid-water trawl, bottom trawl, purse seine, and to a lesser extent, gillnet gear throughout the entire range. Herring is used primarily in the United States as bait for the American lobster and tuna fisheries, but is also frozen whole and canned for human consumption. Herring is jointly managed in state and federal waters by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and NOAA Fisheries in conjunction with the New England Fishery Management Council respectively. 

Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR part 648 subpart K. Find out more about Managing Sustainable Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region.

SAFE Reports

Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) reports are documents or sets of documents that summarize the best scientific information available for federally managed fish stocks. This includes information concerning the biological condition of stocks and marine ecosystems, essential fish habitat (EFH), and the socioeconomic condition of commercial and recreational fisheries. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that SAFE reports be made available on a publicly accessible website to facilitate use of the information. Atlantic herring SAFE report documents are available on the New England Fishery Management Council's website.

Species Managed

More Information

Actions

Under Development Implemented Actions

Approval of Industry-Funded Monitoring Service Providers for the Atlantic Herring Fishery for 2022-2023

NOAA Fisheries approves herring IFM service providers for 2022-2023.
Notice
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Published
02/17/2022

Proposed Adjustment to Atlantic Herring Specifications and Sub-Annual Catch Limits for 2019

This action proposes an in-season adjustment to the Atlantic herring specifications and sub-annual catch limits for 2019. These adjustments are necessary to reduce 2018 herring catch limits that would otherwise remain in effect for 2019. This action is in
Proposed Rule
,
New England
Published
11/30/2018

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Herring Fishery; 2018 River Herring and Shad Catch Cap Reached for Midwater Trawl Vessels in Mid

We are reducing the Atlantic herring possession limit for federally permitted vessels fishing with midwater trawl gear in the Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England Catch Cap Closure Area, based on a projection that the threshold catch for the corresponding c
Notice
Published
03/15/2018

2023-2025 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications

2023-2025 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications Interim Final Rule
Interim Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
03/23/2023

Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan

Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
Final Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
08/18/2022

Atlantic Herring Management Area 3 Sub-ACL Harvested

Atlantic Herring Management Area 3 Sub-ACL Harvested. Effective 00:01 April 1, 2021.
Temporary Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
04/01/2021

Framework Adjustment 8 and the 2021-2023 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications

This action sets the 2021-2023 fishing year specifications and adjustments to herring measures.
Interim Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
03/29/2021

Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan

NOAA Fisheries proposes regulations to implement Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. The New England Fishery Management Council developed Amendment 8 to specify a long-term acceptable biological catch control rule for At
Final Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
02/10/2021

Adjustment 6 and 2019-2021 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications

2019-2021 specifications for the Atlantic herring fishery, update the herring overfished and overfishing definitions, and suspend the carryover of unharvested catch for 2020 and 2021.
Final Rule
,
New England
Published
05/06/2020

Industry-Funded Monitoring Omnibus Amendment for New England Fisheries

This action proposes regulations to implement the New England Fishery Management Council's Industry-Funded Monitoring Omnibus Amendment. The New England Council is considering ways to increase monitoring in certain fisheries to assess the amount and
Final Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
03/09/2020

2019 Sub-Annual Catch Limit Management Area Closure Threshold Harvested for Atlantic Herring Management Area 1A

Effective on November 27, 2019, we are closing the directed fishery for Herring Management Area 1A, based on a projection that a threshold catch amount for that management area has been reached. Beginning November 27, 2019, through December 31, 2019,
Temporary Rule
,
New England
Effective
11/27/2019

Atlantic Herring Fishery; Adjustment to the 2019 Specifications

We are increasing the 2019 Atlantic herring annual catch limit and Area 1A sub-annual catch limit by 1,000 mt. This action is required by the herring regulations when, based on data through October 1, the New Brunswick weir fishery lands less th
Temporary Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
10/28/2019

Atlantic Herring Fishery: 2019 Management Area 2 Sub-Annual Catch Limit Harvested

Effective on March 9, 2019, we are closing the directed fishery for Herring Management Area 2, based on a projection that a threshold catch amount for that management area has been reached. Beginning March 9, 2019, through December 31, 2019, no person may
Temporary Rule
,
New England
Mid-Atlantic
Effective
03/09/2019

Adjustment to Atlantic Herring Specifications and Sub-Annual Catch Limits for 2019

This action implements an in-season adjustment to the Atlantic herring specifications and sub-annual catch limits for 2019. These adjustments are necessary to reduce 2018 herring catch limits that would otherwise remain in effect for 2019. This action is
Final Rule
,
New England
Effective
02/08/2019

2018 River Herring and Shad Catch Cap Reached for Atlantic Herring Midwater Trawl Vessels in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Area

NOAA Fisheries is reducing the Atlantic herring possession limit for vessels fishing with midwater trawl gear in the Cape Cod Catch Cap Closure Area, based on a projection that the prescribed catch cap for that area has been reached. This action is n
Temporary Rule
,
New England
Effective
12/21/2018

Atlantic Herring Fishery: 2018 Management Area 1B Directed Fishery Closure

Effective October 24, 2018, NOAA Fisheries is closing the directed herring fishery in management Area 1B, based on a projection that a prescribed trigger for that area has been reached. Federally permitted vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, rece
Temporary Rule
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Effective
10/24/2018

Adjustment to 2018 Atlantic Herring Management Area Sub-Annual Catch Limits

This interim final rule reduces the sub-annual catch limits for the four Atlantic Herring Management Areas (including Area 1A, 1B, 2, and 3). This action is necessary to address Atlantic herring population decline due to poor recruitment into the populati
Interim Rule
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
Effective
08/22/2018

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Adjustments to 2018 Management Area Annual Catch Limits

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan, this action adjusts the 2018 catch limits in the four herring management areas (Areas 1A, 1B, 2, and 3) to account for underages and overages in those areas duri
Final Rule
Effective
02/15/2018

Last updated by Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on 07/17/2023