Current Classification on the List of Fisheries
Category
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III
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Estimated Number of Participants
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48
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Target Species
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Various finfish (such as Atlantic cod, haddock, halibut, salmon, flounder, red drum, cobia, pompano, snapper, grouper)
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Applicable Take Reduction Plans
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N/A
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Observer Coverage
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N/A
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Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured
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Harbor seal, Western North Atlantic
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^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.
*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).
1 Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.
Basis for Current Classification
Reports of marine mammal interactions are below 1% of the stock’s Potential Biological Removal level.
Distribution
Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean
Gear Description
Penned/caged fish
Management
Consultation on critical habitat and protected resources is undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers on all proposed aquaculture facilities. Currently this fishery operates solely in state waters, and is therefore subject to regulations by states.
Historical Information
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Original Category (Year added to the LOF)
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III (1989)
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Original Number of Participants
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48
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Basis for Original Classification
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Marine mammal interactions include seal interference with the pens. Non-harassing methods such as double netting around pens have been used to protect fish to date. At this time however, there does not appear to be more than a remote likelihood of entanglement or incidental taking of these marine mammals
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Past Names
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"Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon" (until 1995)
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Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list)
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N/A
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Timeline of Changes
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1997
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1995
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- Renamed “Finfish aquaculture” from “Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon” to include other regions and species.
- Reduced to a Category III fishery as logbook data and prohibition of intentional takes resulting from amendments to the MMPA. Incidental marine mammal takes were believed to be less than 1% of PBR.
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1994
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Fishermen lowers sea scallops into the water. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
North Atlantic right whale Catalog #3560 ‘Snow Cone’ sighted December 2, 2021 entangled and with a new calf. Photo credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission taken under NOAA permit 20556.
Four North Atllantic right whales.
North Atlantic right whale mother and calf. Credit: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #20556-01.