



U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.
Category |
II |
Estimated Number of Participants |
542 |
Target Species |
Atlantic herring with bycatch of several finfish species, predominantly mackerel, spiny dogfish, and silver hake |
Applicable Take Reduction Plans |
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Observer Coverage |
During the period 1997-2018, estimated percent observer coverage (trips) was 0, 0, 0.73, 0.46, 0.06, 0, 2.25, 11.48, 19.9, 3.1, 8.04, 19.92, 42, 53, 41, 45, 37, 42, 8, 27, 16 and 14, respectively. Observer coverage for 2010 -2018 includes both observers and at-sea monitors. |
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured |
Common dolphin, WNA Gray seal, WNA Harbor seal, WNA Long-finned pilot whale, WNA1 |
^ 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.
The total annual mortality and serious injury of long-finned pilot whales (Western North Atlantic [WNA] stock) and short-finned pilot whales (WNA stock) in this fishery is greater than 1% and less than 50% of the stocks’ Potential Biological Removal (PBR).
The fishery occurs primarily in Maine state waters, Jeffrey's Ledge, southern New England, and Georges Bank during the winter months when the target species continues its southerly migration from the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank, into mid-Atlantic waters. This fishery includes all U.S. waters south of Cape Cod, MA that are east of 70° W and extending south to the intersection of the EEZ and 70° W (approximately 37° 54'N), as well as all U.S. waters north of Cape Cod to the Maine-Canada border.”
This fishery uses primarily mid-water (pelagic) trawls (single and paired), which is trawl gear designed, capable, or used to fish for pelagic species with no portion designed to be operated in contact with the bottom.
The fishery is managed jointly by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Total effort, measured in trips, for the Northeast Mid-Water Trawl Fishery (across all gear types) from 1997 to 2013 was 578, 289, 553, 1,312, 2,404, 1,736, 2,158, 1,564, 717, 590, 286, 236, 236, 294, 331, 413, 291, 321, 333 and 248 (NOAA Fisheries).
Original Category (Year added to the LOF) |
II (1999) |
Original Number of Participants |
17 |
Basis for Original Classification |
This fishery was listed as a Category II by analogy with the Category II "Atlantic squid, mackerel, butterfish trawl fishery". NOAA Fisheries had no evidence of interactions with marine mammals, but this fishery uses the same midwater trawl gear used in other Category II fisheries known to take several species of cetaceans, and operates at times and in areas of high marine mammal abundance (particularly the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy stock of harbor porpoise). This fishery includes vessels that were participating in the "Gulf of Maine, U.S. mid-Atlantic, coastal herring trawl fishery," which was removed from the LOF because there was little difference between vessels or gear fishing coastal waters or offshore waters. |
Past Names |
“Atlantic herring mid-water trawl (including pair trawl) fishery” until 2005. |
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list) |
Minke whale (Canadian East Coast) |
2019 |
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1998 |
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