Northeast Multispecies Closed Area Regulations: Georges Bank and Southern New England

The summaries in the pages below provide a broad overview of restrictions and requirements; and are not a substitute for the regulations. You must read the regulations in conjunction with these pages to fully understand how this fishery is managed.

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Maps should be considered together to gain a complete picture of the closed areas in Northeast Multispecies fishery. The regulations summarized here may be found at 50 CFR 648.81, § 648.370, and. § 648.371. Back to Closed Area Regulations Page.

Georges Bank Dedicated Habitat Research Area, Closed Area II, and Great South Channel Habitat Management Area

Map of the Georges Bank Dedicated Habitat Research Area, Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area, and the Closed Area II Closure Area

Georges Bank Dedicated Habitat Research Area (DHRA)

The Georges Bank DHRA depicted above is closed year-round to all bottom-tending mobile gears, defined as the following: Gear in contact with the ocean bottom, and towed from a vessel, which is moved through the water during fishing in order to capture fish, and includes otter trawls, beam trawls, hydraulic dredges, non-hydraulic dredges, and seines (with the exception of a purse seine).

DHRAs are designated for 3 years, after which the Regional Administrator will consult with the New England Fishery Management Council and the public on whether to maintain the designation.

The Georges Bank DHRA is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Georges Bank DHRA
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
CIH3	40˚ 55'	68˚ 53'
CIH4	40˚ 58'	68˚ 30'
CI3	40˚ 45'	68˚ 30'
CI2	40˚ 45'	68˚ 45'
CIH3	40˚ 55'	68˚ 53'

Closed Area II

Unless further restricted under the EFH Closure areas, Closed Area II is closed year-round to all fishing vessels, with the following exceptions: Vessels fishing with or using pot gear designed to take lobsters or hagfish, pelagic hook and line gear, pelagic longline gear, harpoon gear, tuna purse seine, pelagic mid-water trawl gear*, and tuna purse seine gear, provided no regulated species are kept and no other gear capable of catching NE multispecies is on board; and vessels fishing in a groundfish special access program (SAP) or scallop access program in compliance with the regulations.

*Vessels using mid-water trawl gear must have on board a Letter of Authorization (LOA) issued by the Regional Administrator. Mid-water trawl vessels are issued a LOA for a minimum of 7 days. The vessel can be issued LOAs for the midwater trawl exempted fishery and the purse seine exempted fishery at the same time. An LOA may be obtained by calling the Permit Office at (978) 281-9370.

Closed Area II is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Closed Area II
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
CII1	41˚ 00'	67˚ 20'
CII2	41˚ 00'	66˚ 35.8' *
G5	41˚ 18.6'	66˚ 24.8' *
CII3	42˚ 22'	67˚ 20'
CII1	41˚ 00'	67˚ 20'
*The U.S.-Canada maritime boundary

Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area

The Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area depicted above is closed year-round to all bottom-tending mobile gears, and is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
CIIH1	42˚ 10'	67˚ 20'
CIIH2	42˚ 10'	67˚ 9.3'
CIIH3	42˚ 00'	67˚ 0.5'
CIIH4	42˚ 00'	67˚ 10'
CIIH5	41˚ 50'	67˚ 10'
CIIH6	41˚ 50'	67˚ 20'
CIIH1	42˚ 10'	67˚ 20'

Great South Channel Habitat Management Area

The Great South Channel HMA depicted above is closed year-round to all bottom-tending mobile gears, and is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Great South Channel Habitat Management Area
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
GSCH1	41° 30.3’	69° 31.0’
GSCH 2	41° 0.00’	69° 18.5’
GSCH 3	40° 51.7’	69° 18.5’
GSCH 4	40° 51.6’	69° 48.9’
GSCH 5	41° 30.2’	69° 49.3’
GSCH1	41° 30.3’	69° 31.0’

Seasonal Closure Areas

Map of Seasonal Groundfish Closure Areas in Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank

Closed Area I North Seasonal Closure

The Closed Area I North Seasonal Closure depicted above is closed from February 1 through April 15 to all fishing vessels, with the following exemptions: 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, and shrimp trawls (with properly configured grates)); 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.

The Closed Area I North Seasonal Closure is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Closed Area I North Seasonal Closures
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
CIN1	41°30′	69°23′
CIN2	41°30′	68°30′
CIN3	41°26′	68°30′
CIN4	41°04′	69°01′
CIN1	41°30′	69°23′

Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area

The Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area depicted above is closed from November 1 to January 31 to all fishing vessels, with the following exceptions: Vessels that do not have a federal Northeast multispecies permit and are fishing exclusively in state waters; charter and party or private recreational vessels using pelagic hook and line gear, 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)).

The Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points, which fall along the Massachusetts state waters boundary, in the order stated:

Winter Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area
Point	N. Lat.	W. Long.
WSPA1	42° 23.61’	70° 39.21’
WSPA2	42° 07.68’	70° 26.79’

Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area

The Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area depicted above is closed from April 15 to April 30 to all fishing vessels, with the following exceptions: Charter and party vessels*; recreational vessels; vessels fishing on a sector trip or under a handgear A permit within GOM Cod Protection Closures IV and V; 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)); vessels participating in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery; vessels using sea scallop dredge gear when under a scallop day-at-sea (DAS), or vessels lawfully in a scallop dredge exemption area; and vessels participating in the Raised Footrope Trawl Exempted Whiting Fishery.

*Charter and party vessels may fish in the Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area provided they have a Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the Regional Administrator to enter or fish in these areas (additional requirements also apply). You may get an LOA by calling the Permit Office at (978) 281-9370.

The Spring Massachusetts Bay Spawning Protection Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

[April 15 – April 30]

Point	N. latitude	W. longitude	Note
SSPA1	42°30'N	The intersection of 42°30’ N. lat. and the coastline at Marblehead, MA
SSPA2	42°30'N	70°30’W
SSPA3	42°00'N	70°30’W
SSPA4	42°00'N	The intersection of 42°00’ N. lat. and the coastline at Kingston, MA	From Point SSPA4 to Point SSPA5 following the coastline of Massachusetts
SSPA5	The intersection of 71°00’ W. long and the coastline at Quincy, MA	71°00'W	From Point SSPA4 to Point SSPA5 following the coastline of Massachusetts
SSPA6	The intersection of 71°00’ W. long and the northernmost coastline at East Boston, Boston, MA	71°00'W	From Point SSPA6 back to Point SSPA 1 following the coastline of Massachusetts
SSPA1	42°30'N	The intersection of 42°30’ N. lat. and the coastline at Marblehead, MA	From Point SSPA6 back to Point SSPA 1 following the coastline of Massachusetts

Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot Restricted Gear Areas

Map of Mobile Gear and Lobster Pot Restricted Gear Areas in Southern New England

The Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot Restricted Gear Areas (RGAs), depicted above, implement measures to separate mobile gear and lobster trap/pot gear in time and area according to the schedule below. Mobile gear vessels may transit the areas when closed, provided that all mobile gear is stowed according to gear stowage requirements inside the area.

Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGAs
RGA	Closed to mobile gear	Closed to trap/pot gear
I	October 1 - June 15	June 16 – September 30
II	November 27 - June 15	June 16 – November 26
III	June 16 - November 26	January 1 – April 30
IV	June 16 - September 30	No closure

Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA I		Closed to mobile gear		Closed to trap/pot gear
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA I		October 1 - June 15		June 16 – September 30
Inshore Boundary			Offshore Boundary
Point	Latitude	Longitude	Point	Latitude	Longitude
To 120			To 69
69	40˚ 07.9’	68˚ 36.0’	120	40˚ 06.4’	68˚ 35.8’
70	40˚ 07.2’	68˚ 38.4’	121	40˚ 05.25’	68˚ 39.3’
71	40˚ 06.9’	68˚ 46.5’	122	40˚ 05.4’	68˚ 44.5’
72	40˚ 08.7’	68˚ 49.6’	123	40˚ 06.0’	68˚ 46.5’
73	40˚ 08.1’	68˚ 51.0’	124	40˚ 07.4’	68˚ 49.6’
74	40˚ 05.7’	68˚ 52.4’	125	40˚ 05.55’	68˚ 49.8’
75	40˚ 03.6’	68˚ 57.2’	126	40˚ 03.9’	68˚ 51.7’
76	40˚ 03.65’	69˚ 00.0’	127	40˚ 02.25’	68˚ 55.4’
77	40˚ 04.35’	69˚ 00.5’	128	40˚ 02.6’	69˚ 00.0’
78	40˚ 05.2’	69˚ 00.5’	129	40˚ 02.75’	69˚ 00.75’
79	40˚ 05.3’	69˚ 01.1’	130	40˚ 04.2’	69˚ 01.75’
80	40˚ 08.9’	69˚ 01.75’	131	40˚ 06.15’	69˚ 01.95’
81	40˚ 11.0’	69˚ 03.8’	132	40˚ 07.25’	69˚ 02.0’
82	40˚ 11.6’	69˚ 05.4’	133	40˚ 08.5’	69˚ 02.25’
83	40˚ 10.25’	69˚ 04.4’	134	40˚ 09.2’	69˚ 03.3’
84	40˚ 09.75’	69˚ 04.15’	135	40˚ 09.75’	69˚ 03.3’
85	40˚ 08.45’	69˚ 03.6’	136	40˚ 09.55’	69˚ 03.85’
86	40˚ 05.65’	69˚ 03.55’	137	40˚ 08.4’	69˚ 03.4’
87	40˚ 04.1’	69˚ 03.9’	138	40˚ 07.2’	69˚ 03.3’
88	40˚ 02.65’	69˚ 05.6’	139	40˚ 06.0’	69˚ 03.1’
89	40˚ 02.00’	69˚ 08.35’	140	40˚ 05.4’	69˚ 03.5’
90	40˚ 02.65’	69˚ 11.15’	141	40˚ 04.8’	69˚ 03.05’
91	40˚ 00.05’	69˚ 14.6’	142	40˚ 03.55’	69˚ 03.55’
92	39˚ 57.8’	69˚ 20.35’	143	40˚ 01.9’	69˚ 03.95’
93	39˚ 56.65’	69˚ 24.4’	144	40˚ 01.0’	69˚ 04.4’
94	39˚ 56.1’	69˚ 26.35’	146	39˚ 59.9’	69˚ 06.25’
95	39˚ 56.55’	69˚ 34.1’	147	40˚ 00.6’	69˚ 10.5’
96	39˚ 57.85’	69˚ 35.5’	148	39˚ 59.25’	69˚ 11.15’
97	40˚ 00.65’	69˚ 36.5’	149	39˚ 57.45’	69˚ 16.05’
98	40˚ 00.9’	69˚ 37.3’	150	39˚ 56.1’	69˚ 20.1’
99	39˚ 59.15’	69˚ 37.3’	151	39˚ 54.6’	69˚ 25.65’
100	39˚ 58.8’	69˚ 38.45’	152	39˚ 54.65’	69˚ 26.9’
102	39˚ 56.2’	69˚ 40.2’	153	39˚ 54.8’	69˚ 30.95’
103	39˚ 55.75’	69˚ 41.4’	154	39˚ 54.35’	69˚ 33.4’
104	39˚ 56.7’	69˚ 53.6’	155	39˚ 55.0’	69˚ 34.9’
105	39˚ 57.55’	69˚ 54.05’	156	39˚ 56.55’	69˚ 36.0’
106	39˚ 57.4’	69˚ 55.9’	157	39˚ 57.95’	69˚ 36.45’
107	39˚ 56.9’	69˚ 57.45’	158	39˚ 58.75’	69˚ 36.3’
108	39˚ 58.25’	70˚ 03.0’	159	39˚ 58.8’	69˚ 36.95’
110	39˚ 59.2’	70˚ 04.9’	160	39˚ 57.95’	69˚ 38.1’
111	40˚ 00.7’	70˚ 08.7’	161	39˚ 54.5’	69˚ 38.25’
112	40˚ 03.75’	70˚ 10.15’	162	39˚ 53.6’	69˚ 46.5’
115	40˚ 05.2’	70˚ 10.9’	163	39˚ 54.7’	69˚ 50.0’
116	40˚ 02.45’	70˚ 14.1’	164	39˚ 55.25’	69˚ 51.4’
119	40˚ 02.75’	70˚ 16.1’	165	39˚ 55.2’	69˚ 53.1’
To 181			166	39˚ 54.85’	69˚ 53.9’
			167	39˚ 55.7’	69˚ 54.35’
			168	39˚ 56.15’	69˚ 55.35’
			169	39˚ 56.05’	69˚ 56.25’
			170	39˚ 55.3’	69˚ 57.1’
			171	39˚ 54.8’	69˚ 58.6’
			172	39˚ 56.05’	70˚ 00.65’
			173	39˚ 55.3’	70˚ 02.95’
			174	39˚ 56.9’	70˚ 11.3’
			175	39˚ 58.9’	70˚ 11.5’
			176	39˚ 59.6’	70˚ 11.1’
			177	40˚ 01.35’	70˚ 11.2’
			178	40˚ 02.6’	70˚ 12.0’
			179	40˚ 00.4’	70˚ 12.3’
			180	39˚ 59.75’	70˚ 13.05’
			181	39˚ 59.3’	70˚ 14.0’
			To 119
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA II		Closed to mobile gear		Closed to trap/pot gear
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA II		November 27 - June 15		June 16 – November 26
To 1			To 49
49	40˚ 02.75’	70˚ 16.1’	1	39˚ 59.3’	70˚ 14.0’
50	40˚ 00.7’	70˚ 18.6’	2	39˚ 58.85’	70˚ 15.2’
51	39˚ 59.8’	70˚ 21.75’	3	39˚ 59.3’	70˚ 18.4’
52	39˚ 59.75’	70˚ 25.5’	4	39˚ 58.1’	70˚ 19.4’
53	40˚ 03.85’	70˚ 28.75’	5	39˚ 57.0’	70˚ 19.85’
54	40˚ 00.55’	70˚ 32.1’	6	39˚ 57.0’	70˚ 21.25’
55	39˚ 59.15’	70˚ 34.45’	7	39˚ 57.5’	70˚ 22.8’
56	39˚ 58.9’	70˚ 38.65’	8	39˚ 57.1’	70˚ 25.4’
57	40˚ 00.1’	70˚ 45.1’	9	39˚ 57.65’	70˚ 27.05’
58	40˚ 00.5’	70˚ 57.6’	10	39˚ 58.58’	70˚ 27.7’
59	40˚ 02.0’	71˚ 01.3’	11	40˚ 00.65’	70˚ 28.8’
60	39˚ 59.3’	71˚ 18.4’	12	40˚ 02.2’	70˚ 29.15’
61	40˚ 00.7’	71˚ 19.8’	13	40˚ 01.0’	70˚ 30.2’
62	39˚ 57.5’	71˚ 20.6’	14	39˚ 58.58’	70˚ 31.85’
63	39˚ 53.1’	71˚ 36.1’	15	39˚ 57.05’	70˚ 34.35’
64	39˚ 52.6’	71˚ 40.35’	16	39˚ 56.42’	70˚ 36.8’
65	39˚ 53.1’	71˚ 42.7’	21	39˚ 58.15’	70˚ 48.0’
66	39˚ 46.95’	71˚ 49.0’	24	39˚ 58.3’	70˚ 51.1’
67	39˚ 41.15’	71˚ 57.1’	25	39˚ 58.1’	70˚ 52.25’
68	39˚ 35.45’	72˚ 02.0’	26	39˚ 58.05’	70˚ 53.55’
69	39˚ 32.65’	72˚ 06.1’	27	39˚ 58.4’	70˚ 59.6’
70	39˚ 29.75’	72˚ 09.8’	28	39˚ 59.8’	71˚ 01.05’
To 48			29	39˚ 58.2’	71˚ 05.85’
			30	39˚ 57.45’	71˚ 12.15’
			31	39˚ 57.2’	71˚ 15.0’
			32	39˚ 56.3’	71˚ 18.95’
			33	39˚ 51.4’	71˚ 36.1’
			34	39˚ 51.75’	71˚ 41.5’
			35	39˚ 50.05’	71˚ 42.5’
			36	39˚ 50.0’	71˚ 45.0’
			37	39˚ 48.95’	71˚ 46.05’
			38	39˚ 46.6’	71˚ 46.1’
			39	39˚ 43.5’	71˚ 49.4’
			40˚	39˚ 41.3’	71˚ 55.0’
			41	39˚ 39.0’	71˚ 55.6’
			42	39˚ 36.72’	71˚ 58.25’
			43	39˚ 35.15’	71˚ 58.55’
			44	39˚ 34.5’	72˚ 00.75’
			45	39˚ 32.2’	72˚ 02.25’
			46	39˚ 32.15’	72˚ 04.1’
			47	39˚ 28.5’	72˚ 06.5’
			48	39˚ 29.0’	72˚ 09.25’
			To 70
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA III		Closed to mobile gear		Closed to trap/pot gear
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA III		June 16 - November 26		January 1 - April 30
Inshore Boundary			Offshore Boundary
Point	Latitude	Longitude	Point	Latitude	Longitude
To 49			To 182
182	40˚ 05.6’	70˚ 17.7’	49	40˚ 02.75’	70˚ 16.1’
183	40˚ 06.5’	70˚ 40.05’	50	40˚ 00.7’	70˚ 18.6’
184	40˚ 11.05’	70˚ 45.8’	51	39˚ 59.8’	70˚ 21.75’
185	40˚ 12.75’	70˚ 55.05’	52	39˚ 59.75’	70˚ 25.5’
186	40˚ 10.7’	71˚ 10.25’	53	40˚ 03.85’	70˚ 28.75’
187	39˚ 57.9’	71˚ 28.7’	54	40˚ 00.55’	70˚ 32.1’
188	39˚ 55.6’	71˚ 41.2’	55	39˚ 59.15’	70˚ 34.45’
189	39˚ 55.85’	71˚ 45.0’	56	39˚ 58.9’	70˚ 38.65’
190	39˚ 53.75’	71˚ 52.25’	57	40˚ 00.1’	70˚ 45.1’
191	39˚ 47.2’	72˚ 01.6’	58	40˚ 00.5’	70˚ 57.6’
192	39˚ 33.65’	72˚ 15.0’	59	40˚ 02.0’	71˚ 01.3’
To 70			60	39˚ 59.3’	71˚ 18.4’
			61	40˚ 00.7’	71˚ 19.8’
			62	39˚ 57.5’	71˚ 20.6’
			63	39˚ 53.1’	71˚ 40.35’
			64	39˚ 52.6’	71˚ 40.35’
			65	39˚ 53.1’	71˚ 42.7’
			66	39˚ 46.95’	71˚ 49.0’
			67	39˚ 41.15’	71˚ 57.1’
			68	39˚ 35.45’	72˚ 02.0’
			69	39˚ 32.65’	72˚ 06.1’
			70	39˚ 29.75’	72˚ 09.8’
			To 192
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA IV		Closed to mobile gear		Closed to trap/pot gear
Mobile Gear and Lobster Trap/Pot RGA IV		June 16 - September 30		No Closure
Inshore Boundary			Offshore Boundary
Point	Latitude	Longitude	Point	Latitude	Longitude
193	40˚ 13.6’	68˚ 40.6’	69	40˚ 07.90’	68˚ 36.00’
194	40˚ 11.6’	68˚ 53.0’	70	40˚ 07.2’	68˚ 38.40’
195	40˚ 14.0’	69˚ 04.70’	71	40˚ 06.90’	68˚ 46.50’
196	40˚ 14.30’	69˚ 05.80’	72	40˚ 08.70’	68˚ 49.60’
197	40˚ 05.5’	69˚ 09.0’	73	40˚ 08.10’	68˚ 51.00’
198	39˚ 57.3’	69˚ 25.10’	74	40˚ 05.70’	68˚ 52.40’
199	40˚ 00.40’	69˚ 35.20’	75	40˚ 03.60’	68˚ 57.20’
200	40˚ 01.70’	69˚ 35.40’	76	40˚ 03.65’	69˚ 00.00’
201	40˚ 01.70’	69˚ 37.40’	77	40˚ 04.35’	69˚ 00.50’
202	40˚ 00.50’	69˚ 38.80’	78	40˚ 05.20’	69˚ 00.50’
203	40˚ 01.30’	69˚ 45.00’	79	40˚ 05.30’	69˚ 01.10’
204	40˚ 02.10’	69˚ 45.00’	80	40˚ 08.90’	69˚ 01.75’
205	40˚ 07.60’	70˚ 04.50’	81	40˚ 11.00’	69˚ 03.80’
206	40˚ 07.80’	70˚ 09.20’	82	40˚ 11.60’	69˚ 05.40’
To 119			83	40˚ 10.25’	69˚ 04.40’
			84	40˚ 09.75’	69˚ 04.15’
			85	40˚ 08.45’	69˚ 03.60’
			86	40˚ 05.65’	69˚ 03.55’
			87	40˚ 04.10’	69˚ 03.90’
			88	40˚ 02.65’	69˚ 05.60’
			89	40˚ 02.00’	69˚ 08.35’
			90	40˚ 02.65’	69˚ 11.15’
			91	40˚ 00.05’	69˚ 14.60’
			92	39 57.8’	69˚ 20.35’
			93	39 56.75’	69˚ 24.40’
			94	39 56.50’	69˚ 26.35’
			95	39 56.80’	69˚ 34.10’
			96	39 57.85’	69˚ 35.05’
			97	40˚ 00.65’	69˚ 37.30’
			98	40˚ 00.90’	69˚ 37.30’
			99	39 59.15’	69˚ 37.30’
			100	39 58.80’	69˚ 38.45’
			102	39 56.20’	69˚ 40.20’
			103	39 55.75’	69˚ 41.40’
			104	39 56.70’	69˚ 53.60’
			105	39 57.55’	69˚ 54.05’
			106	39 57.40’	69˚ 55.90’
			107	39 56.90’	69˚ 57.45’
			108	39 58.25’	70˚ 03.00’
			110	39 59.20’	70˚ 04.90’
			111	40˚ 00.70’	70˚ 08.70’
			112	40˚ 03.75’	70˚ 10.15’
			115	40˚ 05.20’	70˚ 10.90’
			116	40˚ 02.45’	70˚ 14.1’
			119	40˚ 02.75’	70˚ 16.1’
			To 206