Northeast Multispecies Closed Area Regulations: Gulf of Maine

These 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

Western Gulf of Maine Groundfish Closure and Habitat Areas

Western Gulf of Maine Groundfish Closure

The Western Gulf of Maine (GOM) Groundfish Closure is closed year-round to all fishing vessels, with the following exemptions: Charter and party* or recreational vessels; 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)); and vessels participating in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery.

*Charter and party vessels may fish in the Western GOM and Cashes Ledge Closure Areas provided they 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.

Western Gulf of Maine Habitat Management Area

The Western GOM Habitat Management Area, depicted above, is closed year-round to all bottom-tending mobile gears. Bottom-tending mobile gear is 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). 

The Western GOM Habitat Management Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Stellwagen Dedicated Habitat Research Area

The Stellwagen Dedicated Habitat Research Area (DHRA), depicted above is closed to vessels fishing with bottom-tending mobile gear, sink gillnet gear, or demersal longline gear.

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

Cashes Ledge Groundfish Closure and Habitat Areas

Cashes Ledge Closure Area

Cashes Ledge Closure Area depicted above is closed year-round to all fishing vessels, with the following exemptions: Charter and party* or recreational vessels; 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)); and vessels participating in the mid-water trawl exempted fishery.

*Charter and party vessels may fish in the Western GOM and Cashes Ledge Closure Areas provided they 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.

The Cashes Ledge Closure Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Cashes Ledge and Fippennies Ledge Habitat Management Areas

The Cashes Ledge and Fippennies Ledge Habitat Management Areas (HMAs) depicted above are 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). 

The Cashes Ledge HMA is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

The Fippennies Ledge HMA is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Ammen Rock Habitat Management Area

The Ammen Rock HMA, depicted above, is closed to all fishing vessels, except for those fishing with pots or traps designed to take lobster. The area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Eastern Maine and Jeffreys Bank Habitat Management Areas

Eastern Maine and Jeffreys Bank Habitat Management Areas (HMAs)

The Eastern Maine and Jeffreys Bank HMAs depicted above are 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). 

The Eastern Maine and the Jeffreys Bank HMAs, respectively, are defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

Gulf of Maine Cod Protection Closures

The GOM Cod Protection Closures below are closed to all fishing vessels with the following exemptions:

• Vessels that do not have a federal Northeast multispecies permit and are fishing exclusively in state waters
• 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
• Vessels participating in the Raised Footrope Trawl Exempted Whiting Fishery.

*Charter and party vessels may fish in the GOM Cod Protection Closures provided they 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.

Sector and Common Pool Closures

Downloadable Map

Downloadable Map

¹ The intersection of 69°30'W longitude and the coastline of Maine

² The intersection of 42°20'N latitude and the coastline of Massachusetts

³ From Point 7 to Point 8 following the coastline of Massachusetts

⁴ The intersection of 42°30'N latitude and the coastline of Massachusetts

⁵ The intersection of 43°00'N latitude and the coastline of New Hampshire

⁶ From Point 11 back to Point 1 following the coastlines of New Hampshire and Maine

Downloadable Map

¹ The intersection of 42°30'N latitude and the Massachusetts coastline

² The intersection of 42°00'N latitude and the mainland Massachusetts coastline at Kingston, MA

³ From Point 6 back to Point 1 following the coastline of Massachusetts

Common Pool Closures (includes DAS, HB, and Small Vessel Category Vessels, Excludes Sector Vessels and Handgear A Vessels)

Downloadable Map

¹ The intersection of 42°30'N latitude and the Massachusetts coastline

² The intersection of 42°00'N latitude and the mainland Massachusetts coastline at Kingston, MA

³ From Point 4 back to Point 1 following the coastline of Massachusetts

Downloadable Map

Seasonal Closure Areas

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:

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:

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). An LOA may be obtained 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]

¹ The intersection of 42°30’ N. lat. and the coastline at Marblehead, MA

² The intersection of 42°00’ N. lat. and the coastline at Kingston, MA

³ From Point SSPA4 to Point SSPA5 following the coastline of Massachusetts

⁴ The intersection of 71°00’ W. long and the coastline at Quincy, MA

⁵ The intersection of 71°00’ W. long and the northernmost coastline at East Boston, Boston, MA

⁶ From Point SSPA6 back to Point SSPA 1 following the coastline of Massachusetts

GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area “Whaleback”

The GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area depicted above is closed from April 1 through June 30 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 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)).

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

Restricted Gear Areas

For all trawl vessels fishing in the GOM/GB Inshore Restricted Roller Gear Area, the maximum diameter of any part of the trawl footrope, including discs, rollers or rockhoppers, may not exceed 12 inches. 

The area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated:

                                        (1) Massachusetts shoreline

                                        (2) Cape Cod shoreline on Cape Cod Bay

                                        (3) Cape Cod shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean

                                        (4) Maine shoreline